With its captivating title and emotionally gripping storyline, “And the Mountains Echoed” is Khaled Hosseini’s third and most dynamic novel yet. Hosseini bases his novels in war-torn Afghanistan and offers his readers a deeper insight on the people and culture of a country most in the West seem to overlook today.

“And the Mountains Echoed” spans over several generations and several portions of the world as well. It focuses on the story of the young Abdullah and his sister Pari, who are torn apart during their childhood and grow up living completely different lives as part of different families. From this broken relationship, numerous characters appear throughout the book as part of Abdullah’s impoverished life or Pari’s modernized one.

Other relationships are also explored, ranging from bonds between a father and son, a mother and daughter and cousins. Hosseini captures the unfairness that arises when justice is failed to be served and when betrayal is favored over loyalty. The novel’s contrast between life in the West and that of a warzone highlights how humanity is dying, how the rich sometimes disregard the poor and how some are never given the chance to pursue a stable life.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and it truly exceeded my expectations, as did Hosseini’s previous novels. “And the Mountains Echoed” has a unique storyline that places an emphasis on love, loyalty and sacrifice. While it did have several heartbreaking moments throughout, I was compelled to keep reading and was never overcome with any sort of boredom. It highlights real world issues and sends out strong messages relating to key values in any relationship.

Rating: A+