Category: Book Reviews (Page 2 of 3)

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

I passed this book a million times before I actually picked it up to read it.  It kept catching my eye but for some reason (perhaps the other 20 books sitting on my nightstand) I didn’t pick it up right away.  But, boy do I wish I had!

This will be a short review because (1) it was not part of my book club list; (2) I’m not sure its needs discussion other than to be in sheer admiration of a beautiful story; and (3) it was phenomenal and I could never do it justice!

So, what is this book about?  It is about a curmudgeon on the verge of killing himself.  He is rude, picky, daunting, intimidating, a bully and closed off from society.  He is a hermit who inflicts his beliefs on others.   So the fact that he wants to kill himself should make the reader happy, right?  Well, like an onion we begin to peel back the layers and it’s within those layers that we begin to see the man that is behind the curmudgeon mask.  You may not begin the story liking Ove but the more you understand him and the more you learn about him, you learn that he could be you.

Every event in our lives shapes who we become…our love, our family, our upbringing, our pets, our homes and our education.  We are what we absorb through life and Ove is no different.  His character is an introspective look at ourselves…who we are and who we can become.  What do we want to be in life and who do we want to be to other people?

This was an exceptional study in the human condition with the past and present selves meeting to form a whole person.  It is a beautiful account of a regular guy who begrudgingly is a good person.  A person who doesn’t want to help but helps anyway.  A person who does not want to like or love but does it anyway.  Isn’t that who we all are deep down?  Sometimes the things we don’t want to do, turn into the best things in our lives.

I hope that you’ll read this wonderful book and share with me what you took away from it.  Was it to never judge a book by its cover? Or was it that love exists inside of us all?

What was your take away?

The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens

Mysteries are not normally the genre of books I choose but this book really spoke to me.  I have always been fearful of being wrongfully accused of a crime and that is the premise for this story.  The title of the book was also a draw with the mystery of what is buried and that everyone has secrets that they bury with them.

I enjoyed the beginning that delved into the life of Carl Iverson, starting with him as a murderer.  The author focused on the fact that although we judge this man based on the one (alleged) act, he is more than just one moment in time.  Joe Talbert begins to unravel the life of Carl Iverson from beginning to end and shows the compassionate side of Carl, as well as the dependable and loyal side of Carl.  I shows the fact that a law abiding citizen was caught up in a crime and although he has served his time, he may not have committed the crime.

It is an unbelievable possibility that the dying Carl is an innocent man and has been imprisoned wrongfully for decades.  As Joe begins to research Carl’s history, he begins to understand the kind of man Carl is and that he may be incapable of committing this crime, despite the fact that he has admitted to being a killer and a murderer.  However, his guilt comes from Vietnam and not from the killing of the young girl. “I’ve always known I didn’t kill her.  And now you know.  That’s enough for me (page 190).”  It was tragic to know that he was innocent but had little time to be exonerated despite the evidence of his innocence.  “Clearing his name mattered more to him than he had allowed anyone to see, maybe even more than he himself understood (page 246).”

The decoding of the diary was a good little twist but makes me wonder that the simplicity of it would make it easy to solve at the time of the trial.  There were a few loose ends left in the story and there were several simple things that really gave away the criminal before the story unfolded.  There was no reason to arrest Carl other than the fact that the crime happened on his property.  The premise and justification for his guilt was weak and there were no other avenues searched for answers to the crime.

I enjoyed the telling of Carl’s story through the interview process.  I felt that the crime was being unraveled from the stories being told from all sides.  I feel that the ending did not give enough weight to Carl Iverson and had changed its focus from the dying man to the young Joe, who solves the case.  I would have preferred a full circle ending to the story of Carl Iverson.  I think that the novel was good but could have used better “mysterious” hints and clues.

What was your opinion of the title?  Did it sum up the story?  Did the novel live up to the title?

What did you think of the crime committed?

Did you figure out the culprit before the book divulged it?

What did you think of the mystery?  Was it complex enough or too simple?

How did you feel about the Joe Talbert storyline?

Did you feel that something was missing from the story?

Do you enjoy the mystery genre?

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Another wonderful story based on one of my current fascinations with WWII historical fiction.  This story, as seen through the eyes of a young French blind girl and an intelligent German orphan boy, is centered on pivotal life choices before, during and after the war with radios and a cursed gem at its root.  It is historical but it gives such an insight to the struggles of two people who are forced to be part of a war they do not want to be part of.  It is true account of two innocent lives torn apart by the war and by events beyond their control.

Unlike most stories about WWII, this is not an account of the Jewish struggle of the war but it is an in-depth view of the war through people who did not want to be part of it and knew that it was wrong.  Werner is an orphan who sees the Reich as his only way out of the coal mines that killed his father and left him in an orphanage.  He has big dreams and knows that he is capable of great things.  Like Volkeimer said: “what you could have been.”  His intelligence kept him sheltered to the worst crimes of the war.  He was involved in uncovering Nazi opposition radio frequencies but he was never the one to put an end to their lives, until Von Rumpel threatens Marie-Laure but it remains unclear how he kills him.  Werner recalls Dr. Hauptmann saying: “A scientist’s work is determined by two things: his interests and those of his time” and “Everything has led to this (page 338).”  His desire to learn, his desire to be free of his fathers fate all led to his arrival at Saint-Malo.  Through the eyes of Werner, especially after he has seen death in war (the young girl shot in the head) he starts to think that the light does not exist.  “So really children, mathematically, all of light is invisible.” (page 369)  Werner sees that there is no hope, no light…until he meets Marie-Laure.

And in clear opposition, the story revolves around a young blind girl who can only know what is happening by what she is told.  She cannot witness with her eyes what has happened to her father, to Paris, to her uncle Etienne or Marie Marnec. She is the innocent bystander of this story and yet she is the keeper of the greatest secret.  The curse of the stone is what keeps her alive but is it also what kills those around her?  I feel like the symbolism of the curse was to drive the story but I didn’t feel like it was truly affecting her.

The “Sea of Flames” gemstone and curse is actually based on the Delhi Sapphire which was thought to have brought bad luck and tragedy to its possessors.  It was such a great vehicle that drove the story line through the lives of the main characters.  It really took on its own weight in the story and guided the symbolism of tragedy, lust, envy and misfortune.  With the war as its backdrop, it brought to light the truest personality traits of the main characters as they progressed in the story line.  It brought out the worst and delivered the tragedy that its legend promised.

The puzzle boxes and city models were so much a part of this story, as much as the Sea of Flames.  It was the incubator, the treasure chest and the protector of the stories.  They were also a lifeline for Marie-Laure.  They were her way of “reading” her way through her life.  It was the closest thing to a Braille map.  Her father knew that this would be her saving grace and only way to survive the world as it fell apart…even without him.  By creating these boxes and models, “he made her feel as if every step she took was important (page 403)” and gave her confidence in her step.  The same confidence that Werner saw in her as he followed her on the street.

I read the book title at the beginning and thought little of it but after reading the book, I think that it alludes to the good things that happen around us that are not visible to us.  If we saw things like Marie-Laure saw them, we would never see the wrong in them only the “light”.  Although there are many bad things that happen in this book, there are the good things too and I think the title tells us to focus on the good to get us through the bad.

One of my favorite lines from this book is when Marie-Laure realizes she has lost time.  There are no more church bells, no one to tell her if its day or night.  “Time is a slippery thing: lose hold of it once, and its string might sail out of your hands forever (page 376).”  Time is fleeting…we must not disregard it.

A beautifully woven tale and another wonderful story about survival and the depths of surviving.  Humanity is strong and its will is stronger.  We have a desire to live…that cannot be diminished.

What do feel is the light we cannot see?

What is the title alluding to?

What was the importance of the radio broadcasts before they were resistance messages?

Is the “Sea of Flames” cursed?  Is it to blame for the tragedy in Marie-Laure’s life?

Did the story tell a tale of WWII in a romanticized way?  Did it leave out too much of the gory details or was it just enough?

How does it compare to The Storyteller or The Boy in the Striped Pajamas?  Was it a WWII story that you enjoyed?

Interesting articles about Saint-Malo:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Malo

http://www.ihr.org/jhr/v02/v02p301_Beck.html

http://www.brittanytourism.com/discover-our-destinations/saint-malo-mont-saint-michel-bay/unmissable-sites/saint-malo#

Background of the Delhi Sapphire, on which the Sea of Flames is based:

http://www.gemselect.com/help/newsletter/newsletter-mar-12.php

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

I wish I had read this book sooner!  It wasn’t really what I expected…it was so much more.

The story begins as a mystery.  We do not know the significance of the crosses on the hill and we discover a dead man in a boat with a crying baby.  The immediate response is to take action, which is what Tom and Isabel do.  What starts to take flight in the beginning is the two different reactions by the two main characters of the book.  Tom is the rule follower and is quick to make decisions and to take action in the “right” direction.  However, Isabel is in a state of depression and desperation which makes her decision making more skewed and in the “wrong” direction.

But if you view it from Isabel’s perspective, is it an “answer from God” in response to the miscarriages?  Or is it a coincidence?  Do you view it as an act of faith or as a lucky coincidence?  Isabel is clearly in a state of despair and will do anything and justify anything in order to satisfy he need to be a mother.  She clearly manipulates her husbands need to please her and his guilt for having taken her to Janus, as well as his guilt of not being able to save her from the miscarriages.  His guilt is his weakness.  Her despair is hers.

But at the root of these two people is their undying love.  They reiterate their vows throughout the story “from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part.”  This book was so heartbreaking because you felt so badly for Isabel and Tom’s loss but on the other side, you feel for Hannah and the losses she has.  However, one person could be happy again through the same vehicle that would deny Isabel and Tom their happiness.

This story hit on all aspects of love and its durability and undying hope for happiness.  It was heartbreaking as a reader to feel the angst of loss with all of these characters.  I felt happy for Isabel and Tom for finding the answer to their lost babies and I felt terrible that Hannah was taking away their daughter.  It was a strange emotion to have.  It was an unexpected side to take.

This was a beautifully told story with a landscape to match.  All that Janus embodies with its beauty, isolation, tragedy and pleasantries, is the perfect background for the ebbs and flows of this emotional story.

How far would you go for your true love?  Would you lie, cheat and steal?

Whose side did you take in this story?

Were you angry with Tom for letting Isabel convince him to keep the baby?  Or were you angry at Isabel for being manipulative and knowing Tom would do anything for her?

Did you feel that Tome betrayed Isabel with the letters to Hannah?  Should he have done more or less?

Did you think that Isabel would choose Lucy or Tom in the end?  Were you surprised by her choice?

What did you think of the ending?

What role do you think Janus played in the story?  Would the same situation have been able to happen if they had been on land the entire time?

Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me by Chelsea’s Family, Friends and Other Victims

So after reading two other Chelsea Handler books (Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea and My Horizontal Life), I fell in love with this sarcastic and crazy, funny blond with attitude.  I thought this book might give some insight as to why she is so funny and why people are drawn to her.  After reading this, I am wondering why any of these people continue to be her friend!

I was so turned off by this book that I only got ¾ of the way through it and gave up.  I never found the redeeming person that they swear she is.  I never found the ridiculously funny lady I met in the other books!  I know that this is supposed to be a bit of a roast but I still didn’t find any humor in the situations they discussed.  And, I was seriously wondering why I even picked up this book.  I’m beginning to feel like a bit of a “bad book picker” with this one.

Maybe I wasn’t in the mood for a comedy…even after all the tragedies we’ve been reading lately.  I just was not feeling the humor in this book.  I always liked Chelsea Handler and this book made her seem like a total jerk!  I’m going to pretend I didn’t read this and continue my love for her.

What did you think about this?

How did it rate in comparison with other CH books you’ve read?

What were the redeeming qualities of the book and main subject?

What did you hate/dislike about this book and its many stories?

How did you feel about CH before reading this book?  How do you feel about her now?

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Well worth the wait!  I have been salivating over this book for months as it sat in my queue of Upcoming Books.  From the moment I read the first sentence, I was captivated.  It was hard to put down and it only took me two days to read!

A good suspense novel is always my Kryptonite.  This book had so much suspense built up from the beginning.  Just the description of the pile of clothing next to the train tracks was intriguing.  But, the most intriguing was Rachel’s people watching from the train and the fact that she has made up an imaginary world about the people she sees every day.  I think about all of the times I watch people in public places and make up stories about them.  It’s such a day-dreamy thing to do and can be innocent but this book takes it to another level.

Usually when I read a book for book club, I mark pages that have great quotes.  This book took me until well past the middle of the book to start making notes.  And with good reason, I didn’t know I was waiting for Tom to be discovered.  There are three quotes that, to me, make this book and send chills up my spine.

The first quote by Tom is simple: “I’m a good liar (page 237).”  He actually says it a few times throughout the book but this recollection by Rachel of him saying this over and over again is chilling.  Little did we know that everything about him is a lie and that Rachel’s life is all based on his lies.  All of her memories and her current life is based on the lies he fed her and basically drove her to being an alcoholic.

This leads to Tom’s second chilling quote: “You were blind drunk, Rachel (page 257).”  By “blind drunk”, he must mean that she blacked out and had no recollection of her actions while inebriated.  But what he doesn’t say is that her recollections have been fed to her by him and they are all based on a lie.  I think that this is how he got her out of his life by making her feel guilty for being abusive and being a terrible wife (all based on a lie).

The pivotal quote and the beginning of Tom’s demise has to be “I loved you both, I really did, but you can both be incredibly weak (page 293).”  Everyone knows what happens when a man disrespects us like this…yup, death!  I think as soon as he insulted Anna, he sealed his fate.  Anna was not going to be clumped into a group with Rachel and seen as a weak person.  Anna knew she had been duped and she would not stand to be manipulated by Tom, or anyone else for that matter.  Her ally became Rachel but only as a means to an end.

I do have to admit that it wasn’t as good as Gone Girl for suspense and details but very read-worthy and got my head racing nonetheless.

Here are some questions to my readers:

Who was your first guess on who killed Megan?  The husband?  Rachel?

When did you figure out it was Tom or were you surprised until the end?

What did you think of the characters in this book?  Are they all tragic?  Are they all flawed?  How?

Do you people-watch and do you create “lives” for strangers?

Did you like this book?  Was it what you anticipated?

What was your opinion of Rachel?  Did you sympathize with her or dislike her?  Did your opinion change?

What did you think of the ending?  Was it warranted or would you have chosen a different outcome?

I was so excited about starting this book that I totally forgot to let you know what I was reading in September!  I am reading The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins!

I have been looking forward to this amazing book for so long and its finally made it to my nightstand!  I will admit that I have already started it and, if you loved Gone Girl, this is along those suspenseful lines.

So intense and so intriguing…I hope you’ll read it with me!  Hope your Labor Day plans include a good book!

The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin

This book, as explained in the Author’s Note, is based on Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s diaries and letters with little variation or fiction added.  With that being said, I had so many feelings about Anne throughout the book, throughout all of her life events and choices.  What I loved about all of these strong feelings towards her, was that I realized what a “real” person she was.  I also had to learn to understand that the era in which she lived, expectations for women were so different and she defied most things that were expected of her.  For all the times I felt that she was weak, she came back with a stronger moment.  “Charles was asked…about the technical difficulties of the challenging flight.  I was asked…how I intended to set up housekeeping in a plane (Page 160).”  How would I feel if I had done the exact same work and was being asked domestic questions versus professional ones?  I am such an outspoken person that I’m not sure that I would be able to hold back and not do a little boasting since no one else was doing it for me.  Anne had every right to demand her own attention but due to the decade, the role of women and her self-worth, I think she missed her opportunity to be greater than Amelia Earhart!

I am tempted to say that because of the era in which she lived, Anne was always flanked by the double standard of being a woman versus being a man.  I am so angry that people of that time couldn’t realize how heroic she was being.  She was putting her life in danger too.  We fail to understand how primitive flying was in the 20s and 30s.  Her contribution to aviation was just as important and just as astounding.  But just like society, even Anne was guilty of demeaning her accomplishments. “An eager young wife who had been shaped, just like every other eager young wife of my generation, by her husband, but I was a wife who had wanted to be shaped, had willingly put herself in his hands and demanded he make her over in his superior image (Page 283).”  She wasn’t looking for her limelight, she was content to live in his shadow.

One of the constant images in this book is that of the Paparazzi.  Charles Lindbergh is barraged by photographers everywhere he goes and once he marries Anne, she becomes part of the circus as well.  But the biggest tragedy from this enormous celebrity, is the death of their son.  The book does take a majority of its pages to describe the crime and its result, and with good purpose.  It is the pivotal moment in her life, as well as in their marriage.  It is a confluence of several of their life choices: fame, celebrity, being untouchable, the Depression, and nomadic lifestyle.  With the fame, everyone wants a piece of them and you can see that by the intensity of photographers following their every move, with the map to their new home and looking for pictures of their first child.  Neither Charles nor Anne wanted to be famous but their hero status makes them “famous” and sought after public figures.  They suspect that the kidnapping of their child is based on two factors: 1. The Depression has made people take extreme measures for money and 2. Rich celebrities are prime targets for a ransom.  Plus, they are really the only celebrities of their time.  This imagery of no peace or privacy does give me a greater sense of empathy for the celebrities of our time.

On many occasions in this book, I found myself wondering if Charles and Anne ever truly loved one another.  Even in their courtship and engagement, there was little affection.  At their wedding Anne notes: “Two hearts, in such sympathy – there was no need for words, sentimental, silly, romantic…We were too special for that.  For ordinary words, spoken by ordinary couples (Page 87).”  It’s as if they were above it all…love and the earth.  I guess that being extraordinary means you don’t need everything else but I think they truly missed out on their lives because of their choice in spouses.

Another theme in this story is of betrayal.  Anne says that “Betrayal is more enormous than forgiveness (Page 90).”  The many betrayals that occur in this book are beyond enormous.  Anne betrays Charles when she asks the Colonel to go against Charles in the kidnapping investigation.  The Colonel even states that it would be difficult to go against your spouse and she simply says, “This is my child we’re talking about.  It was very easy (Page 208).”  He betrays her with infidelity, and she does as well.  They betray their marriage because they do not care for it or nurture it.

The theme of manipulation is prevalent as well.  “Colonel, you are in an enviable position.  You have no political standing, yet you are a world figure (Page 251).”  This is the manipulation of Charles by the Nazis that gives them the credibility as a powerful nation.  “I don’t mean to sound vulgar…But-so far no one has dared attack you…the baby’s bereaved mother, and so above reproach.  Which is why you are in the perfect position, really (Page 288).”  This is the manipulation of Anne by Charles to encourage the idea of treason of her country alongside him.

But, the greatest of themes in this book is that of self-discovery.  Anne’s self-discovery takes a lifetime but it does happen gradually.  She states that: “I wished I could claim my achievements with the pride of accomplishment, but I simply couldn’t (page 239-240).”  Over time and with the separation from Charles’ iron fist, Anne begins to realize the enormous importance of her own accomplishments.  Mostly, it becomes real to her as her children begin to uncover Anne’s history and undertakings.  Her daughter Reeve says “You were pretty brave then, I bet (Page338),” after discovering Anne’s pilots license.  Anne is forced to reflect upon herself and define herself.  “I was Mom. I was Wife.  I was Tragedy.  I was Pilot (Page 340).”

After reading this book and learning how much of it is based in reality, I can honestly say that my opinion of Charles Lindbergh has been changed.  I always considered him a true hero and a true explorer but I did not know anything about his personal life other than the fact that his son was kidnapped.  I can also honestly say that I knew absolutely nothing about Anne Morrow Lindbergh before reading this book and I am impressed, disappointed, proud, sad, happy…all the feels!  This was a truly great story about a resilient woman who was just as brave and heroic as any man of her day…including her husband!

What was your opinion of Charles Lindbergh prior to reading this book?  And after?

Why do you think the Lindbergh’s decided not to tell their living children about Charles Jr.?

During the kidnapping, Anne says: “Privilege, I was not ashamed to admit at that moment, had its perks (page 55).”  Should she have used it more or was this the extent of her privilege as a woman?

Did the paparazzi in this book make you more sympathetic to the hounding that famous people get in the press presently?

What did you think Charles meant when he said: “No irregularities…Our children will be pure (Page 135)”?

Were the Lindbergh’s Nazi supporters?  How do you view their actions at the start of WWII?

One of my favorite lines is “I was Mom. I was Wife.  I was Tragedy.  I was Pilot (Page 340).”  How many “personas” are we that we forget to list?  Anne downgraded her own importance, do you?

What was your opinion of Anne Morrow Lindbergh prior to reading this book?  How did you feel about Anne at the end of the book?  Did her indiscretions make her less likeable?

What did you think when you learned that Charles had other families/children in Germany?

Did you like this Historical fiction novel?  Why or why not?

Atonement by Ian McEwan

What can I say, the novel made me just as mad as the movie did!  In all fairness, I saw the movie first.  I don’t usually read the book after I watch the movie, but I found that the movie made me want to know more about how the story was written.  I wanted to know the order in which it was told, POV, clues, etc.  I truly think that the movie did a great job “telling” this story and I feel satisfied after having read the novel too.

I will start by saying that this story is beautifully written, with so much detail and emotion.  It is really a story based on one misunderstood moment between two people.  I feel like it really speaks to our modern times where we tend to misinterpret peoples actions and we assume we know what people are doing.  As a society, we judge others by their mannerisms, use of words, their social standing, their age, their wealth, their education, race, gender and general lot in life.  It is a great look into society and its unyielding portrayal of hierarchy and its power.  And, it’s infuriating!

This book evokes anger for its unfairness, for the lies it supports, for the lives it ruins and for its lack of atonement.  Yes, I said lack of atonement.  The meaning of atonement is to make amends or make right what was wrong.  There is never an atonement made in this novel.  There are slight attempts and meaning well but never is the wrong made right.  Even Briony states that she doesn’t consider herself a liar despite knowing she didn’t tell the truth.

Briony’s “crime” as identified by the narrator is that she is a liar.  She is spinner of tales and a teller of tales.  All of these are nice ways of saying that she makes things up…or lies.  She does nothing but lie about who she saw attack Lola.  She could have said it was too dark to be sure who it was and just give a description.  She could have helped Lola remember what the perpetrator looked like.  She could have said it was too dark to be sure.  Any of these explanations would have been acceptable.  The explanation that is not acceptable is that she repeatedly says she “saw him”.

I felt like it could have all been different if Robbie had never written the sexually driven note or if he had put the sweeter one in the envelope.  But I guess it had already been fated that his life would not be easy from this moment.  If he had just delivered the note directly to Cecilia or if Briony had never opened the note.  There were so many moments that could have altered the ending for Cecilia and Robbie.  Cecilia and Robbie were never given the opportunity to live a true life together so Briony should not have been absolved a lifetime of guilt.  Briony describes herself as a conceited child when she reflects on that fateful night in the final chapter of the novel.  She is right.  That is why she never apologizes, she merely writes an alternate ending to her book where Cecilia and Robbie are together.

Did you like this novel? Was the order in which it was written affect your feelings about the story?

What was the moment you felt was pivotal to creating the series of events that lead to Robbie’s demise?

What was your opinion of Briony?  Do you feel that Briony atoned for her lies?

Could Cecilia and Robbie have made a life together if Robbie hadn’t gone to prison and war?  What do you think of the ending?

If you’ve seen the movie, what questions did the book answer for you?  Did you prefer the movie or the book?

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

As the teardrops that I cried for the last forty pages of this book dry themselves, I sit here thinking about how this beautiful book unfolded before me.  Again, I am impressed by the author’s ability to create such a rich story that transcends time and then he brings it all back together in an effortless fashion.

This novel begins and ends with the story of a brother and a sister whose love for one another is palpable throughout the book.  Because of these two characters we are introduced to other amazing characters through the time they are apart.  There is so much hope, love and understanding within them all and I think that the symbolism of these characters is that relationships, gender, social status and birth do not define us, but we are defined by the love rooted with in us and the bonds we feel with other humans.  Several of the “love” relationships that the author creates are not necessarily bound by blood.  They transcend blood and are bound by empathy and good nature. 

The relationship between Abdullah and Pari is familial but is broken by their own family for good intentions and in desperate measures.  Uncle Nabi and their father think they are doing what is best for their family: “The finger cut, to save the hand (page 48).”  This proverb seems harsh but can be seen as the necessary evil to survival. 

The relationship between Nabi’s twin sisters is echoed throughout the book, most notably Nabi and Mr. Wahdati’s relationship, Thalia’s relationship with Markos’ mama, and in younger Pari’s relationship with her father.  It was as though the author was trying to convey that blood isn’t always thicker than water.  That love can exist between two people based on shared emotions and experiences.  Sometimes our blood relatives are not our most trusted or caring people in our lives.

I feel that the storyline of paralleling the Afghan wars and the tragedies in the characters’ lives was so emotional and mirrored the eras and changes happening within the country and within these families.  War affects us all in small ways and in big ways.  Sometimes they are obvious and sometimes unnoticed.  The war within these families is emotional, the struggle is financial and it all takes its toll on the characters. 

This book follows in the footsteps of its two predecessors.  Hosseini does a gorgeous job of depicting the scenery and of depicting the weight of love we feel for the people in our lives.  His ability to peel back all of the layers of these characters and describe the human experience is a beautiful ability to describe us all as caring beings.  We have our faults but underneath we are all doing our best to be good people.  Maybe we are all caregivers in our own way.

My favorite quote from this book:  “They tell me I must wade into waters, where I will soon drown.  Before I march in, I leave this on the shore for you.  I pray you find it, sister, so you will know what was in my heart as I went under.”

What did you think of the story Baba tells in the beginning of the book?  Is it the foreshadowing of what is to come?

Was the sale of Pari to the Wahdati’s beneficial?  Who did it benefit most?  Who did it hurt most?  Was it a financial or emotional gain?

What do you feel was the significance of the caregiver relationships throughout the novel?

How did the deaths of Masooma by Parwana and the death of Mr. Wahdati by Nabi affect you?  Did you feel they were necessary?  Was it fair of Masooma and Wahdati to ask their caregivers to do what they did?  Was it a gracious act of love?

What did you think when Nila told Nabi: “It was you, Nabi.  It was always you. Didn’t you know (page 113)”?  Were you surprised by the box of drawings?  How did you feel about Nabi’s reaction to finding the box?

In Nabi’s letter to Markos, he says: “Please tell her [Pari], tell her that I cannot know the myriad consequences of what I set into motion.  Tell her I took solace only in hope (page 131).”  Is this his apology or his justification?  How would he feel if he was able to meet her at the end?

Abdullah always made excuses as to why the younger Pari couldn’t do things with her friends, go to parties or go off to college, why do you think he restricted her?  Was it religious or selfish?

At the end, Abdullah leaves a package for Pari to open, which the younger Pari delivers to her, what did you think he had left her? 

Pari says: “I don’t know what this feather means, the story of it, but I know it means he was thinking of me.  For all these years.  He remembered me (page 401).”  Do you remember the meaning of the feathers?

What is the meaning of the title “And the Mountains Echoed”?