Love and Conflict
Reviewed by Raheem Huseinbhai
May 22, 2008
This compelling novel, narrated in the first person, shows how political and social turmoil in Afghanistan separated both family and love. Beautifully written with compassion and emotion, this book can be read no matter the situation or location. However, before beginning the novel, be prepared to isolate yourself for a few hours, because once you begin, the book is difficult to put down.
Situated in 1970 Afghanistan, Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner reads like a nonfictional diary. The story, narrated in the first person, shows the relationship between two friends, Hassan and Amir. The two characters’ lives completely contrast each other; however, both embody a loving personality. The novel’s emotion grips the reader’s attention and leaves him curious, enticing him to continue reading. The plot then unfolds, introducing misery and sadness, yet despite its many ups and downs, the novel maintains its excitement.
Although friends and immediate neighbors, both Hassan and Amir live completely different lives before they come to play with each other every day. They vary in heritage and perspective, and thus, their roles in life differ. Amir, the son of a wealthy and successful businessman lives the life of an upper-class son; he is driven to school daily in the foreign “Ford Mustang” car and is educated to one day assume his father’s business. Hassan, on the other hand, lives an entirely different life. He wakes up early in the morning, irons Amir’s school clothes, prepares Amir’s breakfast, and places Amir’s pencils in Amir’s backpack. Hassan is illiterate and admires Amir’s reading capabilities. Amir is allowed to live the lavish life, and Hassan is solely allowed to prepare the lavish life for Amir.Despite their differences in daily routines, both Hassan and Amir enjoy each other’s company. Together, they fly kites, tell stories, and climb trees. However, rising political turmoil forces the two friends to separate.
Interestingly enough, Hassan and Amir’s relationship resembles Kellyanne’s relationship with Pobby and Dingan in Ben Rice’s novel, Pobby and Dingan. Both stories show how separations between loved ones affects these people’s future, especially their decisions.The novel is fantastic since it illustrates both love and conflict. Hosseini manages to provide an educational and eye-opening account of Afghanistan’s political turmoil while also developing characters whose heart-breaking struggles and emotional triumphs are remembered long after the reader turns the final page.
This story breaks the conventional books taught in English because of its modern time period as well as its gripping plot. Furthermore, the highly detailed imagery reflects the narrator’s strong remembrance for Afghanistan.Although the plot and characters in this novel were fictional, this novel could easily have been portrayed in a nonfictional setting. So profoundly did Hosseini describe the events with emotion and detail, that throughout the the good and the bad times, he left the reader emotionally shocked. Moreover, despite the many tribulations, you will soon be left without another page to read, as The Kite Runner will entice you start to finish.
For another perspective on The Kite Runner, see Navneet’s or Katherine’s review.
