Leslee
Grade 11
The Kite Runner
By:  Khaled Hosseini

Now an adult living in America, Amir receives a call from a man named Rahim Khan- a very important figure in Amir’s life.  This man brings the haunting memories of Amir’s past rushing back as he gives Amir hope of redeeming himself.  Throughout the novel, our questions of Amir’s past are all answered as he recounts them.  Beginning with the final days of the Afghan monarchy and the Russian invasion, Amir is a young boy living in Kabul.  His father is rich and powerful, and their Hazara servants, Ali and his son Hassan, live in a mud shack behind their mansion.  Amir shares a close bond with Hassan, spending every waking moment together, running kites, going to movies, and being best friends.  Yet as things begin to change and go terribly wrong, the struggles of the two young boys are revealed.  As the story moves along, characters and lives are drastically changed and Amir eventually makes his way to America in the present.  This powerful story tells a tale of fear, love, mistakes, redemption, and how the struggles in life can be forever haunting, all the while providing a phenominal display of Afghan culture.   

I picked up this book because my sister recommended it.  I recently and happily reread it as an assignment for my English class.  I finished it because it truly is a page turner and an incredible story that is written beautifully.

I would recommend this book to anyone who appreciates the power of strong bonds, love, mistakes, and redemption.  Some of the events are hard to get through, and the interpretation of whether the ending is happy or sad varies among individuals, but the story is eye-opening and strong.

I would give this book a 5***** rating.