Written in beautiful prose, this evocative story set in Tehran, spans the 1950s through to the present day. It follows Ellie and Homa – girls from completely different backgrounds whose lives intersect, and their fates intertwine against the volatile backdrop of the Iranian Revolution.
Ellie is from a wealthy family but after the death of her father is forced to move downtown with her mother. Here she meets Homa and her family who welcome her. After a few years Ellie’s mother remarries and they move back uptown and resume an elite and opulent lifestyle. Ten years pass and Homa secures herself a scholarship to Ellie’s school and their friendship resumes. This continues during university until one night Ellie makes a horrific mistake that will impact them both forever.
As different as the girls are, it is Homa with her ‘limited’ life that inspires Ellie to strive for an education. Homa is on the forefront of activism, and it is easy to celebrate her highs and feel her devastating lows. They are both likeable characters who are fully developed.
The story is mostly from Ellie’s point of view although I would have liked to read Homa’s point of view, especially in the latter half of the book as she is an interesting character.
This a beautifully written and very engaging novel. The author touches on several themes, including class, women’s rights, political activism and the immigrant experience. I particularly enjoyed learning about Iranian life and culture even in the horrors of the time.
Reviewed by Nicola Skinstad
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marjan Kamali is the award-winning author of The Lion Women of Tehran, an instant national bestseller, The Stationery Shop, a national and international bestseller, and Together Tea, a Massachusetts Book Award finalist. She is a 2022 recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellowship.
Marjan’s novels are published in translation in more than 25 languages (22 languages for The Stationery Shop and 10 languages for Together Tea). Her essays have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Literary Hub, and The Los Angeles Review of Books.
Marjan holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from the University of California, Berkeley, a Master of Business Administration from Columbia University, and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from New York University. Born in Turkey to Iranian parents, she spent her childhood in Turkey, Iran, Germany, Kenya, and the U.S. Marjan is currently the Fannie Hurst Writer-in-Residence at Brandeis University. She lives in the Boston area with her family.
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