The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Amir and Hassen grew up together in Afghanistan. They were as close as could be. Their friendship was unique as Hassen was also a servant to Amir. Amir was from a wealthy family and Hassen's father was a trusted servant to Amir's family. Once the "serving" was done, though, they were as close as brothers and played together all the time. Hassen fiercely and loyally protected Amir when they were out on the streets and the two were inseparable. But as close as they were jealousy grew a root when Baba, Amir's father, treated Hassen so well. Amir felt he never measured up to his father's expectations and never quite had his father's whole love. When the kite fighting competition season came around, Amir felt he just had to win it to gain his father's respect and love. With Hassen as his kite runner, the one who chases the kite that got cut, he had a great shot at it. But when things take an ugly turn with some bullies and Hassen needs Amir's help, Amir cannot find the courage within himself to do what he should and the guilt Amir lives with affects their relationship for the rest of their lives. As an adult living in America with a family of his own, Amir has done well in life but still lives with an underlying guilt of what happened so many years ago and when an old family friend approaches him to help a young boy in Afghanistan, Amir reluctantly agrees. But going back after so many years will be the hardest thing Amir has done and what he finds out will rock his world. As long held family secrets come to light Amir must try to reconcile what he always thought he knew of Baba with what unfolds. Will Amir finally find the courage finally do what he has to and lay to rest the guilt he has carried for so long. 

 This was a very moving novel that painted a picture of a country and culture I knew nothing about. It starts by giving the reader a general picture of what life in Afghanistan would have been like before Afghanistan became a household word in the Western world. The upper class and the servant class life is richly detailed through the lives of Amir and Hassen and their families. Then the events that throws that life into chaos comes: the coup, the Soviet invasion, the Taliban takeover and 911 are all woven into the story and show how the lives of all classes of people in Afghanistan changed. I thought the author did a wonderful job of "educating" me on what it might have been like for the Afghan people of the time. I'd never really given it much thought. Though I found the character of Amir frustrating and honestly not too likeable at times,  his story was what moved the descriptions of the times along. I won't lie, at times the story was brutal to read, and very sad and anger inducing. It will be very triggering for anyone who suffered abuse as a child or who has lived through war.   This book at times was painful and so sad to read.  But I think, in my case, it really opened my eyes to a lot of preconceived notions the West has been fed.  But the politics of the times aside, it's a story of friendship, family, loyalty, lies and betrayal, guilt and redemption.

I gave it a 10/10

Reading Challenge Met: "Read Your Shelf Challenge May Prompt - A book you should have read in high school.  (Technically this wasn't from my era but I couldn't remember any books I should have read and had no desire to reread the one I did think of "The Great Gatsby" so I chose this book from more recent lists of high school reads.