One of my goals this year is to read at least one book per month. So far, so good. In Decemeber I wrapped up Khaled Hosseini'sThe Kite Runner, and Kurt Vonngut's Slaughterhouse 5.
I had a hard time getting started with The Kite Runner, but by halfway in I was pretty absorbed in the story. It's a tough book, emotionally. Nonetheless I was fascinated by Hosseini's account of life in Afghanistan before the Soviet invasion, and his experience in the Afghan diaspora, which to me was quite poignant - even more so given it's universality.
I can imagine Chechens, Ukrainians, Congolese, Iraqis, Somalis, and many more peoples having the same experiences as exiles abroad. The main character's identity crisis is really universal, I think, for all children of immigrants and refugees that have come to the US. This reminded me of my students at the International Institute of New Hampshire and their hardships as refugees forced to flee their homelands, disjointed from family and friends - not knowing where they are, or if they are alive or dead.
I found the story itself heartbreaking, but ultimately redeeming. The Kite Runner follows a fairly standard "coming of age" or "hero's journey" story arc, and sometimes plot twists were fairly predictable. I'd attribute this to Hosseini's heavy use of foreshadowing, so the predictability of certain plot details is likely intentional. Whether you like that, or not, is up to you.
Ultimately it's a great book, and definitely worth reading. It's very topical to current events over the last decade or so, and I'd reccomend it for anyone who wants to get a better understanding of Afghan culture, history, and national experience. It effectively highlights pressing issues of human rights, refugees, and immigration. The Kite Runner is also moving on a personal moral and religious level. While it gives insight into the everyday lives of the Afghan people, the book truly shines as a parable for love and redemption.
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