I found a sad little fairy

Beneath the shade of a paper tree

I know a sad little fairy

Who was blown away by the wind one night.

Pari and Abdullah- brother and sister according to providence but parent and child by circumstance, lived in Shadbagh, Afghanistan. Pari’s happiness was Abdullah’s very existence. There was nothing that he wouldn’t do for her- even trade his only pair of slippers for a feather for Pari’s most treasured feather collection. His love for her was infinite and unclouded. She was his universe, his summation of life.

Lasya1

The next stop in this joy ride is Kabul- the city of happenings and happiness, of parties and plenty. Pari, Abdullah and their father Saboor, go there to meet with the siblings’ uncle, Nabi, who drives them through the city.  The sheer enormity of the buildings and the hustle and bustle of the big city was enough to make their little beings flood with joy.

But, it was in this city of happiness that the Almighty dealt the siblings a cruel hand, tearing their lives apart, separating them probably forever. Pari was two and Abdullah, ten, when the incident took place. Pari had the benefit of not having any memories but the same couldn’t be said for Abdullah. Pari’s absence was ripping apart his soul. He would fondly think of her gap-toothed smile, her sweet voice as she called him “Abollah!”

But, those days were gone. They were separated. They had different lives now.

However, God had something else planned for both of them. He makes their life take a full circle by reversing the very thing that had shattered Abdullah to pieces.

Lasya3

Hosseni has a beautiful way of telling tales that can move even the cruellest of hearts and cause love to blossom in them. The story meanders through love, loss, separation, friendship, marriage, charity, fidelity, gratitude and bittersweet endings.

And The Mountains Echoed is a story that has been woven together with many characters, each with a history equally moving as the other. Though labelled fiction, it is very close to real life. In his narrative, Hosseni tells his readers that everybody has a story to tell, every heart has a song to sing and every soul has something to share.

He also teaches the readers that every ending need not be happy. Even if it was a happy ending, a person still harbours some regrets. Hosseni, through his tales, states that regrets and mistakes are just memories that a person makes in life.

Lasya2

This enchanting story makes the reader melt into puddles of happiness, sorrow, confusingly sometimes-both. It makes the heart soar with emotions never experienced before. Beware, reading it can result in tears, but, this book is worth every tear shed.

Share this on: