Friendship of children is commonly believed to be friendship of the truest form ? no questions asked, no lies told. Even amidst devastation, children remain by their friends, unable to look into the darker depths of humanity.

In the first Afghan novel written for the Western World, Khaled Hosseini examines what bonds children together and, potentially, what tears them apart. He touches on the importance of the love between a father and son and describes a world so unlike our own that readers kept the book on the New York Times best-seller list since September ’07.

The Kite Runner is the tale of Amir, the son of a wealthy Afghan man, raised in Kabul alongside his closest friend, Hassan. Whereas Amir is wealthy and high up in status, Hassan is the son of Amir’s father’s servant and is shunned by society. Friends from birth, the two boys share what so many find together: loyalty, love, and a tragedy that tears their friendship apart.

Amir, young and arrogant by origin, often finds humor at the expense of Hassan, and though he is often cruel, they never part. However, while Amir’s vindictiveness is childlike and harmless, there are those in their society that mistreat Hassan to a sickening degree.

The turning point of the boys’ friendship occurs in an instance of moral weakness from Amir, who turns his back on his best friend. While Hassan is being grossly neglected by several prejudiced men during a disturbing scene, Amir abandons Hassan in fear, forever distanced from his friend through cowardice.

After Russia invades their country, Amir and Hassan are finally separated forever. Amir later moves to America and though he grows and becomes a part of a better life, the memory of his childhood friend never fades. His guilt remains strong, and when an opportunity to repay the ethical debt to Hassan arises, he embarks on a secret journey back to the Taliban-infested Kabul. To repay his debt to Hassan, who died in the war-torn country along with his wife, Amir attempts to save Hassan’s son from mistreatment at an orphanage to end his guilt.

The Kite Runner, narrated by Amir with a voice as true and heart-wrenching as any novelist could achieve, is not only an accurate portrait of the horrors of the late-20th century Afghanistan but also a meaningful tale of true friendship. Amir seeks to allay the intense guilt in his heart and faces the terrors magnificently.

Hosseini has introduced a book into the world never before faced. As Amir, a character with truly believable emotions, Hosseini describes the beauty of a land before its destruction, painting vivid pictures of pomegranates and blue skies.

The Kite Runner works through its devastating backdrop, giving readers hope of redemption. As I read, I found myself unable to leave the novel behind; when I was forced to neglect the book, my thoughts reeled around it. The absolute faith of The Kite Runner brings possibilities alive as Amir, a true hero among modern characters, saves Hassan’s son from the terrors of the Taliban.

As children, Hassan was the “kite runner” for Amir as a child, receiving his lost kite and rejoicing, “For you, a thousand times over.” As Amir comes to know Hassan’s son, he becomes the “kite runner” and, speaking to the remembrance of his long-ago friend, declares, “For you, a thousand times over.”

Like the friendship between Amir and Hassan, The Kite Runner transcends time and proves strength between a child’s kinship lasts far longer than a single lifetime.

The Kite Runner, though a powerful story and a decisive tear-jerker, contains many adult themes, so younger teens and the faint of heart may want to find a book with lighter content.

The Kite Runner is available at Borders for around $15, as well as the movie version, which will be released on DVD in the near future.