So, not to long ago I made a blog post about my Independent reading book, The Kite Runner and recently I just finished it. While I thought this was an amazing book (especially since it was a change from that other book), this story is nothing to me but a tragedy. Even the ending doesn't make up for the terrible, awful, and tragic events that happen in this story.
I won't give away everything that happens in the book for those who want to read it, but I do have to address the really sad and depressing things that happened so Spoiler Alert.
Out from the start this book seems innocent enough with the main character Amir talking about his life with his dad and his servant/best friend Hassan. However, all of that changes when after a Kite fighting competition when Hassan leaves to get the final kite for Amir and he runs into some bullies who picked on both of them, but mainly for Hassan because he is a Hazara. They demand the kite and he refuses, so they go on to beat him up. If this isn't sad enough, it gets worse. Amir was there watching the events unfold. He followed Hassan and had a chance to try and save him, but refused and let him get beat up. Even worse is that afterword, the main bully Assef (who if you know who he is you will hate for all of his days) goes on to rape Hassan right there in the alley with Amir around the corner listening to this. So yeah, that is a really sad note righ5t there and it really sets the tone of the book.
Another depressing thing happened when Amir and his father are trying to leave Afghanistan during the Soviet Invasion and are forced to go through the smuggling operation. They are forced into cramped spaces with people and even witness one boy suffocate while in a gas truck and then his father commit suicide. Again, real sad and depressing.
Probably the worst thing happens when (Major Spoilers) Amir goes back to Afghanistan to find Hassan's son and his half nephew. He finds him under the "care" of Assef, who has joined the Taliban and has been sexually abused by him and the guards. Amir then has to fight Assef to get Sohrab's (the boy) freedom. He is beaten almost to a pulp and almost dies until Sohrab shoots a gold ball into Assef's eye.
Now, where in this whole story do you see a happy ending? Yes there are some happy parts for the characters but its really overshadowed when dealing with all this drama. Even the ending when Sohrab begins to open up to Amir doesn't make the book happy in the end. At least in my opinion. It's still very tragic and is in my opinion a tragedy. Also, some of you might think that I gave a negative review of this book and that is wrong. I think this book was amazing with great writing and good characters. Even though its story is sad and tragic, I still highly recommend it.
