The Lion Women of Tehran - Marjan Kamali.
My Rating: 5/5.
My second Marjan Kamali after “The Stationery Shop of Tehran” and I loved it, loved it, loved it (if you have read any of her books, you would know that emotion). Incredibly heart-touching story of two lion women of Tehran, their friendship, struggle to make their country a better place, and so many ups and downs that they go through their entire lives, a totally emotional roller coaster ride. The story starts with a pretty young Ellie narrating her life story when she loses her father, and they are forced to move out of their plush lives (from being descendants of royalty) to a life in a slum, where they struggle for everything. Her mother tries her level best to save her from the evil eye that has shot them down and never trusts anyone, especially her best friend Homa, whom Ellie admires big time. Although Homa too doesn’t come from any better background than what she herself was going through but to see her in a loving family with a father, caring mother and two siblings to die for, she envies her so much that at times she imagines what if her mother died too, will they take her on as a family memeber and she will get to live their life with them. And imagine this was just the start of it all. What follows is a heartbreak of growing up for both the girls, their college lives, while the country of Iran goes through so much political turmoil, where lives of thousands get destroyed, some fighting to make it better and an equal number of people dragging it back to the stone age of patriarchy with no freedom of any kind, especially for women. Although it's a work of fiction but the way she takes us through the sea of change in women’s lifestyle in the 1950s to the following decades is an eye-opener. Even now, looking at what is happening not only in Iran but nearby countries is simply unbelievable, with no short-term solution on the horizon, and this is when we are talking in the 21st century.
Elli’s mother’s struggle comes to no end as she tries her level best to give her a better life by compromising herself, and on the other hand, Homa, her best friend, goes through her own struggle, which was totally emotional and such a heartbreaking read. But the way they fight for each other and finally by the end of the story is incredible, to know what they achieve and how it all falls out for them is what you need to read the book for. I highly recommend that you read The Stationery Shop of Tehran” first, followed by this one, for better timeline understanding of the country’s political situation, but even otherwise, this works like a perfect read. I have become a huge fan of her work now and will look forward to as many as she is writing with awe. Her earlier book, as well as this one too reads like a thriller and a seriously unputdownable book till you reach the ending. I have never read a better book from that part of the world, for sure in recent times, which is so engaging and meaningful too. I loved her use of Persian words and phrases, which sound so similar to our Hindi; it was a delight to read and especially the dishes both of their mothers make for them, they kept me salivating throughout the story.
Do let me know if you have read this one and loved it. I am going to get her first book now, which she wrote way before both of these and read it at the earliest too.
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