Title: And the Mountains Echoed

Author: Khaled Hosseini

Publisher: Riverhead 2013

Genre: Literary Fiction

Pages: 416

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: T4MC - Set in 1900s; ebook; Eclectic - 2013 book; Book Bingo - 2 from 2013

How I Got It: iPad Read

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.

Years ago I read The Kite Runner and I was absolutely devastated by that novel. It tugged at every heart string I had. While this novel doesn't live up to The Kite Runner, it still is a beautiful piece of work. Immediately I connected with Abdullah, his pain and joys. It took me awhile, but in time I came to also love Parwana. Really, all of the characters had something to offer. I never felt like there was a villain and a hero. Instead Hosseini gives us a group of real people, people with flaws. The writing has this lyrical quality that I just can't get over. Each sentence flows seamlessly to the next one (even the not so pretty sentences). I found myself lost in the world, yet there is something that held me back from being completely immersed. Still... a beautiful novel.