And the Mountains EchoedAnd the Mountains Echoed
Score Modern
What it's about
Afghanistan, 1952: Abdullah and his little sister, Pari, live with their father and stepmother in the poor village of Shadbagh. To Abdullah, Pari is everything. What happens to them, and how it echoes through many other lives across generations and continents, from Kabul to Paris to California, is at the heart of the novel.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 47 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner, writes movingly about family, love and the choices that shape lives.
You'll love it if you liked
The Kite Runner
A Thousand Splendid Suns
PachinkoGood to know
Each chapter follows a different character, so it reads almost like linked stories. It's sad but hopeful.
By the numbers
- Readers70 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller62 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #59 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #409 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #795 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Dark
More by Khaled Hosseini
A Thousand Splendid SunsThe Kite RunnerIf you like this, read next
The Help
Shuggie Bain
Half of a Yellow Sun
My Brilliant Friend
Wolf Hall
MiddlesexExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is And the Mountains Echoed worth reading?
Yes. It spent 47 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #795 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 75.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is And the Mountains Echoed about?
Afghanistan, 1952: Abdullah and his little sister, Pari, live with their father and stepmother in the poor village of Shadbagh. To Abdullah, Pari is everything. What happens to them, and how it echoes through many other lives across generations and continents, from Kabul to Paris to California, is at the heart of the novel.
How long does it take to read And the Mountains Echoed?
About 10 hours (416 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after And the Mountains Echoed?
If you liked it, try The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini or Pachinko by Min Jin Lee.