Khaled Hosseini’s new novel “And the Mountains Echoed” was not the “Kite Runner.” I wanted to love this book like I loved the “Kite Runner” but didn’t. The chapters were long and characters came into the story in one chapter and you never heard from them again as in Chapter Three, for example. Hosseini, however, kept the same intensity as his other two books where tragedy occurs then you’re left speechless when it happens. Overall the novel was enjoyable but wasn’t a “page-turner” like many other books I’ve read.
The first chapter begins with a father telling his small children a fable where the theme of the novel emerges – family and making hard decisions that will affect the rest of your life. In that respect, Chapter Three is about two sisters where one is envious of the other. Hosseini shocks the reader with an ending that digs deep into your psyche; I was disturbed what transpired reading those last words.
Perhaps Hosseini wants you to make connections as you read each chapter with your own hard choices. Maybe you didn’t want to make these decisions but in retrospect, it was the right choice. I related to both Pari characters where they both seemed lost subconsciously and a past that was forgotten. A brother continues to grieve for his sister by keeping her treasures safe for his entire lifetime. It seems every character can’t find their way in the world, regret and an agonizing feeling that can’t seem to go away.
Another chapter that was a stretch as a cohesive story was Chapter Five. Two characters appear in Kabul where a doctor becomes attached to a sick child and he ultimately regrets the lies that he tells when he goes back to the US. The doctor is successful and remembers his trip where war is a reality and people are struggling to get by. Just like Hosseini’s other novels, I enjoy reading the details about the countries the characters are emerged into and how they deal with their environment. The descriptions are so vivid that you get a good representation of what it’s like.
My favorite chapters, however, were the last two where you finally get the back story of Mr. Markos (he was mentioned in the beginning of the novel); it’s set in the tiny Greek Island of Tinos and it brings me back to when I visited the beautiful islands – a clean breeze, a clear aqua sea and homemade, fresh food. Markos’ mother is just like every other Greek woman, strong willed and won’t take any nonsense from anyone. “She was —is—a woman of enormous will, a woman without apology, and not a woman with whom you want to have a dispute . . .” Yes, this describes my Greek mother perfectly.
I appreciate Hosseini’s descriptions phonetically spelled out in Greek, “ . . . a cup of ellinikós kafés” meaning, Greek coffee. I felt nostalgic as I thought of my own Greek mother anxiously reading the coffee sediment of the coffee cup (the cup is turned upside down and the sediment is read like tea leaves).
Markos grows up quickly when he has to deal with a disfigured visitor at his home – he’s uncomfortable as any young child would be as he calls her a “monster” but his Greek Mother sets him straight. ‘“She’s a person who has had a terrible thing happen to her. Call her that name again, I’d like to see you. Say it and see what happens.”’ Strong willed mother who respects everyone and treats them with respect. Markos and the visitor, Thalia form a bond that continues throughout his adult life. That is the other common theme in this novel: bonding. When a bond is formed, it continues throughout the life of the character. That is clear with Nabi and Mr. Wahdati; Pari and Abdulluh (sister and brother then father and daughter); Idris and Roshi; Adel and Gholam.
The other theme was how characters interact with a difference in class systems – the rich versus the poor. This was reflected in the relationship with Nabi and Mr. Wahdati where Nabi did everything for his master even when he had a stroke. His wife and child left and Nabi, indebted to his master, continues on when he’s thought about quitting. Nabi’s entire life revolved around Mr. Wahdati – he never left the house. Reality or fiction? There are many times you continue on out of loyalty even though other people might tell you to move on.
Love and regret is what happens in life and Hosseini’s novel gives many examples of this theme. Everyone does their best to have a fulfilling life; mistakes and regrets just happen. The novel was an okay read where I’m glad I read it. The story came full circle as I read the last pages, even shedding a tear. I definitely recommend it but don’t expect a duplicate of “The Kite Runner.”
Hosseini, Khaled, “And the Mountains Echoed,” (2013), The Penguin Group Inc., New York, New York.
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