'for you a thousand times over!'

This current novel that I'm reading, Khaled Hosseini's 'The Kite Runner' is one that I have seen on the shelves of various bookstores on many occasions under the section of Bestsellers. I had expected this book to be highly sought after, that I could probably be in vain looking for it at the libraries. But I was wrong. Or maybe luck was with me that day. I found two of this book on the shelves at Tampines Library. Of course, both were not in the best kept conditions, but who cares, as long as it's readable.

I'm only a little more than halfway through the book, yet I'm so drawn to it. Before I go on with my own opinions about this book, have an idea of its story from the following synopsis (courtesy of www.khaledhosseini.com)

"Taking us from Afghanistan in the final days of the monarchy to the present, The Kite Runner is the unforgettable, beautifully told story of the friendship between two boys growing up in Kabul. Raised in the same household and sharing the same wet nurse, Amir and Hassan nonetheless grow up in different worlds: Amir is the son of a prominent and wealthy man, while Hassan, the son of Amir's father's servant, is a Hazara, member of a shunned ethnic minority. Their intertwined lives, and their fates, reflect the eventual tragedy of the world around them. When the Soviets invade and Amir and his father flee the country for a new life in California, Amir thinks that he has escaped his past. And yet he cannot leave the memory of Hassan behind him.

The Kite Runner is a novel about friendship, betrayal, and the price of loyalty. It is about the bonds between fathers and sons, and the power of their lies. Written against a history that has not been told in fiction before, The Kite Runner describes the rich culture and beauty of a land in the process of being destroyed. But with the devastation, Khaled Hosseini also gives us hope: through the novel's faith in the power of reading and storytelling, and in the possibilities he shows for redemption."

It's more common to hear people say that certain movies touch them till they cry. Now, this book has, at more instances than one, almost made me tear. It is one book that I can relate to alot, primarily because of its Islamic relevance. I could very much feel the character, as if I were really him. The emotions he feels, the words he speak, and even the things that happen to him. Besides, it's amazing how the author wrote this story in a way where twists never seem to end. Very few books can indulge me so much in the plot that I lose count of the number of pages turned. Very few books immerse you in the story, yet at the same time raises your awareness of the very sad political plights in some countries in the yesteryears. Very few books appeal to me this much. Very few.

I give it two thumbs-up. Highly recommended.