Book Review: "And the Mountains Echoed" by Khaled Hosseini

By- Ayushi Sharma

Edited by- Diksha Sharma

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There’s a really moving quote by George R.R. Martin that stayed with me for a very long time: “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies… The man who never reads lives only one.”

If I had to describe And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini, I think this quote captures the core of this well-embroidered novel, interwoven with poignant stories of soul-tearing characters. It is a masterpiece that allows the reader to live through the lives of varied characters and see bits and pieces of oneself in them.

The elements of the writing style of this novel made me think of an obscure English word, “sonder,” meaning “the profound realization that everyone around you has a life as complex and vivid as your own; with their own ambitions, routines, worries, and triumphs, where they are the central character and you are merely an extra.” This tear-jerking work of Khaled Hosseini allows the lives of even the extra characters to unfold for the reader while simultaneously progressing with the story of the two melancholic, beautiful main characters—Abdul and Pari. It follows their lives at a slow yet steady pace. It is a memorable work that "screams nostalgia" and makes you think of life and loss. Moreover, it is not only character-driven but also highly plot-driven. The plot, if looked at from a distance, is angsty and intense; however, the novel never feels like it. It feels as soothing as that warm cup of coffee that calms you down after a long day; bitter but sweet with an exotic essence.

The two main characters are siblings who were separated at a very young age. They share a tragic yet magical bond that perhaps transcends the pages of the book and possesses the mind of the reader. Their story will not only break you but also fix you, leaving permanent yet beautiful scars. It reminded me of what Luna Lovegood, a character from Harry Potter, once said: “My mum always said things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end. If not always in the ways we expect.”

All in all, And the Mountains Echoed is the epitome of a work filled to the brim with themes of longing, separation, love, and loss in a way that these feelings spill out of the story and fall onto the readers, leaving traces that cannot be washed away. I hope this book reaches all the readers around the world so that they have more lives to live and more emotions to feel.

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