Bound by pain, bonded by love

Previous in this series: 4-6 of my most loved novels.

7-9 of my twelve most loved novels.

The books I speak of here are full of life, innocence, brutality, pain and tragedy. But it is the courage and commitment of the protoganists to never lose hope, never give up on life, never bow down and go down or emerge fighting for right that wins our heart.

I speak of The Diary of a Young girl, Echoes, and The Kite runner here.

> The diary of a young girl, or better known as The Diary of Anne Frank is a first hand account of the terror of Nazi regime and life during the Second world war through the eyes of a 14 year old young jewish girl, Anne Frank. It is so full of innocence, candour and pain... it makes our heart bleed.

Co-incidentally I got to read this book when I was about the same age as her myself, in my high school. Maybe it was this which made connect with her so easily.

> Echoes by Danielle Steel is yet another account of the lives and times during and in between the two world wars. A fictionalised story spanning generations, it maintains an on-the-surface coverage of the political warfare and consequences as the characters get embroilled in it. Yet even this feels so terrible, one can't imagine what went through the actual victims, survivors and witnesses.

> The Kite runner celebrates itself as the debut novel of the prolific present-day author, doctor and acticvist Khaled Hosseini. I must say, what a ground-shattering debut it is! The story of two friends, bonded and separated by fate, tragedy and torture. We grow with Aamir in it, love him, hate it, support him, revolt against him and silently witness the double standards of the soceity and the terror of Taliban just like him. We want to do something about it all, yet feel as helpless as him! Maybe that's why Hosseini chose him as the narrator from all the wonderful characters, and over himself too!

All these three novels have made me cry, but I know they and the people they speak of deserve it and more.

Note: all hyperlinks in this blog redirect to their respective wikipedia pages

Next in the series: Last but not the least

A story of dedication and disappointment

The debut novel of Khaled Hosseini took us through the lives and times of two friends,

Aamir and Hassan.

The kite runner is a novel for the speaking heart. It reveals the glory and plight of Afghanistan through the lives of these two childhood friend. On one hand, where the rich and sensitive but self absorbed Aamir treated his friendship with Hassan as a plaything and to his convenience (sadly it is how so many today their friendships too!), On the other hand, the sweet, brave and poor Hassan reciprocated with utmost honesty and unimaginable dedication. So much that it haunted Aamir even thousand miles apart across the globe, and to the extend that Hassan remains true to it till the end, even forgiving Aamir unasked.
I have often wondered if there can be friends like Hassan in today's world. I don't know! But it is his version of friendship and Aamir at long last redemption which makes their friendship one of the best in fiction.