And the Mountains Echoed is an outstanding novel by Khaled Hosseini, one of the most beloved novelists in the world. The foundation of the plot is built around two Afghani siblings, Abdullah and Pari, and their father’s decision to sell Pari to a childless couple in Kabul. Overall, And the Mountains Echoed is remarkable because it displays echoing plots, interconnected settings, and multifaceted themes. Here is why And the Mountains Echoed is definitely worth reading:

Plot: 5/5

The chapters in And the Mountains Echoed relate in distinctive ways. The novel is a collection of stories, with each chapter written from the point of view of a different character. While chapters 1 and 2 are based on the family’s decision to sell their daughter to a childless couple, the following chapters deal with the narratives of other characters.

Hosseini ties the first two chapters together with following chapters through telling the story of each character. Through exploring each chapter, readers link the relationships between characters and thus better comprehend the complex storyline. Thus, readers experience many light-bulb moments, which keeps them wanting to proceed through the novel.

Settings: 5/5

Each chapter in And the Mountains Echoed is set in a different place and time, but Hosseini interrelates these settings uniquely through describing the events that happen to each character. Hosseini establishes the original setting in Afghanistan in the first two chapters. However, through describing each character in subsequent chapters, he is able to tie the original setting with those in France, the US, and Greece.

Reading And the Mountains Echoed is similar to solving a jigsaw puzzle because readers have to identify the connections between the settings to understand each character and the storyline. However, Hosseini’s ability to link the chapters enables readers to visualize the convoluted plot in their minds.

Themes: 5/5

And the Mountains Echoed presents a wide array of themes. The novel’s core themes are love and sacrifice between family members, which are portrayed mainly in the first two chapters. In following chapters, readers see how characters come to envy, betray, but also ultimately, remember each other. Hosseini is able to relate these themes with readers through vivid narration, and he comes up with plot twists in several chapters to surprise readers.

For instance, chapter five illustrates the theme of betrayal and contains a radical change in its plot. Idris, a doctor who works in the US, and his cousin, Timur, return to Kabul to reclaim their home and meet Roshana, a wounded girl, at a hospital. Idris initially empathizes with Roshana and promises to pay for her surgery, but he forgets her after he returns to the US because he gets caught up in his career. On the other hand, although Timur mostly ignores Roshana when he is in Kabul, he pays for her surgery after Idris abandons her. Therefore, Roshana mentions Timur in the dedication page of her biography instead of mentioning Idris.

Through diving into chapter five, readers are impressed by Hosseini’s ability to depict the theme of betrayal. Moreover, readers find this chapter surprisingly memorable because it has an unexpected ending.

Overall Score: 5/5

And the Mountains Echoed is an epic novel. The chapters interrelate, the settings intermingle with one another, and a wide variety of themes are explored. Even though the novel may be difficult to read at first, readers will comprehend it as long as they see the relationships between each chapter.

And the Mountains Echoed is one of the most extraordinary novels I have ever read. I am certain readers will be hooked starting from the first chapter, and they will be deeply touched as they dive in.