[ AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED ] BY Hosseini, Khaled ( AUTHOR )May-21-2013 ( Hardcover ) Hardcover – 20 May 2013

Having read Hosseini's previous two books, I was looking forward to this one. What a disappointing experience. From the very beginning of the book I found myself backtracking. New characters were introduced into the book with no indication as to how they might fit in. There are too many characters and too many stories. There is no flow to the book and it has a lack of transitions. Hosseini has a penchant for hardship and tragedy and he does not resolve things, even in the smallest way. The story was designed to plant in our mind a yearning for brother and sister to reconnect in some way, when this happened it did not enhance the story in any way. I thought that the story had potential, but lacked a focus on the enjoyment of the reader.

I had high hopes after Hosseini's earlier books but I didn't enjoy this as much. It is beautifully written and the first half is very strong but thereafter I found the story dragged. The story is told by several narrators and introduces new characters at regular intervals. I have no problem with this but unfortunately at times, particularly in the last half of the book, these stories seem to take a long while going not very far and at times I couldn't see why the sub-story had been included. A number of characters were introduced who I assumed and expected would play a more significant part in the novel but their involvement just petered out even although there was a certain theme. I also found it frustrating to have to keep flicking back through the pages to check that a character that re-appeared was the one I was thinking of. I felt at times that Hosseini was alluding to greater themes but that these were only partially formed - either that or I was reading too much into things.Overall I was a little disappointed. My disappointment may have been increased by expectations created by the earlier books, but this one is in my view the weakest of the three.

After devouring The Kite Runner & A Thousand Splendid Suns I was eagerly looking forward to Khaled Hosseini's latest novel, but in truth although beautifully written I feel it fell far short of the page-gripping experience of his previous books. I found the jump from character to character a bit disconcerting, characters reappeared without seeming to make any advancement to the story and the whole Greek subplot could have been left out and you'd be none the wiser. Too many loose threads left dangling in my opinion. There are probably about half a dozen characters that I am still wondering about - what happened to them, and I am wondering if maybe Hosseini intends to write another book where they will be reintroduced! 4-5* for the wonderful evocative descriptions, but 1-2* for the plot which is why I can only give 3* overall.

I really loved A Thousand Splendid Suns and The Kite Runner (in that order) and i was eagerly anticipating the new release of Khaled Hosseini's book.Needless to say it did not disappointAnd The Mountains Echoed is absolutely fantastic. it follows the previous books by being set in pre-war Afghanistan and then showcasing the lives of those who are affected by the war and the devastating .effect it has on lives.the story opens with a anecdote that i found heart wrenching with the Div and little Qais.The story is primarily about a brother ans sister - Abdullah and Pari. the bond between these two is clearly established and then it is shown as they are ripped apart when Pari is sold to another woman. this book perfectly captured the anguish of children and the pain that is must be for a parent to have to lose a child.Khaled Hosseini did not disappoint, however if there is one criticism of the book then it is that i did not see the need for at least one of the character point of views, i did not feel that it added anything to the story but other than that this book is FANTASTIC!!!

And the Mountains Echoed (Khaled Hosseini)From the 1950s to the present day, and ranging from war-torn Afghanistan to France, to Greece, to America, this remarkable saga embraces several families, their lives interwoven by many invisible threads of fate.The tale is told by means of frequent flashbacks, but minus the clear date or place references that usually simplify the reader’s task when this device is used, and it did sometimes take me a few moments to realise of whom and of where I was reading. Apart from this minor irritation, it’s an excellent read. I found it often heartrending, sometimes delighting, but always riveting.