What do you know about Afghanistan? Other than it's related to Osama Bin Laden and the dreadful 9/11 incident, what else do you know? Take moment to picture this country, what do you see? A man with beards like it's eating its way up his face? Women with their hair covered up in drapes? Children being killed on the streets? Is that what you and I see? Well, when you're ready to cleanse your thoughts about Afghanistan, I think you should read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. An unforgettable novel of friendship, love, and sacrifices. So suit yourself and get ready for this trembling-heartbreak ride.

The Kite Runner tells the life of Amir, a wealthy young boy living the life in Kabul, Afghanistan. Although Amir grew up without a mother, he had Hassan by his side like a blood brother. Hassan is their family's servant's son. They lived in a society where your ethnics and religions are more important as the blood that's keep them alive. Hassan fell into the category, the lower level, a Hazara. Amir had everything Hassan didn't have and there was nothing Amir should be jealous of Hassan. Oh wait, there was, Amir's baba seemed to always have more love toward Hassan than to his own son. But jealousy at the age of Amir was normal though. They are friends but Amir sometimes only wanted to think of Hassan as his servant. Hassan had never had an education; writing and read are a mystery to him, Amir on the other excelled in that level. Son of a wealthy man, Amir had to be smart. This doesn't mean Hassan is dumb, Hassan knows, although he can't read, but his mind is much more powerful than anyone else. Whenever Amir was picked on, Hassan was there to help. When Amir flew his kite, Hassan volunteered to be the kite runner meaning getting his fingers soaked in blood. That servant did everything for his friend, Amir. Then it happened, Amir witnessed Hassan being raped by the bullies in his neighborhood, cowardly, Amir did nothing. That's when their friendship was starting to fall apart. Hassan stopped being friendly toward Amir, they grew colder and colder. And things got worse, a war between Russia and Afghanistan fired up, they never had a chance to heal their already broken friendship. Amir and baba left their luxurious life and fled to America while Hassan and his father remained in the bloody war. Will Amir be able to united with Hassan or take back his betrayal? I guess you have to read it.

This book, The Kite Runner, it opened my eyes into a whole different world, a world that I didn't know it existed. I didn't start reading The Kite Runner thinking I was digging for gold, even if I did, then reading this book won't be meaning anything. Pouring my tears into this book was very painful yet fascinating. Friendship, betrayal, and redemption, this book has it all. I think the author did a wonderful job fitting the real history into his fabricated story very so perfectly. Reading this book gave me life lesson as I move from page to page. It taught me that a person that doesn't stand up for themselves, won't stand up for anything. You see, Amir never stand up for himself when the bullies picked on him, so do you really expect Amir to stand up to Hassan when he was being raped? Also I learned that the worst sin in life is theft. For example, when you kill a man who has a daughter, do you think it's robbery that you killed him? Of course it is, you might think you didn't stole anything, but oh yes, you did. You robbed the man his life, you robbed the little girl her father. Theft is horrible things that humans like us do to one another. My hunger for thing book grew larger and larger as I dined into this book. "There is a way to be good again," this sentence was said a few time thorough the book. To be good again? Was he a naughty kid? What did he do? I don't know. To be good again, to redeem your once mistake. The sentences that Hosseini sewn into this book are simple yet powerful. I think Hosseini brought out the true selfishness and greediness of humans that we will never admit. I think this book is beautiful, it gave me a whole new thinking about Afghanistan, and more than that, my life. I'd recommend this book to readers who aren't afraid to try new things or just anyone. I guarantee that you won't regret reading this book.