The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

This book was Hosseini's first publish novel and has since been made into a film.

Told from the viewpoint of Amir, born and bred with his father's Hazara servants son, Hassan.

The book covers the period just before, then during the fall of the Afghan monarchy, the Soviet invasion and finally the rise of the Taliban later in the novel.

During a much loved kite running tournament the ever faithful Hassan vows to catch the winning kite for Amir but after he chases away Amir can't find him. After looking for Hassan and receiving no help he comes across the local bully Asef raping Hassan. Amir turns and runs leaving Hassan without defending him like Hassan does blindly for him.

The friendship changes in Amir's eyes although Hassan tries to keep it alive and eventually Amir manages to trick his father into getting rid of his servant and Hassan. His father is devestated to loose them much to Amir's surprise, aren't they only Hazaras?

In the future Amir and his father travel to America and make a life for themselves there.

Amir marries and begins a life of his own unable to have children with his wife. His father dies of cancer and Amir feels all is lost however after a phone call from an old friend Amir has a chance to redeem his past sins.

Back in his home country Amir discovers that Hassan was really his half brother and was killed by the Taliban after trying to protect his family. Amir sets off to Kabul to find Sohrab, Hassan's son.

To cut a long story short, and not to ruin the story, when he finds Sohrab he is dressed in girls clothes being made to dance for no other than Asef the man who had raped his father.

Amir sets right what he should have done many years before for Hassan and saves Sohrab and takes him back to America after a struggle.

Although he is damaged and abused and afraid Sohrab begins to rebuild his life and trust in people with the help of Amir and his wife Sonya. The final kite flying session between Amir and Sohrab seems to mark their new beginning.

Very complex and covering a long and complicated period of time in a turbulent country this book makes us face issues few of us will face.

8/10