And the Mountains Echoed

I know, this is crazy.  Two blog posts in three days, but I just had to get this out while it was fresh in my mind.  About ten minutes ago I finished Khaled Hosseini's And the Mountains Echoed and my mind is spinning.

First of all, some history.  I have read all three of Hosseini's books.  I have even taught The Kite Runner numerous times to high school students and it is without question one of my favorite books.  I was also blown away by A Thousand Splendid Suns.  Hosseini's most recent novel, I can confidently say, is his most ambitious work yet.  The novel is a spectacular look at humanity and one of its most pressing questions: Where and how are we rooted?  By family?  By place?  By love?  The writing, as is always the case with Hosseini, is beautifully crafted with detail and metaphor that mimic the realities of life.

The only issue with the book is that throughout, Hosseini weaves in different time periods and focuses on the points of view of different characters- not an easy task and he does it wonderfully.  But at times, the book loses its rhythm.  Just as I was learning and engaging in a character, the point of view would switch.  But again, the various stories are blended beautifully at the end and it is a testament to his writing that he was able to pull it off, even if it didn't always appeal to me as a reader.

Hosseini also does a masterful job of weaving in Afghan history and culture.  With all the stereotypes and judgments of the middle east, this novel shows the western world that peace and love are global.  We need to stop living in a vacuum and Hosseini can be one of our guides on this quest.  He is not only writing about this, but he heads a non-profit foundation geared toward providing assistance to the people of Afghanistan.  He is practicing what he "preaches" (or writes in this case). 

If you cherish what it means to be human, what it means to live and struggle, then I highly recommend A Thousand Splendid Suns and all of Hosseini's works.