Afghanistan? Oh.

     The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini swept me away into a world completely different than my own; yet, it was a world that I could literally, in the flesh, travel to. In reality, it wasn't a different world at all; Hosseini opened my eyes to everyday life in Afghanistan and the surrounding countries both before and after war and hardship struck. I was amazed at how different this country was; the way Khaled Hosseini described the culture left me inspired. Afghanistan seemed an amazing place full of religion and wonder; that is until war broke out and the country was nearly destroyed. 
     The Kite Runner followed the life and guilt of Amir from his Afghani childhood to his American adulthood and, eventually, his return back to the remains of Afghanistan. This book stressed just how much one decision can impact the rest of your life. Amir did not help his friend (who was later reveled to be his half brother) when he needed Amir the most. This ended up tearing apart their friendship and leaving Amir guilt ridden for years. Luckily, Amir got the chance to redeem himself by traveling back to Afghanistan and rescuing Hassan's now orphaned boy. The journey left both Amir and Sohrab beaten up but back in America. Amir's struggles were not over yet, Sohrab was a difficult child to understand and handle, but he had repaid Hassan, finally. 
     Personally, I absolutely loved The Kite Runner. It opened my eyes to the ways of Afghanis and the impact one decision can have on your life. Khaled Hosseini described Afghanistan and Amir's struggles perfectly; from his longing for his father's love to his reactions to the ever-changing emotions of Sohrab. Amir, Hassan, and Sohrab all pulled me in and made me love them. This book was written with historical accuracy yet had a fantastic, flowing story.