On The Shelf

The next book on the shelf is a very enriching novel about the life of a boy in Afghanistan named Kite Runner. The interesting title actually stems from an Afghani tradition, kite fighting. During the winter months, the town boys would work in pairs to either buy or craft a kite to be flown in a tournament. The tournament has a unique twist; each of the kites has a string that is coated in ground glass. The kite flyer attempts to maneuver the kite and its line to cut the string of another kite flying in the tournament. The winner is considered the last kite flying. It is also a tradition that the boys chase after the final kite to fall from the sky, these boys were known as kite runners. It was not uncommon for fights to breakout over the fallen kite because it was considered a magnificent honor to recover the final kite and this novel wraps around the tragedy that befell one child while recovering the kite. The main character witnesses the horror that befalls his friend within the darkened alley way, and the novel illustrates the psychological effect the rape had on both the victim and the witness as the two slowly drift apart. The novel is a fantastic read, tracing the progression of the schism between the family due to this tragedy and as a result of external cultural prejudice.