And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
A book review by Mina
Taking place in Afghanistan, 1952, Abdullah and his sister, Pari, live with their father and stepmom in Shadbagh. Their father is constantly searching for work, living in poverty and extreme winters. The connection between brother and sister is extremely strong; Abdullah would do anything for Pari. One day, the siblings journey across the desert to Kabul where their father would separate the pair, tearing their lives apart. Told through interconnecting stories of separate characters, the story of Pari and Abdullah unfold, hoping that one day Abdullah will find his way back to Pari.
I have loved every Khaled Hosseini book. His writing is extremely moving, emotional, and reflective. It’s completely raw and eye-opening. There is never enough praise for Hosseini. I particularly enjoyed the way this was narrated. It was told and divided through the narrative of different characters and how all those characters were connected. So while a character’s story is over, readers can still see the development of each of the characters through the lens of another character being written about. This book feels like a collection of short stories rather than a novel. Everything kind of comes full circle, and it was a great way for it to be written. Initially, I was confused about the switching characters, but Hosseini clears it up really fast through his vivid descriptions that create unique characters. I didn’t mix up any of the characters, nor their storylines. He writes incredibly distinct characters and associations. I teared up multiple times reading the interconnectedness of it all. While I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book out of other Hosseini books, it’s very well-written and explores such intense emotions and the nuances of humankind’s actions. Hosseini doesn’t write characters that we’re supposed to love, but he writes characters that are human who do human things. Readers see everything played out, and it’s hard to decide whether we like them or are indifferent because it’s so raw to what we do as people in society; it makes us reflect. I will never have enough praise for this book. If you’re looking for something that is beautiful, moving, and raw with tears, I would recommend this book a hundred times over. It is an unforgettable book, and it is a book that needs to be read at least once. It presents a concept that, regardless of what country or heritage you are, family and love is the greatest match to humanity.
Books similar to And the Mountains Echoed:
● The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak
● As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh
● One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel garcia Marquez
● The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Put And the Mountains Echoed on hold today
