Only Sound Remains

by Hossein Asgari

Saeed has not returned to Iran after publishing his novel The Imaginary Narrative of a Real Murder for fear of political persecution. He is surprised when Ismael, his father who has never left Iran, announces that he is travelling to Adelaide to visit him. During his short stay, Ismael tells Saeed the story of his unrequited love for Forugh Farrokhzad - the most controversial poet of modern Iran. The story makes Saeed see his father in a new light, and leaves him with the burning had his father, unwittingly, played a role in Forugh's death?

Genres: Fiction, Iran, Politics, Literary Fiction, Middle East

184 pages, Paperback

Published July 1, 2023

About the author

Hossein Asgari studied physics and creative writing. He lives in Adelaide.

Reviews

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a strong year for the Miles Franklin longlist - with several entries, including this one, doing great things with deceptively simple and short novels. In Only Sound Remains, Asgari utilises a framing device structure, with the frame a story of Saeed hosting his father in Adelaide. Saeed is a refugee, unable to return to Iran after publishing a relatively obscure, but politically sharp, novel. His carefully constructed exterior of enjoying a simple life shivers under the force of the visit.
Meanwhile, our main narrative is a story Saeed's father tells, of his own coming of age in heady mid-century Iran, and of his crossed paths and obsession with Forugh Farrokhzad.
Despite having read two biographies of Farrokhzad, I have never been able to really understand the compelling aura she has over Iranians (not that surprising given I can't read her poetry in Farsi). Asgari goes someway to demonstrate, however, both the fascination she exudes and the reasons that she may have become emblematic of a time of immense change and the multitude of possibilities that came with it. The pace of the inner story is notably faster, more urgent and wilder. The passion shifts into Saeed's carefully stripped existence, giving us both a riveting story and an exploration of the meanings of freedom, responsibility and love.

[Bronwyn Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a beautiful gift, challenging me in a good way. It has sat quietly with me long after reading it. It was an introduction to Persian poetry for me, told through the lens of a strained father/son relationship which quietly grows as the elderly father shares his story of unrequited love for famous Iranian poet, Forugh Farrokhzad. Then I read some of her translated poems- so beautiful, such as “The Bird was Just a Bird” and this one-
“Do you know what I want out of life?
That I can be with you, you, all of you,
And if life repeated a thousand times,
Still you, you and again, you”

[Sabrina Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t think I could name anything I didn’t like about this book. It is simple, quiet, and reflective, but says so much at the same time. I was incredibly moved, but felt no pressure from it - I wouldn’t say it is made up of grand revelations or epiphanies that attempt to change the reader’s life, just simple wisdom from one life story, and the message becomes grand in that very simplicity. I can tell I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time.

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

"There's nothing a tyrant or totalitarian system hates more than having history as their teacher. Their very existence is proof of that"

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this in October last year and for some reason never got around to finishing it until now.

I'm a little conflicted about how I feel about the book, not because it isn't well-written (the prose is fantastic), but I'm honestly really confused about how I feel about the blurring of fact and fiction here. The reimagination of Forugh Farrokhzad's life was fascinating — especially because I knew literally nothing about her — but it's also exactly the reimagination part that I'm a bit on the fence with. Mainly because the book was very masculine, and it's hard not to feel like Forugh's voice was diminished here a little because of it, even though that probably wasn't the intention.

There were also several characters/character relationships/character arcs I wish had been expanded on a little more, especially with Amir and Hasan as their roles felt really minimal and were wrapped up just as quickly. The father-son relationship between Ismael and Saeed and their issues could have been explored more, as much was left unsaid. Which did feel intentional, but I just wanted more.

[Tundra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful gentle book exploring a father son relationship and how it is put to the test by revelations that the father chooses to share. While the son lives in forced exile in another country it becomes apparent through his father’s story that his father, by choosing to hide his history and personal desires for a poet that he has loved for most of his life, also leads a life in a type of exile. I think that it is endlessly fascinating how the people we think we know the best can still hold so many secrets and particularly being a parent this makes this all the more challenging.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for me. Slow, confusing storyline as I lacked the required historical knowledge of Iran. Found it hard to connect to the characters. The ‘big reveal’ resulting in the son being mad at the father fell flat.

[George · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting novel about a father-son relationship and the poetry of Forugh Farrokhzad, a controversial woman poet in modern Iran.

Ismael, the father, travels from Iran to visit his son, Saeed, in Australia. Ismael tells Saeed the story of his unrequited love for Forugh Farrokhzad. Ismael is only staying for a short time. He talks to his son about Ismael’s time prior to meeting his wife and Saeed’s mother.

There a lots of quotes of Forugh’s poems. (Forugh is a real person). The novel focuses a lot on the character of Forugh and to a lesser extent, Ismael. Unusual for Iran, Forugh is quite an independent woman who married when she was a teenager. She left her husband and had more than one lover. She was famous in her lifetime.

Saeed sees his father in a new light.

This book is shortlisted for the 2024 Miles Franklin award.

[Gavan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tedious. Glacially slow moving and a confusing blend of novel, biography and academic dissertation. Some of the key characters (poet Forough Farrokhzad, religious leader Hossein-Ali Entezari, politician Khalil Maleki) were real people, but it is impossible to tell where biography ends and novel starts. I don't know a lot about Iranian poets nor 20th century Iranian politics and the author assumes the reader does (as there is no explanation of the various political parties and factions and revolution). Fortunately, very short ...

[Flermilyxx · Rating 4 out of 5]

** Some thoughts: 2:07PM (GMT+11) | Sydney, Australia (resting with multiple blankets over my body trying desperately to keep warm) **

A good friend of mine, who's family now live in Australia, shed light on his Iranian roots earlier this year during an evening commute up the New South Wales coast for a weekend getaway that we'd planned. It's a country which I lacked (and still lack) much knowledge about, so it was interesting hearing him explain the political and cultural environment of the country in the '70s and '80s, which, due to multiple factors, resulted in his father leaving the country, and detaching himself from his family and culture in the process.

I've never met my friend's father, but the way he described him conjured up this image of a man who, I imagine, carries with him a lot of trauma, the kind that's locked away inside, not easily accessible to anyone, including his own family. In Australia, he's safe, free to spend his days sitting at home watching television without much interaction with others. He can't return back to Iran, not even to visit his family - he'd arrive and wouldn't be able to leave (the same applies for his son and daughter). I wonder then why he's found himself here, in Australia, living this life that seems, in my eyes, quite stationary. Does he find this life fulfilling? Does he wish he was elsewhere? Does he secretly wonder what his life might look like if history played out differently? What role did he play in this history that's now transpired? What's his story?

Whilst reading about Ismael in Hossein Asgari's Only the Sound Remains, I was reminded of my friend's father.

-

Watching the John Lennon & Yoko Ono documentary, One to One: John & Yoko, last night, my mind keeps thinking: the climate of the post-WWII world; the discourse of people who sought to provide an answer to the question: how can we stop global conflict, like that seen in the first half of the 20th century, from happening again; it all feels so distant to me as an Australian, 25-years old, living in Sydney. Through art and stories like that in Only the Sound Remains or One to One: John & Yoko, I'm able to take a peek into this period of time, explore a world where ideas were dangerous, where revolutionary activities overthrew governments, changed leadership structures, upended social order; a time where people stood firm, brave, willing to die for what they believed in; a world where so many questions were asked; where liberalism, as an idea, was still up for debate: is the ideal liberal society a communist one or a democratic one? Even if this "world" I describe is still playing out in other parts of the planet, I do feel like the global nature it once had in the wake of WWII has since passed. Stability prevails in the privileged bubble of a world that I inhabit. There are, however, people who live amongst my bubble who remember this "world" that's so foreign to me; it's a world that still very much inhabit, even if they don't necessarily disclose it to others.

[Simon Bate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw Golshifteh Farahani (an Iranian/French actress) reading a French translation of Forugh Farrokhzad's most famous poem: Sin (Le Péché)
I did not know this at the time and was stunned by the beauty and power of her rendition.I sought out the English translation of Sin and a short biography of Forugh Farrokhzad.
A couple of days later I got in my car and a book programme was on the radio and they were reviewing a book about an Iranian poet and I thought this sounded like the person I'd just heard of ...and it was.
The book was short- listed for Australia's biggest literary prize (The Miles Franklin) and the serendipity/ coincidence of my hearing about FF led me to my local bookshop to buy Only Sound Remains.
The novel is set in Adelaide and is told in flashbacks to Iran where the narrator's father relates his obsession and unrequited love for Forugh Farrokhzad.
I enjoyed it and have just ordered her Selected Poems...and, if you understand French (actually, even if you don't) check out the beauty and sensuality of Golshifteh Farahani's rendition of Le Péché...you will be seduced.
As an afterthought: it might be helpful in any future editions to think about adding a glossary to help with understanding the many Farsi words that dot the text.

[James Whitmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

A father makes an unexpected visit to his son in this intriguing, melancholic novel. Arriving rather out of the blue from Iran, Ismael has a story to tell, one that will challenge the fragile peace Saeed has found in Adelaide, where he moved five years ago after publishing a political novel about the disappearance of his best friend. Saeed spies an unusual book under the mattress of his bed which he's given up to his father for his stay, the son relegated to the couch. The book is by Forugh Forrokhzad, "the poet of worldly love". Writing explicitly about sex and desire under her own name, Forrokhzad scandalised Iranian society at a time when it was possible a woman having an affair might be killed without consequence. One of the poems in the collection is dedicated to IG, coincidentally the initials of Saeed's father. So begins his story, unfolding interrupted like the Persian roots of the 1,0001 nights, as he and Saeed move through the esplanades, cafes and parks of Adelaide. Read more on my blog.

[Tracy Bryant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having only just read the final page and acknowledgments, I think this may be a novel that I contemplate for a few days. It intrigued me.
I wanted to enjoy it more but at times was confused by who was who, and found some questions I had unresolved. While Forugh Farrokhzad's poetry was highly acclaimed, I wonder if it loses some of its poignancy in translation. She was an interesting character and it's understandable why Asgari chose her as an integral character in his plot.
I enjoyed the way Saeed's Baba told him of that time in his life. The way Saeed reacted to his father's revelations I found unconvincing though. It was more of a short story so lacked the capacity to explore some of the themes.
I would have like the book to delve more into Saeed's life and his journey from Iran to Australia, and what lead to the disappearance of his friend.

[Glenys · Rating 3 out of 5]

How well do we know our parents - hardly at all in many cases.
Saeed learns that is father is a very different person from the man he thinks he knows.
This also raises the question - why should our children be burdened with our pasts?
Why did Ismael wish to dump the burden of his guilt at the feet of his son? What was the point?

Mixing revolution, poetry, times and locations, it became a little hard to follow as the narrator in each case (father and son) tells his story in the first person. It was hard to know whose tale I was reading each time the narrative changed.
The very many characters from Ismael's life fill the pages with their politics, soul-searching and poetry.
A book to set aside and read again in the future.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story starts when a father visits his son in Adelaide who is exiled from Iran for writing a book on political persecution of his best friend. During his short visit, the father shares the story of his unrequited love for Forugh Farrokhzad - an Iranian poet who died young.

It’s a story of love, loss, friendship, connections and everything in between. The book is so beautifully lyrical and slow paced, I honestly did not want it to end. There is no grand revelation at the end but it connects the Iranian history, political changes, social norms with such passion and clarity that it moved me. I wanted to read more about Forugh, her poetry and her life.

[Monika Johnston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shortlisted the Miles Franklin 2024 this is a very interesting novel. I really engaged with the setting in Iran, learning about the social and political situation at the time. I found it difficult to understand why the character of the son found it so difficult to hear his father's story. Maybe because I'm older and understand that everyone has a lived a life I found the son's judgement unfair.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic novel based around the poetry of Forugh and Iranian politics that moves through the personal life of a father that the son had never known about. Tense and sometimes dark but effortless to read

[Novel_lovers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only Sound Remains surprised me with its quiet, careful attention. The lines are simple and precise, opening gently into bigger feelings without showiness. I finished feeling steadier and grateful—an easy five stars.

[Loong-Yu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing 🤩 I enjoyed reading it; highly recommended

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was my first exposure to Forough Farrokhzhad and more broadly, an Iranian context. I enjoyed the tension that Hossein Asgari establishes and maintains between father and son. There's a feeling of a father who desperately would like to connect with his son but doesn't know how, and a son who is duty-bound to his father and starting to see him in a different light, but no longer sees him as an infallible figure.

Undoubtedly, Ismael is an unreliable narrator, delusional in his infatuation with Farrokzhad. Through the story, his son Saeed, is offered insight into his father as a person. The revelations unsettles him and makes him uneasy, yet Saeed does not know where to turn to for comfort and who to discuss these revelations with. Asgari captures two men who are prisoners of themselves in very different ways.

[Keith Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

A delectable, short novel by Hossein Asgari sees Saeed confused and haunted by unanswered questions following a short stay by his father, a man not known for his conversation and a man who had never left Iran before.

Saeed, living quietly in Adelaide, had not returned to Iran after publishing his first novel, The Imaginary Narrative of a Real Murder, for fear of political persecution. In talking to his mother on the phone, Saeed is surprised to learn of the plans of his father, Ishmael, to travel to Australia to see him.

Continued:
https://anopinionortwo.wordpress.com/...

[Nabilah Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Shortlisted for the 2024 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award
*Shortlisted for the 2024 Miles Franklin Literary Award


OSR is a deeply insightful novel fictionalising a real life poet and shedding light on the politics, history and treatment of women through that lens. It is beautifully written with reflective prose, a compelling plot and good characterisation. For a novella (at around 175 pages), it addresses a variety of issues with clever ways of expressing difficult emotions. Simply told yet so poignant.

The novel sheds light on Forugh’s poetry as a raw and honest expression of her lived experiences. More importantly, it depicts a woman using bold themes and unapologetic choice of words in her poetry that make men uncomfortable. A woman who refuses to conform to societal standards and is fearless and therefore easy for men to label her with derogatory terms.

[Rosalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quotes I want to remember
"Every day my reflection became more like a man who had entered this country five year ago in search of freedom, peace, and a chance of a freh start, only to realise nothing was harder than escaping one's destiny"
"There is nothing a tyrant or a totalistarian system hates more than having history as their teacher. Their very existance is proof of that."
Just try to avoid pre-made labels. Ideologies have always used labels to suppress reason and silence any opposing voice."
"How would life be if we couldn't hide our feelings? It would be chaos...Forugh never fit in because she was unable, or unwilling, to properly conceal herself in a society of veiled bodies, veiled voices, veiled, thoughts?"

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

More dramatic poets! This time Iranian Ismael visits his writer son, Saeed, exiled in Adelaide following the publication of his book. Gradually, he tells him the story of his unrequited love for controversial (and real-life) feminist poet Forugh Farrokhzad.

It’s an interesting and gentle insight into Iranian politics and Forugh’s life.