“For you, a thousand times over”

Its very seldom that I feel like writing a book review despite claiming myself a voracious reader. But ever since I read this book, I feel that I will be doing an injustice if I don't write few words for this "great" book.

The book I am talking about is "the Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini.

Very often, the writer starts writing an autobiography or a biography but ends up with nothing more than personal thoughts. He just enforces his beliefs, most of which are "correct" and never tries to show his negative aspect. But this is not the case with this book.
This is a story of Aamir and his constant 'guilt'. Written in the backdrop of changing environment of Afghanistan, it shows how the once beautiful and lively country went transformed to almost a "hell". But these are just the subplots, even thought they are central to the story. As I said, this is mainly the story of Aamir and his "guilt".

Aamir is a well to to boy, and has a servant cum companion Hassan. Hassan is totally devoted to Aamir and is willing to give his life for Aamir at the drop of hat. He is the one who serves him food in the morning, plays with him and is excited when Aamir reads story to him. And despite Aamir making fun of him for his lack of education, he is grateful to him. But whole thing changes on that dreadful kite championship day, which although Aamir wins, but looses his self respect as he betrays Hassan. And this act of his haunts him till the very end. How he lives with this guilt and how he amends for it, forms the rest of the story. In between, is the story of his father's past, his own love life and the frighting picture of Taliban.

One of the reason for the book’s popularity is due to livid description of situation in Afghanistan, and the story has very beautifully given a snapshot of the disaster that has taken place over two decades. But it’s a story about people. The story is about human feelings, its about his short comings. The story shows how we can become very weak when we are expected to be brave and stand for our loved ones. And how the same person can withstand the might of the world just to undo his wrong deeds. It very delicately introduces us to the mind of Aamir at various points of his life. As a child, as a friend, master to a servant, child longing for his fathers attention and affection, an achiever, a looser, a lover, a fighter, a coward, person frightened to death, a person determined to achieve, etc. And all these attributes have been so skillfully portrayed, that we can compare ourself with Aamir at one point or the other. I for myself could find many instances where I had the same feelings as that of Aamir.

Now about the title of this post. This line have been repeated may be 2-3 times in the book. But from the very first time it was said to the very last time, which is also the last line of the book, it remain in the mind of the reader. And it is strange because it is not even a complete sentence. But the sheer force of this line tells a lot. It speaks of loyalty, love, affection,trust,and whatever good you can think of. It also speaks of the pain. The pain of neglect, the pain of belongingness, the pain of want.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has a liking for a bit of drama, bit of action but basically is interested in reading a quality book. A book which rips open the human mind. Be prepared to feel sad, angry and be open to interpretation. I am still to decide what would I have done had I been in Aamir place?. Or for that matter, in Hassan place on the "Kite championship day" ?,