The Kite Runner!

My first thoughts on The Kite Runner from the get-go were it was one of the better books I had read in a long time. When reading books I find the best books to be the ones that tell a good story, and that’s what I absolutely loved about The Kite Runner. Yes, it was terribly sad, but as the reader I learned so much and I was hooked. I loved this book!

The way I chose to annotate it was by making connections, reactions, questions, etc. The annotating really came easy for this book because I really understood it and enjoyed it, and I just had so much to say, so my book is filled with notes. I found that it was hard to make connections to Amir's situation because obviously I have never been in a place like Afghanistan, but I did found I could make connections to the way he felt sometimes. For example, when the people he loved most died I could relate to his feelings since I have had my fair share of loss. When Amir and Hassan would run around causing trouble and having fun it reminded me of me and my siblings when we were younger. My reactions through most of the book were just peer shock! I would tell myself these poor people’s lives couldn't get any worse and they did!? I just couldn't believe the things that happened to them and to see how they struggled so much, but pushed through; it was truly inspiring. Throughout the book I really liked this way of annotating; it really came easy. I loved how every time I made a prediction I usually was right. This way of annotation keeps me so engaged in the reading it helps a lot!

When it came to the characters in the book I was always drawn to Hassan. I just loved his character because he just seemed like such a great friend and person all around. He was caring, forgiving, and grateful. It broke my heart every time Amir thought badly of him, or played tricks on him, and especially when Amir didn’t give Hassan the great friendship Hassan had given him back to Hassan. Hassan gave and gave and rarely did he ever get anything back from Amir. I also found that I made a connection to Baba, he and I have the same beliefs. I don’t really believe in God and for me his stealing philosophy made so much sense to me. I also loved how humble Baba was. Baba was always willing to put his life on the line to help others, and was a very well respected man for a reason. I knew from the beginning that the relationship between Hassan and him was something special, and that it wasn’t just a friendly love, more fatherly love. Then for Amir, in the beginning, his character was okay but as it went on I started to hate him. Just his attitude and how selfish he was bothered me. Once he started to grow up I really began to see him develop into a better person, and that was when I found that he was just being a child and needed to learn from experience like we all do. In the end, Amir touched my heart when he became a better person, and as much as he tried to say he wasn’t like his Baba the more he was like him the better person he became and I liked him more. Amir became humble, forgiving, grateful, and giving; his Baba had taught him well. Overall, each character was amazing in their own way, but these three we just truly great in the end, and were the ones I learned from the most.

One of my favorite parts of the book was when Amir and Hassan were young. I liked it when they were young because they were so care free and happy. It was nice to start the book off with some happiness to get you started because it gave you something to look back to remember that basically their lives weren’t always such a struggle. My other favorite part was in the end when Sohrab and Amir had that special moment with the kites. It was so nice to see that two people who had had so much taken away from them could share one thing that they loved that hadn’t been taken away− there love for kites and the great memories that came with them. It's moments like these that make me stop and think and not take the life I have for granted, and I remember that the one good little thing can make anything bad just fade away for a little while.

Through the whole book I just loved it. It was a true eye opener. I never really knew the life of Afghani, and now that I do I see things differently and I’m glad because my perspective towards them is a lot different. I see that I can not criticize that country as a whole like a used to because there are people like Amir and Sohrab that are normal people and struggle. I do not say this out of pity; I say it with more understanding. I now understand why so many enjoyed this book because it truly is an eye opener to life and the understanding of others.