Known for epic tales of enduring love and redemption, Khaled Hosseini doesn't disappoint with his latest best-seller, And the Mountains Echoed. The story unfolds in the early 1950s, focusing on two siblings growing up in the Afghan village of Shadbagh. Three-year-old Pari and her brother, Abdullah, have been inseparable since their mother's death, and sometimes Abdullah feels like his little sister is the only real family he has.

Things get complicated when Pari is given to a wealthy, childless couple in Afghanistan's capital city of Kabul. This transaction is facilitated by Pari and Abdullah's uncle, who has an agenda of his own. However, he inadvertently creates a gaping wound in his family that cannot be mended.

Hosseini doesn't end the story here: there's still an entire world to explore in the pages of And the Mountains Echoed. In a vivid journey from Kabul to Paris, the Greek island of Tinos to San Francisco, a cast of secondary characters welcome readers into their lives. In many ways, this is Hosseini's most ambitious novel yet.

The beauty of And the Mountains Echoed is in the details; these little pieces come together to form a vast, elaborate mosaic of individuals and stories. Fans will easily recognize the author's lyrical style. Hosseini writes with the compassion and vulnerability that make his stories so enlightening, yet relatable.

Here is a novel for anyone who has ever wondered, “Where am I from, and who am I? How has my identity been shaped by the people I love and the people who love me?” If you want to read a great book that explores universal themes and ideas, while learning more about Afghanistan, I highly recommend And the Mountains Echoed.