The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

*I'm actually copying this from my blog since it kinda qualifies la kot for this blog jugak hahah.. and alos coz this blog seems so left out.. sian dia*

Last week I went out with Bart outta total boredom (I think I wrote about going out with her in an earlier entry..). What I didn't write was that I had bought a book entitled The Kite Runner.

Now, I must say, its actually kinda late for me to notice this book, huh.. I read about it in a few of my friends blog.. Ayeen or Adura, I think. Then Dzul wrote about how he watched the film itself and somehow it made me wanna go find the film. But when I was out with Bart at Popular (she was searching for Ayat² Cinta), I found this book and despite having only RM50 in my purse, I bought the book.

Even then, I didn't read the book yet as I still had tons of other books I wanted to read. However, last night outta the blue, I suddenly remembered today was IM's birthday. Heck, I haven't thought about it for years and suddenly I'm remembering a lot of things. Made me a bit nostalgic and not to mention the ever-famous Ayu-being-emotional feeling. Couldn't sleep after that and was just deciding to watch a CD or something when the book caught my eye. It was still on my bookshelf, unwrapped yet with protective plastic cover (I usually wrap my bookms first before reading..)

I was debating whether to read it or watch a CD when once again the synopsis of the book caught my eye.. so it was decided then, I was gonna read the book!

..and I couldn't put it down!

It was a beautiful tale of friendship. Not once or twice did I feel a lump in my throat when I read about Amir and Hassan. Hassan was such a loyal friend, you wanted to hold him and tell him everything would be okay. The part where he was sodomised after getting the prized kite was told very simply but effectively. You could feel the shame in Amir when he ran away, in fear he would get hurt. You could feel Hassan's sorrow in the days that followed.. and feel Amir's confusion in what he had done and what he could have done.

You'd feel amazed at how Hassan still told his son, Shorab and wife (can't remember her name) that Amir was his bestfriend in the world, even when he knew Amir had ran away when he was being victimized by Assef, Wali and Kamal.. and even when he knew, Amir had betrayed him, accused him of stealing just so he had an excuse to rid himself of the loyal Hassan.

But you'd also understand Amir's hope to win the approval of his father that he never understood.. and how he felt when the secret of Hassan's parentage was revealed by Rahim after Amir's father had passed away.. and how he felt when Rahim told him, "It's time to be good again.."

I especially liked the part when Hassan told Amir, "For you, a thousand times over.." when Amir wanted him to go run after the fallen kite. And how it became the tagline of the book. I wanted to cry along with Amir when Farid had said that to him in the hospital as you could see how much Hassan actually meant to Amir (even when Farid was confused on why Amir broke down after those words..) and I liked it in the end when Amir mouthed those word to Shorab as he took the little boy kite flying..

This is one book I'll really treasure.. and I've already made Ija read it heheh..

I'm not a good story teller but to those who'd like to know more about it, you can go here. And believe me, the book is worth every cent. Written in simple english and is suitable for everyone.. I even feel like buying it for my friends, just to share the beautiful story with all.

There are other elements in this story, about Afghanistan, about Taliban, about Islam (See, we're not terrorists! Only sometime people twist the words of Allah to suit their own sick mind, while they themselves immerse their wholeself in sin..) but what I liked most, and what I think dominates this book is the friendship between the two..

Friendship, when sincere, indeed is beautiful!