Family is complicated. In the hustle of everyday life, it can be easy to overlook the struggles and victories our family members experience daily, and only consider how they interact with us at home. In “And the Mountains Echoed,” author Khaled Hosseini weaves together perspectives of different members involved in one family’s heartbreaking story and shows how time can never diminish the love that ties family together.

The story begins with Abdullah and Pari, brother and sister who are each other’s world. Abdullah then watches as his beloved sister, Pari, is separated from him through an arranged adoption, leaving both of them without their other half. Hosseini continues the story from multiple perspectives of people connected to their story: Pari’s stepmother, full of self-doubt and riddled with guilt; Uncle Nabi, who was blinded by love; Idris, the actionless bystander; Dr. Markos, a doctor with a complicated backstory; Pari, who feels a vague emptiness; Adel, who lived in ignorance; and finally Pari, Abdullah’s daughter, named after his long-lost sister. The story delves into each character’s family dynamic, showing each family’s blend of love and hate, neither perfect nor unforgivable. The novel explores how permanent family is, no matter how much hurt has occurred or time spent apart, and has the reader hoping for a happy ending every step of the way.

I really loved this book. I was surprised at how invested I became in each character’s story, and how family took center stage rather than adventure or romance. I thought Hosseini added enough drama that it kept me wanting to read, but didn’t have me cringing at over-exaggerated moments. I could relate to some moments where Hosseini talks about family, and it reminded me that there aren’t only highs or lows, but there is always love. For a reader looking for a story that brings pain and leaves you with hope, I recommend this book.