Book Review: And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

An unforgettable novel about finding a lost piece of yourself in someone else.

Khaled Hosseini, the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, has written a new novel about how we love, how we take care of one another, and how the choices we make resonate through generations.

In this tale revolving around not just parents and children but brothers and sisters, cousins and caretakers, Hosseini explores the many ways in which families nurture, wound, betray, honor, and sacrifice for one another; and how often we are surprised by the actions of those closest to us, at the times that matter most.

Following its characters and the ramifications of their lives and choices and loves around the globe—from Kabul to Paris to San Francisco to the Greek island of Tinos—the story expands gradually outward, becoming more emotionally complex and powerful with each turning page.

My Rating:

In Afghanistan in the mid-1940s, a father tells his young children a bedtime story. The next day, they depart for Kabul, setting in motion a series of events that will change their lives – and those of their descendants.

While war and politics are heavily featured, this is ultimately a portrait of an Afghan family from the 1940s to the 21st century. Each chapter tells the story of one of the family members, and though many of them live in America or Europe, the heart of both the story and the characters is rooted firmly in Afghanistan. These separate narratives are brought together by a common link, showing that this newly globalized world truly is a small one after all.

And The Mountains Echoed reminds us that the choices we make do not only affect us, but impact those around us as well. It critically examines familial relationships, touching on love, loss, grief, and sacrifice. Most of all, it shows how unpredictable life is: filled with sadness and misunderstanding, love, joy, and hope.