Synopsis-
In the 1970's in Afghanistan, Amir is navigating his way through life with Hassan his best friend by his side. The annual kite running competition is Amir and Hassan's favourite time of the year, however after the competition nothing will be the same again. After the Russian's invade Afghanistan, Amir and his Baba escape as refugees to America. Amir realises that one day he needs to return to his homeland now under Taliban rule and find the one thing America can't grant him: Atonement.
'' For you, a thousand times over.''
'' There is a way to be good again''
Analysis
I struggle to write this review, it feels like whatever I say about this book will never give it the justice it truly deserves. When starting this book, I was aware it was going to be sad after reading countless reviews on it. However, sometimes, very rarely as a reader the lines between fiction and reality begin to merge and you begin to feel sorrow like you are part of the story. However That was the profound effect this book had on me. The characterization of this book is impeccable, The character of Hassan and Amir display the vitality of childhood, and their relationship from the very beginning displays that they are inseparable despite different backgrounds.
Perhaps the thing that made this book so captivating for me was the description of the Afghanstian culture. The family life, the traditions, and the sense of unity that emerges when reading this novel inflict's a sense of happiness on the reader as we see that compared to the West people from Afghanistan seem to be instrumentally more happy and are not burdeneded by greed. However, the hardships that come with their culture inflicts a sense of pity on the reader as we see how Hazara's are treated differently. This creates empathy for the reader as we are exposed to the structure of hierarchy and how Hassan was inevitably always going to suffer more than Amir.
As a History student with an interest in IR, the effects of international intervention in Afghanistan broke me. We are enlightened to the refugee crisis after the Russians invade and the hardship this inflicted on individuals of every class in society. When Amir moves to America it is interesting to see the engagement of different cultures and how hostile the West is in comparison to Afghanistan. Although this section of the book hurt me it was not until the last few chapters when Amir went back to his home that I began to cry. Hosseini enlightens the reader to the effects of global conflict and life under a totalitarian state as we see the power of the Taliban and how they have ruined the homeland of many. The dichotomy of Afghanistan at the start and Afghanistan at the end conveyed how economic and religious motives can tarnish something so harmonious and turn it sour.
The actual plot of the novel was compelling, not once was I bored. The ideological significance of the novel is planted from the very beginning however it is not until the end that we are aware of it. The cyclical structure of the novel inflict's a sense of comfort for the reader and display's that people can always be good again. The theme of redemption is prevalent throughout the text and displays how it is not unattainable to be a good person again even after mistakes are made. It would be naive to say this was an easy read, it was painful to endure as the life we live today in the West shelters us from the raw brutality of countries under restrictive regimes. Although this book may not be based on a true story, I do not doubt that there are thousands of Amirs and Hassan's out there. In most fiction, it's hard to imagine it happening in real life whether that's because of the tense love story or the fact that the plot simply defies the rules of gravity. However, The Kite Runner taught me that there will always be people willing to sacrifice themselves for others, and others who cant do the same. However It is ultimately the people who can't do the same who end up the most hurt, and on the journey to redempetion they are enlightened to the vitality of what it means to be human.
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