The Kite Runner

Did I hate it or did I love it? I certainly found it depressing, but only because it was so powerful. I never knew much about live in Afghanistan, and now I am a hundred times more grateful that I was born in America. But The Kite Runner was about more than just a foreign country; it was about courage, forgiveness, family, atonement. I loved the deep loyaty and love that held the characters together. Although the romance between Amir and Soraya wasn't a major plot point, it was my favorite part of the book. Perhaps because Soraya was one of the few living female characters, but also because the relationship between her and Amir was so full. It was nothing like the infatuations in The Great Gatsby or, heaven forbid, the Twilight romances: it was true love.

Perhaps I did love The Kite Runner. The relationships of the characters -- Amir, Baba, Hassan, Soraya, Sohrab -- were so strong and vivid; the nastiness of Afghanistan and the Taliban were nothing compared to that. I loved Amir, even when I could perfectly see his flaws. I could see how much he wanted to do what was right, and I could relate to his feeling of weakness and longer for closer relationships. In a way, The Kite Runner rejuvenated my hope for the world. Although it showed a darker side of life than I've ever imagined in reality -- than I even want to believe exists -- it also showed how individuals can rise above it.