And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

Description

Khaled Hosseini’s And the Mountains Echoed is an amazing, incredibly human tale that looks at how one act of sacrifice can have ramifications for decades, continents, and generations. Hosseini is known for his poetic writing and deep, emotional stories. In this book, he shows once again that he is a master at combining personal stories with big historical and cultural settings.

The story starts in 1952 in the countryside of Afghanistan, as a father tells his children a scary folktale about love and sacrifice. This bedtime story hints at the tragic choice he is about to make: to surrender his beloved young daughter, Pari, to a rich couple in Kabul in the hopes of giving her a better future and keeping his family from starving. This separation is terrible for her older brother Abdullah, who loves Pari more than words can say. Even though they are getting farther apart and their memories are fading, their link is unshakable in spirit.

The emotional heart of And the Mountains Echoed is a single, terrible deed that sends shockwaves through a large, interrelated ensemble of characters whose lives are changed in both obvious and subtle ways. This story is not like his earlier, more straightforward books (The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns). It’s more like a kaleidoscope. In each chapter, you hear from a different person, see things from a different point of view, and go to a different place. For example, you go from war-torn Kabul to the clean suburbs of Paris, from a struggling Afghan town to the tranquil streets of California.

There are a lot of different personalities that readers meet: A Greek doctor who can’t stop thinking about the pain he sees in Kabul, a stepmother who feels guilty for the rest of her life, an Afghan-American woman who goes back to her home country to find forgotten history, and Pari herself, who is now older and no longer remembers her brother. Hosseini shows us how the choices we make, even those made out of love or need, can have effects we never meant that affect not only our own lives but also the lives of individuals we may never meet.

Hosseini’s writing is as beautiful and moving as ever, with rich descriptions that take readers from the deserts and mountains of Afghanistan to European towns and American suburbs. Every chapter is interesting and full of life because he has a great eye for cultural details and a talent for probing the intricacies of exile, belonging, and identity.

But what really makes And the Mountains Echoed stand out is its kindness. It talks about the grief, betrayal, and regret that life often brings, but it also shows the quiet moments of grace that make survival—and even forgiveness—possible. The main tragedies in the tale are a stolen childhood, a broken family relationship, and the heavy burden of poverty and war. But so are simple acts of kindness, modest mercies, and the urge to love and be loved.

This book doesn’t provide you simple answers or neat solutions. Hosseini, on the other hand, accepts the messy, conflicting character of being human. His characters are flawed, weak, and painfully real. They have both selfish and selfless, noble and terribly human reasons for what they do. In this way, he makes readers think about how much of who we are is determined by what we choose to remember and what we can’t forget.

And the Mountains Echoed is more than just a novel about Afghanistan; it brings its history and culture to life in a beautiful way. It’s a story that everyone can relate to about family—the ones we’re born into and the ones we make, the ties that hold us together, and the sacrifices that haunt us. This is a truly satisfying and unforgettable read for everyone who appreciates novels that look at the whole, messy picture of life.

About the Author

Khaled Hosseini is the internationally bestselling author of The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns, and And the Mountains Echoed. Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, Hosseini draws on his own heritage to tell stories that resonate with readers worldwide. His novels have been published in over seventy countries, touching millions with their profound explorations of love, loss, exile, and forgiveness.

Product Details

• Title: And the Mountains Echoed

• Author: Khaled Hosseini

• ISBN-13: 9781594632389

• Publisher: Riverhead Books

• Published: May 2013

• Pages: 448

• Binding: Paperback