The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

The Kite Runner is a first novel that exhibits astonishing storytelling skill. It is the story of two boys, Amir and Hassan--told by Amir. Amir and Hassan lives in Kabul, Afghanistan. Amir is the son of a wealthy man, whose mother died at his birth. Hassan is the son of the household servant, and is a Hazara. Hazaras are Shi'a, among a largely Sunni population, and they are ethnic minorities, as well. The Hazara are considered low-caste by the majority Afghans.

Amir tells the story of the childhood he shared with Hassan in a more peaceful Afghanistan, before he fled for America with his father as a teen. There is a secret at the heart of Amir's story, and I won't reveal it here, but the secret has plagued Amir's conscience, and the book is his story of how he repaid Hassan for his childhood lapses.