Book Review: The Kite Runner

A friend of mine, the same one who went to Syria last year, is going to Afghanistan. When he told me that he had bought the tickets, I found myself browsing Wikivoyage, my favourite website for traveling. As I read about Afghanistan, I saw the section about recommended books. I checked those books on the library app and the fourth title was available. It was a novel called the Kite Runner.

I didn't have much expectation, but the book turned out to be almost as engaging as Harry Potter. The first part was about the friendship of Amir and Hassan, two boys from different ethnicities and social status who lived in the same house. The former was the master, the latter was the servant. The story was told from Amir's point of view.

I like the way the author took his time to educate the readers about Afghanistan. There was a time when Afghanistan was fine, though the tensions and differences were always brewing there: the Sunni and the Shi'a, the Pashtuns and the Hazaras. This information was added bit by bit to bring the story forward. It was humorous at times, coupled with a childlike innocence, until it took a sharp turn right before Afghanistan changed. 

The second part was about Amir and his father escaping from Kabul to Peshawar in Pakistan. The next thing we knew was his time as a young man in the US. Not exactly exciting, but a bridge needed by the story before the final adventure back in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Yes, he could run away to America, but his past would eventually catch up with him. 

Then came the last part, the story about his long lost friend Hassan and Amir's encounter with the Taliban. Amir was on a mission that brought him back to Kabul. Lots of twists and turns here, some weren't expected at all. Last but not least, it closed all the loops and reminded us again, why the book was called the Kite Runner. 

PS: my friend Hendra Wijaya told me that there was a movie based on this book, so I immediately watched it after I finished reading. While the movie followed the storyline quite faithfully, it felt rushed and some parts were omitted. I'd say that the movie painted a better picture, but the book told a better story. Overall, highly recommended. 

The Kite Runner.

Ulasan Buku: Pengejar Layang-layang

Teman saya, yang tahun lalu ke Syria, akan pergi ke Afghanistan. Saat saya dikabari bahwa dia telah membeli tiket, saya jadi tergelitik untuk membaca tentang Afghanistan di Wikivoyage, situs favorit saya tentang bepergian ke manca negara. Di situ tertera daftar buku bacaan yang direkomendasikan, jadi saya pun mencari tahu apakah ada yang tersedia di perpustakaan. Buku ke-empat, sebuah novel berjudul Pengejar Layang-layang, berhasil ditemukan.

Saya tidak memiliki ekspektasi apa-apa saat mulai membaca, tapi siapa sangka buku ini menarik sepertinya halnya Harry Potter? Bagian pertama adalah tentang persahabatan Amir dan Hassan, dua bocah yang berbeda etnis dan status sosial, namun tinggal di rumah yang sama. Amir adalah majikan, Hassan adalah pembantu. Ceritanya ditulis dari sudut pandang Amir. 

Saya suka gaya penulisan yang memperkenalkan budaya dan situasi Afghanistan pada pembaca lewat cerita. Afghanistan juga pernah menjadi negara yang damai, meski perbedaan itu selalu ada dan siap bergejolak: ada Islam Sunni dan Shi'a, ada etnis Pashtun dan Hazara. Semua informasi ini disisipkan sedikit demi sedikit. Ceritanya terkadang lucu dan polos, sampai semua itu sirna bersamaan dengan berubahnya Afghanistan. 

Bagian kedua berkisah tentang perjalanan hidup Amir dan ayahnya yang melarikan diri dari Kabul ke Peshawar di Pakistan. Kemudian dia pindah dan tumbuh dewasa di Amerika. Bagian ini agak datar, namun diperlukan untuk menjembatani cerita sebelum tokoh utama kembali ke Pakistan dan Afghanistan. Ya, dia bisa saja meninggalkan kehidupan sebelumnya dan hijrah ke Amerika, tapi masa lalu kembali mendatanginya.

Kemudian tibalah bagian terakhir yang kembali mengisahkan tentang Hassan. Selain itu Amir juga kembali ke Kabul yang kini dikuasai oleh Taliban. Banyak kejutan di sini dan beberapa di antaranya di luar dugaan. Di akhir cerita, semua alur dituntaskan dan pembaca pun diingatkan kembali, kenapa buku ini berjudul Pengejar Layang-layang. 

Catatan kaki: Teman saya Hendra Wijaya memberitahu bahwa ada film yang dibuat berdasarkan novel ini, jadi saya lekas menonton setelah menamatkan bukunya. Film keluaran tahun 2007 ini mengikuti alur di buku dengan cukup setia, tapi terasa tergesa-gesa dan beberapa bagian dihilangkan pula. Bila dibandingkan, film memang memberikan visual tentang cerita, tapi novel bisa bercerita dengan lebih baik. Direkomendasikan untuk membaca.