One of the things I love about books is where they can take you and what they can teach you. In the past, I've been drawn to books that also tell of historical events. One thing we don't think about are the hardships that were experienced by children in Afghanistan during upheavals in the Middle East. Kite Runner, takes a hard look at these hardships.

The best thing about The Kite Runneris a hard realistic look at Afghanistan and its people. Hosseini uses his narrator, Amir, to tell a heartbreaking story about one Afghani boy. Recurring themes in this book are forgiveness, loyalty, and of course the ever-present kite.

Amir returns to the place of his childhood, Kabul and uses the kite war tradition as a main focal point for his tales. This is the part of his life that changed him. The kite wars would be the point of his life that he goes back to time and again to face his suffering, find his acceptance and also his forgiveness.

Along with the kite war tradition, Hosseini also takes you on the journey of the fall of Afghanistan. From the time the king was driven away from his rule to the time Russia took over. Hosseini takes you through the journey of many Afghanis to America to escape the Russians. After the Russians came the Taliban. They ruled until the Americans drove them out. All the while, Amir gives a vivid picture of the horrors his native country endured.

And yet, underneath all the horror was an even closer pain than the loss of country. A secret from his childhood that would cause him more suffering and maybe even offer him some relief.

This book was heart wrenching and yet enlightening. The best part of the book was it’s look at the Afghani culture and how real the struggle remains to this day. The themes are important to discuss, no matter the time period or the culture. This novel spans the gaps between race and culture to reach the hearts and minds of everyone. Friendship, religion, race, and war are all themes we can recognize and connect with.

In comparison, I think of how children might have felt if they grew up with either indentured servants or even black slaves in their household. How did they feel when they grew up and had different privileges? This is a wonderful tale of how race, even in other cultures, has torn people apart.

While this is a look into the past, it can also help us look to the future. Hopefully, by looking at this piece of realistic fiction, one can grasp a better understanding of one's own culture and look at the step to be taken to help avoid future occurrences.