The Kite Runner is a devastating yet beautiful tale of betrayal and redemption from one of the best storytellers, Khaled Hosseini. This unforgettable and heartbreaking story is about the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy, Amir, and the son of his father’s servant, Hassan, who are the closest of friends, as good as brothers, and also experts in the art of kite flying.

The two young boys live in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, which later turns out to be a horrifying place to live in for them. I have never been to Afghanistan before but this story depicts such a lucid image of life in Kabul during the early 70s as if I am the one experiencing it.

Amir is the son of a wealthy and influential Afghan father. He grows up alongside Hassan, with whom he shares an intense bond; not exactly a close friendship as it would require equal status according to society. While Amir gets ready for school, Hassan lays out his school clothes and polishes his shoes. Amir is a bookish boy, whereas Hassan is an unschooled Hazara.

The Hazaras are the underclass, and their status is parallel to that of many other societies where wealthy families and servants/slaves share household activities. As we go forth in the story, we experience the lives of Amir, Hassan, and their families going through the "liberation" of Afghanistan by the Taliban and their barbaric behavior as they take over and work towards ethnic cleansing — wiping out the Hazaras, i.e., terrifying and killing them for the fun of it.

In a war, people are often forced to make great sacrifices. Similarly, young Amir himself commits an act of betrayal towards his best friend Hassan, which later haunts him for the rest of his life. The Kite Runner becomes the story of Amir's quest for redemption — righting the wrongs he committed years ago.

No more unfolding anything about this book as I request everyone to read it. As per my opinion, I consider The Kite Runner to be a heartbreaking yet mind-blowing classic, which is a must-have in your collection. I also believe that it will cause the readers to replenish their box of tissues. So embrace yourself to experience one of the wonderful heartbreaks in your life.