The Kite Runner
The Kite runner by Khaled Hosseini is, in my opinion, one of the greatest books I have ever read in my entire life. Its use of subtlety in situations of extreme turmoil and the way it tinkers with your emotions makes it a must read. I think that the best part of the novel was after the main character, Amir, had grown into adulthood and had to face responsibilities of his own. At that time, the book managed to truly make you feel as if you watched Amir grow from age twelve to age twenty two just as Amir’s father did. The worst part of the book was probably the ending. It was vague and wasn’t as satisfying as it should have been in a book such as itself. What I find to be the most interesting, however, is the author’s decision to call the book The Kite Runner. In the beginning, I was confused as to why the title was based on a five minute kite running instance that was present in the book, but then I began to notice the metaphorical interpretation. Kite runners run to capture fallen kites after they have been defeated in kite fighting. This book had Amir always running from turmoil such as the Soviet takeover of Afghanistan and, on a smaller scale, discriminatory Afghan tribe members who disapproved of him. This book title fits the book because it has a metaphorical meaning that can only be seen if one pays attention closely to the book and everything that occurs in the protagonist’s life. However, If I were to change the title, I would have liked to call it Regret or A country worth running from. These titles would make sense because, firstly, Amir has a growing regret in the back of his mind after falsely accusing his friend Hassan for stealing, resulting in Hassan leaving him due to embarrassment. The second title would also make sense due to the fact that Afghanistan becomes a country put under martial law, and becomes a country that Amir tries to run from. Overall, title unchanged, the book is a true work of art and deserves to be read by everyone who has a library near them. I am very happy with this book!
