Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Erik Brugnoli-Ensin


As a young Afghani boy, Amir feels neglected by his flawless father, and becomes jealous of the way his father acts affectionately toward his best friend Hassan. During the winter kite festival, Amir witnesses the violation of Hassan, who has always been loyal and true to Amir. He fails to rescue Hassan, and instead of talking about it, Amir ignores him. Amir is so full of anguish and guilt, he cannot speak to anyone about what he let happen, which makes him even more miserable. Amir and Hassan separate as the Russian occupation of Afghanistan begins, and as time passes, Amir settles down in the United States. Life improves for Amir in America, but he is still haunted by what happened. He feels guilty for being a coward in his past relationships with his perfect dad, and faithful companion. When Amir gets a call from an old friend, his world is flipped as hes thrown into war-torn Afghanistan, on a mission to be good again. Here, Amir finds out the truth about Hassan an his father.

The book is a powerful story of guilt, friendship, and redemption. It stirs up many emotions in the reader, especially in the early chapters. Just as the book seems to get dull, it takes off again when Amir leaves America, and has to face his past back in Afghanistan. The author is incredibly descriptive and maintains the readers interest throughout the majority of the book. I hold this book in high regards, and recommend it to anyone.