The novel deviates somewhat from Hosseini’s first two
novels in that it does not focus on one character alone, nor is it set mostly
in Afghanistan. And the Mountains Echoed
is instead reminiscent of a collection of short stories as each of the nine
chapters rotates in perspective and follows characters all over the globe, from
Afghanistan, to Paris, California and Greece.
All of the separate narratives are linked by the
devastating event that occurs at the beginning of the novel - the brutal separation
of Pari and Abdullah - which forms the foundation of the main plot.
The novel begins strongly - Hosseini’s beautiful, lilting
prose eases you into the tale, telling the story with a gorgeous simplicity.
The folklore story of the div made for an innovative opening, and the tragic
removal of little Pari so early on was reminiscent of the shocking and tearful
events of both The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns; I thought this
was going to have me bawling.
Nonetheless, this is where the positive aspects end. The
adoption of so many different voices meant Echoed
lacked the depth of character that brought his first two books alive. Since the
novel does not focus as much on the plight of one character, it is not as
emotionally wrought or as intricate and personal. Some of the stories felt a
little unnecessary - such as the one set in Greece - which was a touch boring, seemed
to come to nothing, and had little to do with the main story. All I cared about
was Pari and Abdullah; I was desperate to know if they would ever find one
another again, and I think Hosseini might have benefited by focusing on this a
bit more, as overall the plot is not very strong.
What’s worse, this is the only Hosseini novel which has
failed to make me cry! I think this is because it lacked the subtle
complexities of his other two novels, as well as a character we get to know on a
personal and emotional level. It is undoubtedly a sad book, but it is not as
deep, meaningful or tear-jerking as I was hoping and expecting it to be.
If you liked Hosseini’s first two novels, don’t expect quite
the same with this. I was beyond excited when I heard Khaled Hosseini was
releasing a new book, and although this one is - despite my grumbling - very good, it doesn’t have the same
magic and emotion which make both The
Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid
Suns so special. It’s definitely worth your time and is a solid novel, but if you’re new to
Hosseini, I would recommend trying his other books to begin with.
Rating: 7/10
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