And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead)

And the Mountains Echoed is Khaled Hosseini’s third novel. He has written another epic novel focusing on his home country of Afghanistan and the bonds of family. The story spans over sixty years and starts in the small village of Shadbagh in 1952. Abdullah and Pari are brother and sister and they were always together. Pari was Abdullah’s junior by seven years. Their mother died while giving birth to Pari. The story opens with their father, Saboor, telling the children a story about Baba Ayub, a simple farmer who is forced to make a hard choice. He must choose to sacrifice one of his children to appease an evil entity called the Div. Hossein’s clever use of foreshadowing sets the tone for the rest of the story. 

Abdullah’s father, Saboor, remarried but he was always busy in the fields, his stepmother was busy taking care of her own children so Abdullah took it upon himself to be a father figure to Pari. In the fall of 1952, Abdullah’s father was taking Pari to Kabul. He often found feathers for his sister who kept them as a treasure in a box. The father told Abdullah he was to stay home and help his mother and Iqbal. Abdullah thought, “She’s your wife. My mother, we buried.” Abdullah’s father is resigned to the fact that his son is determined to come along and watch after his sister. Little does Abdullah know that this would be the last time he would see his sister. 

We are then introduced to Uncle Nabi. Nabi is Saboor’s wife’s brother. It is Uncle Nabi who sets the entire story in motion. He works as a driver for a wealthy couple, the Wahdatis, who live in Kabul. He has also found a job for Saboor in the city. Abdullah doesn’t understand why his father sets out for the city in a wagon when he could have Uncle Nabi come pick him up in his employer’s car. He also doesn’t know why Father is taking Pari with him as she’s too young to be of any help. 

Uncle Nabi doesn’t just find a job for Saboor, it is he who makes the suggestion and arranges the “sale” of Pari to the wealthy couple. However, his motives are not really in the financial interests of his sister’s husband. He can see that the marriage is one of convenience and although Mrs. Wadahti is very sociable, her main desire is to have a child of her own. 

Uncle Nabi is in love with his employer’s wife and believes that if he grants her this one wish, she will think of him as more than just her husband’s chauffeur. Unfortunately for Uncle Nabi, once Pari becomes part of the household, Mrs. Nabi’s universe is centered around Pari. Soon afterward, Mrs Nabi leaves her husband and takes Pari to live with her in Paris. 

The story continues to follow the two main characters. Pari grows up knowing almost nothing about her past before the Wadahtis but always feels that there is something missing in her life. Something or someone important. Abdullah grows old but holds on to a yellow feather which is a reminder to him that he once had a sister. 

The actions of each character make you ponder what would you do if you were in their shoes. The poverty stricken father who makes the decision to “sell” his daughter. The uncle who suggests in the first place to gain the love of his employer’s wife. The complex familial relationships will keep you glued to the end to see if the two siblings are ever reunited. ~Ernie Hoyt