| Product: |
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini |
| Date: |
06/05/08 (151 review reads) |
| Rating: |
 |
Advantages: Beautifully written, emotive
Disadvantages: Drags towards the end
In 1970s Kabul, Amir and Hassan are best friends; Amir is the first word that the slightly older Hassan spoke and the two grew up in each other's pockets. Yet Amir is the son of a wealthy man and a Pashtun, whereas Hassan is the son of his servant and a Hazara. As they grow up, the differences in their background threaten to separate them, especially when Amir's father seems to favour Hassan over Amir. However, they hold on to their friendship, Hassan always ready to support Amir in any times of trouble, until one day, when something dreadful happens to Hassan. Amir choses to stand back, although it is within his abilities to help his friend. As a result, the friendship is doomed.
Many years later, after Amir and his father have settled in the US, Amir finds out something that shakes the very foundations of his beliefs and he is forced to return to Kabul, where he hopes he will be able to atone for his sins. Will he find Hassan again? Is redemption possible after all these years?
As so often happens with best-selling books, I put off reading this one, which was published back in 2005 simply because I hate to have certain expectations of a book, only to be disappointed. However, I do enjoy reading books about the Middle East and South and Central Asia, so it eventually crept to the top of my reading pile. With the space of three years, I had forgotten most of what I had been told about the book, so was able to look upon it with fresh eyes.
The story is told pretty much chronologically, although it does begin with a skip forward to the present. I loved the first part of the book, where the story of Amir and Hassan and their childhood is told. It really is compelling reading and I loved the descriptions of their surroundings - from pomegranate trees to swirling kite contests. I thought that Amir's feelings, as a young boy, were well-described too - I found it easy to understand why he behaved in the way that he did. Then Amir moves to America with his father. I enjoyed the descriptions of building a new life in a new country, but then found the book began to drag a little whilst Amir's studies and love life are being laid out. I didn't exactly want to give up, but I did begin to wonder if that was it.
Thankfully, things begin to pick up when Amir goes back to Kabul. The happenings from thereon come flying off the pages and I really couldn't read fast enough. Nothing happened quite as I was expecting, which is a great plus as far as I am concerned - I was constantly surprised and on tenterhooks wondering what was going to happen next. And at times, I was moved to tears. I think that the period in the US was necessary to the story, but it perhaps could have been a little shorter so that the reader can reach the good parts sooner.
The title of the book is The Kite Runner, so it should be of no surprise to learn that kites are a recurring motif in the book, standing for success and hope. Motifs can be difficult to use well in literature - it is so easy for them to become cheesy and a little pretentious. In this case, I think Hosseini was swinging close to the wind, but just about manages to pull it off - the last chapter is a little cringeworthy, but the rest of the story is so strong that it almost doesn't matter that he chooses to use a little artistic licence.
As most will know, Afghanistan has been pretty much continuously in a situation of war since the 1970s. There are therefore some pretty harrowing descriptions in the book. Amir's escape from Kabul, his return many years later and what happens to Hassan and his family all spring to mind. If you have a weak stomach, you may want to stay away - although personally I have read much worse and I thought that Hosseini dealt with the situation very well - he didn't avoid the situation, nor did he try to glorify it.
Although I thought the American chapters could have been shortened, another topic I thought that Hosseini dealt with well is emigrating to another country. I think people presume it is fairly easy to move to another country and settle there. It isn't. I know, I've done it. In this case, it was even more difficult because Amir and his father were used to a wealthy lifestyle in Kabul, and suddenly became poor nobodies when they moved to America. Amir's father, known as Baba, particularly struggles, and there is one brilliant description of an altercation with the owners of a grocery store when they refuse to accept a cheque without ID - in Kabul, Baba's reputation would precede him and he could do almost anything he wanted. I loved this attention to detail - it really reminded me of some arguments I got into when I lived abroad.
The story is told in the first person by Amir, and as such, he is the only character that we really get to know. I liked him because of the way that he is clearly not perfect. He makes a mistake as a child and regrets it for the rest of his life, but knows that if he can do something good, he can at least partially erase that mistake. Some may find his inability to shut the door on that mistake a little unrealistic, but having read about his childhood friendship with Hassan, I found it completely convincing.
This book isn't without its flaws, but the author still manages to tell a story that had me spellbound at times - no easy feat when I read as much as I do. I think most people will find something to enjoy here - and that includes men and women. Don't be put off by the hype as I first was. I'm now looking forward to watching the film. Recommended.
The book is available from play.com for £4.99. The book is published by Bloomsbury Publishing and has 336 pages. ISBN: 9780747566533
Summary: Believe the hype for once - worth reading
|
|
