The Kite Runner
I saw the movie based on this book ages ago. My mom read the book at about the same time, but I didn't pick it up. It was during a time in my life that I wanted light and easy books, escapist fantasies. This book was a bit too heavy for me to commit to. But I did eventually get around to it. And I'm glad I did. It's a beautiful rumination on friendship and family. On class and culture. On guilt and atonement. It's about the ties that nothing, not distance or time or betrayal, can break completely. We first meet the protagonist, Amir, as a young boy in Afghanistan. His father is a wealthy businessman and great philanthropist. They live comfortably, in a nice house with servants. Amir's father gives back to the community in every way he can, from building and funding an orphanage to giving money to every homeless person he comes across. His great disappointment is Amir, who is constantly failing to live up to his expectations. Amir and Hassan, the servant's ...