And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

Khaled Hosseini is a brilliant storyteller and in the “And the Mountains Echoed”, he does not disappoint.  The book which spans several generations and 3 continents, follows Pari’s journey through a life that is defined by a decision her father took when she was a very young child. The book’s theme is about choices and the far reaching consequences they have on the future as well as the propensity they have to influence the generations to come. 

On the first page, the first sentence reads, ”So, then. You want a story and I will tell you one” and the stage for Pari's story is set.   As Pari and her brother, Abdullah travel with their father from a small village in Afghanistan and across the desert to Kabul, they are oblivious to the underlying forces that will shape their destiny and ultimately seal their fate. 

However, towards the middle (about half way through the book), it all gets very confusing. As new characters are introduced, it is unclear who they are and what their connection, if any, is to the main characters and to the story. There are also a couple of shock factors thrown in that don’t quite work with the story line and could have just as easily been left out.

In the latter part of the book, the clarity is back and the story sprints towards an awesome ending as the main characters, Pari and Abdullah, take centre stage once again…58 years later.

I was particularly impressed with Hosseini’s compassion and caring when writing about Abdullah’s mental illness. It is a condition that many of us with aging parents and /or grandparents are familiar with; I recognised and related to the anguish and sorrow felt by Abdullah’s daughter, also called Pari, as she came to terms and dealt with her father’s condition. 

I loved “The Kite Runner” and while “And The Mountains Echoed” is not as captivating, it is still a very good book. 

My rating for And The Mountains Echoed  - 4

The Silent Wife by A.S.M. Harrison

The Silent Wife is about a man, a woman,
the other (much) younger woman and revenge. 


What Jodi did is probably every woman’s fantasy of getting even, especially when they have been dumped after investing 20 years in a relationship. 

The alternating "Him" and "Her" chapters is great as both sides get to say their piece, in their own voice.

I did have a hard time relating to the Jodi character who comes across as cold and calculating, and who uses cooking , cleaning and being (exaggeratedly) understanding as her weapons of manipulation and control, but perhaps that was the author’s intention. 

Todd on the other hand, is a very likable character despite the fact that he is a serial cheater, who sees nothing wrong in moving in with his best friend’s (very young) daughter and worse, expects everyone including Jodi to accept his decision without question. Yet, there is something naive and vulnerable about him that prevents you from dismissing him despite being the rat (I did want to use a much harsher word that begins with “a” and ends with “e”) he is.

The book goes through cycles, so that sometimes you find yourself racing through the pages to see what happens next, and at others it is simply monotonous.

The ending was a disappointment and a tiny bit predictable - there was quite a bit of momentum building up in the last 20 pages and then it went flat. Actually I wasn’t even aware that I had reached the end. 

My rating for The Silent Wife  - 3 Champagne Flutes