The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner is a fiction written by Khaled Hosseini published in 2003. His first novel. The story is written in the background of the political changes in Afganistan from the 1970s. Main character is Amir, a boy from Kabul, who with his father leave Afganistan to Pakistan after terrorism breaks out in Kabul. They later migrate to USA. His relation with his servant, Hassan, who later turns out to be his brother is well written.

The major characters are Amir, his father called Baba, Hassan, Hassan’s father Ali, Amir’s wife Soraya, Hassan’s son Sohrab, Baba’s partner- Rahim Khan and many others who come and go. Baba is a strong character in the novel. With many twists in the storyline, the novel is a good read. Life in Afganistan under the Taliban is portraited excellently in the novel.

The novel was written when Khaled Hosseini who himself migrated from Afganistan to USA just like in the story was deeply touched when Taliban banned flying kites in Kabul.

Novel clearly shows the lost Afgan culture because of the outbreak of terrorism. Just loved how the novel unfolds and how the writer has painted a picture of Afganistan culture and traditions along with shocking details of how things changed under Taliban.

He also bases his novel in the background of the political developments in Afganistan and starting of terrorism so, it is an informative read too. An American movie of the same name based on this book was released in 2007.