To Read a Mockingbird

✦ “Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.” ✦ -Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

[birdofpages]

“For you, a thousand times over.”

Just finished The Kite Runner, and I keep asking myself: do I really like this book? Did I enjoy it? Would I recommend it? I still have so many questions in my head right now.

First of all, this story follows two friends, Amir Agha and Hassan. Amir is the child of a wealthy family, living with his father after losing his mother as a baby. Hassan is the son of Ali, a servant in Baba’s household. What connects Amir and Hassan even more is that they were both breastfed by the same woman, which gave them a special closeness. The novel explores friendship, betrayal, guilt, and redemption, while also weaving in the story of Amir’s father.

Secondly, the author’s writing style is vivid and detailed. Khaled Hosseini brings every scene to life with such descriptions that you can clearly picture the world of the novel and feel immersed in it alongside the characters.

Thirdly, the characters: the main ones are Amir and Hassan, alongside Ali, Rahim Khan, and Baba (Amir’s father). There are many others in the book, but these are the figures around whom the story revolves.

My favourite character is Hassan, followed by Sohrab. Honestly, they are the reason I may end up liking this book the most.

Symbolism in the book:

Hassan: loyalty, innocence, selflessness, kindness, and patience. He often faces struggles quietly, yet remains optimistic and kind.

Amir: cowardice, selfishness, betrayal, weakness — shaped in part by his father’s strong personality.

The Kite: freedom and optimism.

This book made me cry my heart out. I was angry and upset at Amir, and at the same time sad and deeply sympathetic toward Hassan — from the betrayal of his closest friend to the racism he endured. He feels like an innocent kid who just exists in the wrong place.

But I do have one critique for the writer: I felt Hassan was marginalised and written mainly to glorify Amir. I wanted to hear Hassan’s own voice — his thoughts, feelings, hopes, and ambitions. His trauma wasn’t shown in depth compared to Sohrab's, and after a certain point, he was reduced to being a memory or a symbol of Amir’s regret.

Finally, the novel has been adapted into a movie. I strongly don’t recommend watching it before reading the book, because many things were changed and the last part of the story felt rushed. My advice: read the book first, and only then watch the film if you’d like.

At the end, this is a story that broke me and moved me at the same time — one I’ll never forget.

[birdofpages]

What kind of reader are you? 📚

Pick your type:

1. The Distracted Reader: Juggles 5 books at once. Mood swings, shifting genres, endless curiosity… finishing one? Optional.

2. The Emotionally Attached: Rereads favourite books like old friends. Knows every line, finds new feelings every time.

3. The Ending Seeker: Can’t stand open endings. Needs closure, answers, and a proper goodbye, not lingering questions.

4. The Book Buyer: Buys faster than they read. Covers seduce, new editions call… and the TBR pile keeps growing.

[birdofpages]

Things every reader should know:

1. You don’t have to finish a book you're not enjoying — no matter the price.

2. A beautiful cover doesn’t mean it’s a great book. Many gems are poorly packaged.

3. Reading isn’t a competition. Speed doesn’t matter — impact does.

4. You won’t remember every detail, but the feeling a book leaves behind is what truly matters.