IMO 5/5: Captivating story, eye-opening narrative, ravaged my soul

I’ve read several 5/5 books lately, but I don’t remember the last time I have been so entertained and grieved.

The two main characters were young boys, growing up in Afghanistan in the ’70’s. The story followed them into the early 2000’s. One boy was of privilege, one a servant. Best of friends, although only one of them would admit it.

Amir… an only child of a wealthy and distant father. I despised him. I struggled with how much I despised a child. I had to remind myself that he was growing up in a culture I didn’t understand and that he himself was only a child trying to navigate the complexities of his life, plagued by a weight no child should have to bear. I never fully got over my detest for him but I absolutely grieved the shame and guilt he was cursed by. Khaled Hosseini did a phenomenal job of painting the devastating destruction unprocessed shame and guilt can cause.

Hassan. Oh my heart. How can a fictional boy’s story even now sting my eyes with tears. He was broken over and over again and he just kept bouncing back, smiling and loving people that did not respect him or deserve his love. Making the best of a world that loathed him. I hate how his story ended and at the same time, I love how he lived out his story.

Hassan was a Shia Muslim and belonged to the Hazara ethnic group which has been under oppression and persecution throughout history. The world is a difficult and scary place. I would wager most Americans don’t understand this level of difficulty, regardless of race. The brutality that the Hazara have been burdened by, and the Afghan people at the hands of terrorists groups is beyond understanding while I sit in my air conditioned home, with running water and electricity; a right to vote and a right to go in public by myself and a right to any career; a constitution that protects me and even though our government is a sh*# show right now, the things people fear here are NOTHING compared to what people are dealing with in places like Afghanistan.

One review I read, was a (white) man saying how white people read this book to become worldly and he gave it one star. I’m not sure what he means by ‘worldly’ but what I will say is that this book prompted me to consider Afghanistan in a way I never have.

I was born in the ’80’s. Pre-Kite Runner, if you asked me what I know about Afghanistan, I would’ve said… Taliban, Al-Quaeda, Osama Bin Laden, and the pictures I remember from 9/11 when people in Afghanistan were dancing in the streets chatting ‘Death to America’. Zero positives would come to mind.

How amazing that a beautifully told fictional story can prompt a person to learn and reconsider. I spent time looking into the political history of Afghanistan and I let myself care about the Afghan characters. So if that is what One-Star-White-Man means about ‘worldly’, then yep! Sign me up. My heart is broken for people experiencing the kind of violence and oppression I read about in this book. What will I do about it? Maybe nothing. I don’t know. But every good thing starts with the heart. The Taliban and Al-Quaeda and terrorism are all real, but so are the people… the people that are just trying to survive and love their families and their communities.

The Kite Runner is on many ‘Must Read’ lists… as well it should be. I highly suggest you pick it up. Grab some tissue and get ready to love and hate and maybe be really surprised about Middle Eastern life.

Hosseini himself was born in Kabul, Afghanistan and eventually moved to the United States. He not only tells stories, teaching the world about Afghanistan, but he also started The Khaled Hossieni Foundation that directly helps the people in that area.