What do you think?
Rate this book
Medusa of the Roses
Sex, vengeance, and betrayal in modern day Tehran—Navid Sinaki’s bold and cinematic debut is a queer literary noir following Anjir, a morbid romantic and petty thief whose boyfriend disappears just as they’re planning to leave their hometown for good
Anjir and Zal are childhood best friends turned adults in love. The only problem is they live in Iran, where being openly gay is criminalized, and the government’s apparent acceptance of trans people requires them to surgically transition and pass as cis straight people. When Zal is brutally attacked after being seen with another man in public, despite the betrayal, Anjir becomes even more determined to carry out their longstanding plan for the future: Anjir, who’s always identified with the mythical gender-changing Tiresias, will become a woman, and they’ll move to a new town for a fresh start as husband and wife.
Then Zal vanishes, leaving a cryptic note behind that sets Anjir on a quest to find the other man, hoping he will lead to Zal. Stalking and stealing his way through the streets, clubs, library stacks, hotel rooms, and museum halls of Tehran—where he encounters his troubled mother, addict brother, and the dynamic Leyli, a new friend who is undergoing a transition of her own—Anjir soon realizes that someone is tailing him too. It quickly becomes clear that more violence may be the fastest route to freedom, as Anjir’s morals and gender identity are pushed to new places in the pursuit of love, peace, and self-determination.
Steeped in ancient Persian and Greek myths, and brimming with poetic vulnerability, subversive bite, and noirish grit, Medusa of the Roses is a page-turning wallop of a story from a bright new literary talent.
Anjir and Zal are childhood best friends turned adults in love. The only problem is they live in Iran, where being openly gay is criminalized, and the government’s apparent acceptance of trans people requires them to surgically transition and pass as cis straight people. When Zal is brutally attacked after being seen with another man in public, despite the betrayal, Anjir becomes even more determined to carry out their longstanding plan for the future: Anjir, who’s always identified with the mythical gender-changing Tiresias, will become a woman, and they’ll move to a new town for a fresh start as husband and wife.
Then Zal vanishes, leaving a cryptic note behind that sets Anjir on a quest to find the other man, hoping he will lead to Zal. Stalking and stealing his way through the streets, clubs, library stacks, hotel rooms, and museum halls of Tehran—where he encounters his troubled mother, addict brother, and the dynamic Leyli, a new friend who is undergoing a transition of her own—Anjir soon realizes that someone is tailing him too. It quickly becomes clear that more violence may be the fastest route to freedom, as Anjir’s morals and gender identity are pushed to new places in the pursuit of love, peace, and self-determination.
Steeped in ancient Persian and Greek myths, and brimming with poetic vulnerability, subversive bite, and noirish grit, Medusa of the Roses is a page-turning wallop of a story from a bright new literary talent.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published August 13, 2024
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
August 13, 2024
This is an incredibly beautiful book that shines a spotlight on the persecution faced by queer and trans people in modern-day Iran. Though there are moments of laugh-out-loud wit, it is overall a quite dark and somber book, so I think you need to be in the right mood to enjoy this one. The plot progresses slowly at the beginning before sharply escalating toward the end of the book. The prose is absolutely gorgeous, and the way the author draws parallels between ancient myths and the book’s characters will delight mythology fans. I love books that pull me out of my world and into another culture, and I enjoyed the dynamic and stereotype-defying characters.
Overall, this story was masterfully told and I would definitely recommend it to lovers of lit fic.
Overall, this story was masterfully told and I would definitely recommend it to lovers of lit fic.
August 13, 2024
happy publishing day to this book!
reading around the world one book at a time 2024: iran
In Iran, being gay is criminalised, but transitioning in order to live a life with your partner as husband and wife is not only preferred, but legal as well. This is the path Anjir chooses to follow in the aftermath of an aggression Zal and an unnamed lover are subjected to.
The book explores the homophobia that pervades the country and how it shapes the lives of the people that choose to not conform to heteronormative standards, for whatever reason; it’s paired with a lyrical, Siken-esque language and many references to Greek and Persian myths.
The story is sound and the characters (especially the protagonist) have a very clear voice, something that makes their choices very understandable. Also there is a scene towards the end that I did not see coming (although I probably should have) that made me audibly gasp. Still, I struggled a bit to keep my interest up.
I do believe the book could have an expansive audience, with its quotable sentences and its portrayal of a grimy and violent reality.
Medusa of the Roses is set to come out on the 13th of August!
Access to the ARC acquired thanks to NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
reading around the world one book at a time 2024: iran
In Iran, being gay is criminalised, but transitioning in order to live a life with your partner as husband and wife is not only preferred, but legal as well. This is the path Anjir chooses to follow in the aftermath of an aggression Zal and an unnamed lover are subjected to.
The book explores the homophobia that pervades the country and how it shapes the lives of the people that choose to not conform to heteronormative standards, for whatever reason; it’s paired with a lyrical, Siken-esque language and many references to Greek and Persian myths.
The story is sound and the characters (especially the protagonist) have a very clear voice, something that makes their choices very understandable. Also there is a scene towards the end that I did not see coming (although I probably should have) that made me audibly gasp. Still, I struggled a bit to keep my interest up.
I do believe the book could have an expansive audience, with its quotable sentences and its portrayal of a grimy and violent reality.
Medusa of the Roses is set to come out on the 13th of August!
Access to the ARC acquired thanks to NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 26, 2024
Major thanks to NetGalley and Grove Press for offering me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts:
*3.5 - rounded up
What happens when you live in a world where it is dangerous to be who you are? Dangerous meaning that you risk your life to be alive? To even exist? When you suppress parts of your identity, they implode and explode in flourishings that carry you for the rest of your life.
Sinaki has a poet's tongue, skillful in the way he mixes memories with metaphor, every action is an art:
"𝘚𝘦𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦? 𝘐 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘐 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱. 𝘈 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘴𝘦. 𝘛𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘦, 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘬𝘦. 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘡𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘴𝘯𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴, 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯. 𝘐 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴. 𝘞𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦."
And it's beautiful to see love like this.
It's beautiful to see yearning like this.
It's beautiful in the ways when under oppression comes a suppression that falls hard on itself to allow you to touch more finely, more intentionally. Sinaki creates music out of touch, creates song from a kiss. Sex as symphony. Sex, also, as a ways of survival for the queer body in this respect.
For those that enjoy poetry and prose in the novel form, this one is meant to captivate.
𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪-𝘯𝘢𝘥𝘦, "𝘊𝘢𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳?"
𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦: 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵. 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘯'𝘵.
*3.5 - rounded up
What happens when you live in a world where it is dangerous to be who you are? Dangerous meaning that you risk your life to be alive? To even exist? When you suppress parts of your identity, they implode and explode in flourishings that carry you for the rest of your life.
Sinaki has a poet's tongue, skillful in the way he mixes memories with metaphor, every action is an art:
"𝘚𝘦𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦? 𝘐 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘐 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱. 𝘈 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘴𝘦. 𝘛𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘦, 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘬𝘦. 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘡𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘴𝘯𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴, 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯. 𝘐 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴. 𝘞𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦."
And it's beautiful to see love like this.
It's beautiful to see yearning like this.
It's beautiful in the ways when under oppression comes a suppression that falls hard on itself to allow you to touch more finely, more intentionally. Sinaki creates music out of touch, creates song from a kiss. Sex as symphony. Sex, also, as a ways of survival for the queer body in this respect.
For those that enjoy poetry and prose in the novel form, this one is meant to captivate.
𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪-𝘯𝘢𝘥𝘦, "𝘊𝘢𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳?"
𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦: 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵. 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘯'𝘵.
September 13, 2024
Very torn about this book.
I listened to the audio, which was beautifully read by Michael Crouch (making the whole tone feel more like poetry than prose).
However perhaps because of it being audio I kept getting lost as to who the protagonist was speaking about as he kept using the he pronoun for every man he came into contact with. Also there's an overabundance of time spent on the actual sex act itself plus an inordinate amount of mentions of cum. It got very monotonous at times.
Apart from that the storyline was very interesting - boy meets boy, they fall in love, one decides to have gender reassignment simply so they can be together as a couple since homosexuality is punishable by death in Iran.
However there are many obstacles in the way of true love - the wife of Zal, both families, public opinion, the fear that after the operation Zal will not find Anjir attractive.
The end of this book is not what I thought it would be at all. It was an excellent but unexpected ending. There are serious issues other than gender reassignment and homosexuality in this novel including hate crimes, domestic violence, and theft.
I would recommend it if you don't mind highly sexualised language. It is very poetic in style.
Thankyou to Netgalley and RB Media for the audio advance review copy.
I listened to the audio, which was beautifully read by Michael Crouch (making the whole tone feel more like poetry than prose).
However perhaps because of it being audio I kept getting lost as to who the protagonist was speaking about as he kept using the he pronoun for every man he came into contact with. Also there's an overabundance of time spent on the actual sex act itself plus an inordinate amount of mentions of cum. It got very monotonous at times.
Apart from that the storyline was very interesting - boy meets boy, they fall in love, one decides to have gender reassignment simply so they can be together as a couple since homosexuality is punishable by death in Iran.
However there are many obstacles in the way of true love - the wife of Zal, both families, public opinion, the fear that after the operation Zal will not find Anjir attractive.
The end of this book is not what I thought it would be at all. It was an excellent but unexpected ending. There are serious issues other than gender reassignment and homosexuality in this novel including hate crimes, domestic violence, and theft.
I would recommend it if you don't mind highly sexualised language. It is very poetic in style.
Thankyou to Netgalley and RB Media for the audio advance review copy.
Read
September 18, 2024playing I bet on losing dogs by mitski in the background
March 19, 2024
Anjir and Zal have been friends since childhood, and find themselves in love in adulthood. But Iran isn't a forgiving place for gay men. When Zal is attacked, Anjir decides to pursue their plan for him to transition, so they can live together as man and wife in another city.
Definitely a work of literary, noir fiction, this book is filled to the brim with violence, sex, additiction, obsession and mystery. The description of 'bold and cinematic debut' is definitely apt - the story feels like a movie. I was pulled in and didn't want to put it back down until I finished the book - mesmerized by the writing style and the use of mythology references to colour the story, the writing wasn't so complex as to go over my head (as some literary fiction does sometimes).
I only wish I felt more connection to the main characters, as the various side characters still felt a bit superficial, despite being pivotal to the main character's development.
Dark, raw, honest, sharp, I recommend this to anyone who isn't afraid of a book that is darker than a night in a city with a blackout.
Some bits I highlighted (mind you: spoilers ahead):
Here, one does not date, one mates for life. If by chance a man meets another and the two share more than words, Rumi mixtapes, a book by Kerouac, what generous luck. Otherwise it is a marriage arranged in fear of death.
Perhaps if I were a woman, I would know how to keep a man. The thought is arbitrary enough to stay.
When we die, I want to be together. I want to be at your side either as the cause or as the witness.
She prefers a nickname to the one she was born with (Fereshteh), signaling a holiness she doesn’t care to carry.
I don’t mind being a man, not really. But a man with the stubborn desire for other men, that was always a vein I wanted to peel from my wrist.
Maybe you were right, and we share too much history. We were each other’s first everything. How cruel to find love on the first try.
An image of Tiresias. The illustration is of three people: an old man, a figure in transition, and a woman. Eventually, Tiresias was the woman who became a man again after striking another two snakes. Later in the myth, Tiresias is asked if love is better as a man or as a woman. “As a woman,” he replies, “the pleasure is far greater.” In fury, Hera strikes him blind.
I know. Transitioning isn’t a cosmic change that will make everything simpler. We build our own narratives of ascension.
Ours is a love that knocks all the peaches off trees. Ours is a love that leaves other lovers dead. All your tears make sense to me now. Because you were caught. Because of you, a young man was killed.
“Aren’t you a sight for sore thighs.”
The wood is ready to buckle from the weight of the glass, perhaps after years of witnessing bedroom conversations that shouldn’t be repeated.
And if ever I was depressed or anxious or overwhelmed, about us, about my mother, father, brother, or own ambivalent path, you’d say: “Focus on what you swallow, not what swallows you.”
I’ve rehearsed what I’ll say when we reunite. “I couldn’t love you as a man, even though I didn’t mind being one.” I’ll probably forget my lines on the spot. Knowing my luck, you won’t even come. Knowing my luck, you’re dead or can’t get it up for me as a woman. The third day of the third week of the new year. Perhaps you’re already here in Isfahan, nearly three hundred miles from where we first called home.
Since we’ve made this hotel our usual meeting place, our visits have aligned with a few others. Most of them keep their space. But not this American woman, who we call the Contortionist because of the way she bends to fit into any conversation.
“Why not meet on an island?” the mirror asks. “At least there you could have swum together as two men, instead of being condemned to separate beaches for men and women.” Because like Tiresias, I needed the possibility of leaving and coming back. Not to my body as it was, but where I was born, where my mother lived, where I first dreamt of us being together as husband and wife before I knew the words, the curses, the drafts of our goodbyes, before I knew piano benches could give splinters to my thighs. It is better, it is different. The blood we’ve spilled will forever connect our lips. We were vicious because of circumstance.
“What made you decide to change?” she asks. “Hah.” I laugh at the absurdity of her question, one without an easy answer.
Definitely a work of literary, noir fiction, this book is filled to the brim with violence, sex, additiction, obsession and mystery. The description of 'bold and cinematic debut' is definitely apt - the story feels like a movie. I was pulled in and didn't want to put it back down until I finished the book - mesmerized by the writing style and the use of mythology references to colour the story, the writing wasn't so complex as to go over my head (as some literary fiction does sometimes).
I only wish I felt more connection to the main characters, as the various side characters still felt a bit superficial, despite being pivotal to the main character's development.
Dark, raw, honest, sharp, I recommend this to anyone who isn't afraid of a book that is darker than a night in a city with a blackout.
Some bits I highlighted (mind you: spoilers ahead):
Here, one does not date, one mates for life. If by chance a man meets another and the two share more than words, Rumi mixtapes, a book by Kerouac, what generous luck. Otherwise it is a marriage arranged in fear of death.
Perhaps if I were a woman, I would know how to keep a man. The thought is arbitrary enough to stay.
When we die, I want to be together. I want to be at your side either as the cause or as the witness.
She prefers a nickname to the one she was born with (Fereshteh), signaling a holiness she doesn’t care to carry.
I don’t mind being a man, not really. But a man with the stubborn desire for other men, that was always a vein I wanted to peel from my wrist.
Maybe you were right, and we share too much history. We were each other’s first everything. How cruel to find love on the first try.
An image of Tiresias. The illustration is of three people: an old man, a figure in transition, and a woman. Eventually, Tiresias was the woman who became a man again after striking another two snakes. Later in the myth, Tiresias is asked if love is better as a man or as a woman. “As a woman,” he replies, “the pleasure is far greater.” In fury, Hera strikes him blind.
I know. Transitioning isn’t a cosmic change that will make everything simpler. We build our own narratives of ascension.
Ours is a love that knocks all the peaches off trees. Ours is a love that leaves other lovers dead. All your tears make sense to me now. Because you were caught. Because of you, a young man was killed.
“Aren’t you a sight for sore thighs.”
The wood is ready to buckle from the weight of the glass, perhaps after years of witnessing bedroom conversations that shouldn’t be repeated.
And if ever I was depressed or anxious or overwhelmed, about us, about my mother, father, brother, or own ambivalent path, you’d say: “Focus on what you swallow, not what swallows you.”
I’ve rehearsed what I’ll say when we reunite. “I couldn’t love you as a man, even though I didn’t mind being one.” I’ll probably forget my lines on the spot. Knowing my luck, you won’t even come. Knowing my luck, you’re dead or can’t get it up for me as a woman. The third day of the third week of the new year. Perhaps you’re already here in Isfahan, nearly three hundred miles from where we first called home.
Since we’ve made this hotel our usual meeting place, our visits have aligned with a few others. Most of them keep their space. But not this American woman, who we call the Contortionist because of the way she bends to fit into any conversation.
“Why not meet on an island?” the mirror asks. “At least there you could have swum together as two men, instead of being condemned to separate beaches for men and women.” Because like Tiresias, I needed the possibility of leaving and coming back. Not to my body as it was, but where I was born, where my mother lived, where I first dreamt of us being together as husband and wife before I knew the words, the curses, the drafts of our goodbyes, before I knew piano benches could give splinters to my thighs. It is better, it is different. The blood we’ve spilled will forever connect our lips. We were vicious because of circumstance.
“What made you decide to change?” she asks. “Hah.” I laugh at the absurdity of her question, one without an easy answer.
September 25, 2024
Je ne m'attendais pas à ce genre de lecture et pourtant je suis ravi de l'avoir faite. Ajni, homosexuel de son état, apprend que Zal, son amant de toujours, est à l'hopital après avoir été mis à tabac. Nous sommes en Iran, dans une époque relativement contemporaine.
Il apprend également dans la foulée que cette mise à sac est due au fait que Zal tenait la main d'un homme, un autre homme. Histoire d'amour et d'adultère dans un pays répressif envers la communauté LGBT.
Je pensais juste que le roman serait plus politique, plus engagé sur la question LGBT. Finalement, ce n'est pas l'angle que l'auteur choisi. On est presque dans un roman de chambre, un vieux film hollywoodien en noir et blanc : tout est sombre, les actions se passent majoritairement dans un vieil hotel ou tout le monde semble avoir les clés de chaque chambre. Les pièces recèlent de cachettes et d'histoires tues, derrière chaque porte se trouve un secret.
L'écriture très métaphorique qui puise dans les référence grecquo-perses peuvent gêner la lecture et alourdir le propos. Je les ai trouvé plutôt bien dosés et utiles à l'ambiance donnée au roman.
Il est fou de se dire que dans certains pays, les homosexuels en viennent à se poser la question de la transition et du changement de sexe pour pouvoir vivre, tout simplement. Car oui, en Iran, il est recommandé de transitionné si l'on est homosexuel et cela est même autorisé et pratiqué.
Il apprend également dans la foulée que cette mise à sac est due au fait que Zal tenait la main d'un homme, un autre homme. Histoire d'amour et d'adultère dans un pays répressif envers la communauté LGBT.
Je pensais juste que le roman serait plus politique, plus engagé sur la question LGBT. Finalement, ce n'est pas l'angle que l'auteur choisi. On est presque dans un roman de chambre, un vieux film hollywoodien en noir et blanc : tout est sombre, les actions se passent majoritairement dans un vieil hotel ou tout le monde semble avoir les clés de chaque chambre. Les pièces recèlent de cachettes et d'histoires tues, derrière chaque porte se trouve un secret.
L'écriture très métaphorique qui puise dans les référence grecquo-perses peuvent gêner la lecture et alourdir le propos. Je les ai trouvé plutôt bien dosés et utiles à l'ambiance donnée au roman.
Il est fou de se dire que dans certains pays, les homosexuels en viennent à se poser la question de la transition et du changement de sexe pour pouvoir vivre, tout simplement. Car oui, en Iran, il est recommandé de transitionné si l'on est homosexuel et cela est même autorisé et pratiqué.
November 10, 2024
Medusa of the Roses by Navid Sinaki
Narrated by Michael Crouch
Book rating : 4 stars
Audiobook rating : 4.5 stars
Seldom this happens that a book feels better to read than listening to audiobook and it in no way reflects that audiobook was bad or narrator did not do the justice to the book. This was the prime example of the situation I'm explaining over here. This book I wish to read, holding a copy in my hand, keeping annotations tabs alongside. I'm sure this book is going to be full of annotation tabs coz what a book. What a prose.
The prose is so lyrical, so gorgeous and so poetic that I'm sure Navid Sinaki gonna make his mark in the world soon enough. Also he is going to be my instant buy author in the future.
As you can see , I have actually rated audiobook higher than the book and yet I want to read it with my eyes coz I know it will be an unforgettable experience when I could engage my other senses.
The narration is perfect and Michael Crouch's voice was perfectly fitting to the prize, it had a melancholic tone which suited the book well. The pace , the voice and intonations are done so well.
Now coming to the book, I would have rated it more, even perfect 5, had it not been for some lines that bothered me. The sexual scenes felt rather raw and overdone but I feel they could have been subtler. Second person narration never worked for me, but here in Navid Sinaki's narration it worked quite well, rather I will say that nothing else would have worked as wonderfully as it did in second narration. It felt tender, raw and beautiful to the core.
Ajir and zal's relationship was nothing like I have ever read in any book so far. This book is set in a country where lot of things are taboo so it felt even more heartbreaking that they might never end up together and never find a way back to each other. I won't give any spoilers here because the ending was what made me raise the stars to 4 if I had not considered some parts which made me go a bit of ughhh.
The parts which bothered me can be easily digested by other readers, so I highly recommend this book to everyone who is into lyrical prose. Coz this book is definitely a treat for prose lovers.
Thank you so much Netgalley and RB media and Navid Sinaki and Michael Crouch of course for this amazing audiobook which I will always cherish.
Narrated by Michael Crouch
Book rating : 4 stars
Audiobook rating : 4.5 stars
Seldom this happens that a book feels better to read than listening to audiobook and it in no way reflects that audiobook was bad or narrator did not do the justice to the book. This was the prime example of the situation I'm explaining over here. This book I wish to read, holding a copy in my hand, keeping annotations tabs alongside. I'm sure this book is going to be full of annotation tabs coz what a book. What a prose.
The prose is so lyrical, so gorgeous and so poetic that I'm sure Navid Sinaki gonna make his mark in the world soon enough. Also he is going to be my instant buy author in the future.
As you can see , I have actually rated audiobook higher than the book and yet I want to read it with my eyes coz I know it will be an unforgettable experience when I could engage my other senses.
The narration is perfect and Michael Crouch's voice was perfectly fitting to the prize, it had a melancholic tone which suited the book well. The pace , the voice and intonations are done so well.
Now coming to the book, I would have rated it more, even perfect 5, had it not been for some lines that bothered me. The sexual scenes felt rather raw and overdone but I feel they could have been subtler. Second person narration never worked for me, but here in Navid Sinaki's narration it worked quite well, rather I will say that nothing else would have worked as wonderfully as it did in second narration. It felt tender, raw and beautiful to the core.
Ajir and zal's relationship was nothing like I have ever read in any book so far. This book is set in a country where lot of things are taboo so it felt even more heartbreaking that they might never end up together and never find a way back to each other. I won't give any spoilers here because the ending was what made me raise the stars to 4 if I had not considered some parts which made me go a bit of ughhh.
The parts which bothered me can be easily digested by other readers, so I highly recommend this book to everyone who is into lyrical prose. Coz this book is definitely a treat for prose lovers.
Thank you so much Netgalley and RB media and Navid Sinaki and Michael Crouch of course for this amazing audiobook which I will always cherish.
August 25, 2024
*2.5
This is an interesting book to review. Medusa of the Roses is told from the point of Anjir, a man whose mother has a severe brain injury, has a brother with a drug addiction, and is in a tortured relationship with his childhood love. The two are men—and in Iran—so you don't need me to spell out the trouble looming.
The story is laced with Persian and Greco-mythology and utilizes the wonderfully sensual set-dressing of Persian culture and classic Hollywood films to create a sultry, dangerous mood that is quite intoxicating. Sinaki is an artist and poet, and it's evident that his disconnected, sparse language comes from this background.
The novel's strength is in this mood, which makes it pleasant, lazy reading. It's a good text to let wash over you, which is also the main criticism of this novel. Sinaki is an artist first, not necessarily an author. He has an incredible control of mood that suffers when attempting to create a larger novel: not every metaphor is used with precision, and the story teetered between a suffocatingly beautiful tone poem and a confusing thriller. This latter aspect is due, I think, to the novel not willing to engage with the larger literary tools needed to create a plot that makes (more) sense. I understand that those tools make a novel... more ordinary and less artistic, but it's just one of those trade-offs when one wants to write a novel.
Perhaps it's more ambitious than I can appreciate. Sinaki is a talented creator, and I think he could create something great with more practice with the novel form.
This is an interesting book to review. Medusa of the Roses is told from the point of Anjir, a man whose mother has a severe brain injury, has a brother with a drug addiction, and is in a tortured relationship with his childhood love. The two are men—and in Iran—so you don't need me to spell out the trouble looming.
The story is laced with Persian and Greco-mythology and utilizes the wonderfully sensual set-dressing of Persian culture and classic Hollywood films to create a sultry, dangerous mood that is quite intoxicating. Sinaki is an artist and poet, and it's evident that his disconnected, sparse language comes from this background.
The novel's strength is in this mood, which makes it pleasant, lazy reading. It's a good text to let wash over you, which is also the main criticism of this novel. Sinaki is an artist first, not necessarily an author. He has an incredible control of mood that suffers when attempting to create a larger novel: not every metaphor is used with precision, and the story teetered between a suffocatingly beautiful tone poem and a confusing thriller. This latter aspect is due, I think, to the novel not willing to engage with the larger literary tools needed to create a plot that makes (more) sense. I understand that those tools make a novel... more ordinary and less artistic, but it's just one of those trade-offs when one wants to write a novel.
Perhaps it's more ambitious than I can appreciate. Sinaki is a talented creator, and I think he could create something great with more practice with the novel form.
December 23, 2024
I'm not much of an aesthetics reader. Sure, I have my guilty genre pleasures, and enough of my instinctual readerly sensibilities have been compromised by the status quo well-to-do Anglo that I can make my way through the likes of Ford more enjoyably than would commonly be presumed. Still, if someone writes about something I have experience with (gender transition), and if that something is particularly ill represented in literature (gender transition), I'm going to be a lot more distracted by the "objectives" before making my way over to the "subjectives." To be fair to Sinaki, he's bringing a lot more to the table than the main hook in the book blurb drew me in on, so this engagement of ours was more of a mismatched White Elephant than any purposefully bad faith choices. And, of course, if certain recent mortal events in my life hadn't been brutally scrambling my reading capacities, I may have been able to take the time to be properly seduced by the language, the enculturation, the sultry noir hedonistically soaking in a heady queer. Alas, I came off this more sardonically incredulous than anything else, so when the opportunity finally arose, I made sure to finish this forthwith so as to prevent too much decay creeping into a paper form left too long idling. In any case, this is still a very singular piece that I'm glad a local library invested in. Not every reader is afforded the "privilege" of first hand knowledge of gender transitioning whilst straddling death, so I hope the next reader comes out of this with more respect for individual's strivings and less for government's blowharding their way to cishet ruin, whatever ideological stripe they may run.
Define violence. There will be cruelty regardless, whether or not we control it.
September 18, 2024
As a lover of sad books, I found "Medusa of the Roses" to be an 'enjoyable' read.
This is a lyrical story that follows Anjir, a gay man in Iran. We focus on Anjir, as he discovers both his partner's infidelity and their attack on the same night, unraveling the story and actions that led to that moment as we read through. Sinaki creates a captivating world where the past and present meet, highlighting the persecution faced by queer and trans people in modern-day Iran.
The main character's journey is deeply engaging. The author’s poetic and descriptive language bringing the story to life, making it feel both magical and real. Some readers might find the heavy use of metaphor and symbolism a bit much, but for me, it was beautifully curated.
Thankyou to netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Please check the tws before reading this book as it deals with some distressing themes.
This is a lyrical story that follows Anjir, a gay man in Iran. We focus on Anjir, as he discovers both his partner's infidelity and their attack on the same night, unraveling the story and actions that led to that moment as we read through. Sinaki creates a captivating world where the past and present meet, highlighting the persecution faced by queer and trans people in modern-day Iran.
The main character's journey is deeply engaging. The author’s poetic and descriptive language bringing the story to life, making it feel both magical and real. Some readers might find the heavy use of metaphor and symbolism a bit much, but for me, it was beautifully curated.
Thankyou to netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Please check the tws before reading this book as it deals with some distressing themes.
August 8, 2024
A beautiful book, quite unlike anything I’ve read before.
After a violent attack on Anjor’s lover Zal, Anjir, who I would say falls under a form of non-binary, transitions to live as a woman, as in Iran being gay is punishable by death but being trans is acceptable (though never easy or fully accepted). That’s just the very general gist of the plot - the story itself is much more complex and feels almost dreamlike. It weaves together mythology, past and present, Anjir’s relationship with Zal as well as a trans woman called Leyli and various family members.
The prose is beautiful, as is the imagery. I especially liked the depiction of Anjir’s relationship with his mother and uncle - I feel like familial relationships were explored really well and I found them to be the most touching part of the book.
I mostly requested an ARC of this because as a trans person I was curious about how it would approach transition motivated by social circumstances rather than gender incongruence. In Anjir’s case transition is a matter of safety, but it also seemed to me that while they were happy as a man, they would also be happy as woman. I don’t really know how to articulate my thoughts in relation to gender in this book, but it was an interesting perspective and done respectfully towards trans people.
Overall I would definitely recommend the book - thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!
After a violent attack on Anjor’s lover Zal, Anjir, who I would say falls under a form of non-binary, transitions to live as a woman, as in Iran being gay is punishable by death but being trans is acceptable (though never easy or fully accepted). That’s just the very general gist of the plot - the story itself is much more complex and feels almost dreamlike. It weaves together mythology, past and present, Anjir’s relationship with Zal as well as a trans woman called Leyli and various family members.
The prose is beautiful, as is the imagery. I especially liked the depiction of Anjir’s relationship with his mother and uncle - I feel like familial relationships were explored really well and I found them to be the most touching part of the book.
I mostly requested an ARC of this because as a trans person I was curious about how it would approach transition motivated by social circumstances rather than gender incongruence. In Anjir’s case transition is a matter of safety, but it also seemed to me that while they were happy as a man, they would also be happy as woman. I don’t really know how to articulate my thoughts in relation to gender in this book, but it was an interesting perspective and done respectfully towards trans people.
Overall I would definitely recommend the book - thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!
April 10, 2024
Update review, spoiler free:
"Medusa of the Roses" is a novel like no other that I have read before, I can swear that much.
The story is set in modern-day Tehran in Iran, where homosexuality is illegal and punished by death. However, we are quickly informed that transitioning is vastly more accepted and encouraged, a difference so stark from what we see on the Western news nowadays, where trans people are demonised and persecuted instead.
Sinaki's writing is dark and rich, sensual and provocative, and it was aptly referred to as a cinematic story.
Anjir and Zal's love is marked by death, grief and violence. It is surrounded by these dark and powerful emotions that stem from the society they are raised in, one that does not accept their relationship and forces them into hiding.
Violence to oneself, to one's body and mind, to the people around is a central theme of the book.
Anjir, who is our narrator, descends into violence and vengeance as much as Camus' "The Stranger" descends into madness: slowly, led by misplaced feelings, by mischief and trickery. You're also going to love this if you've enjoyed "All of us strangers" with Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott, mark my words.
I appreciated the snake imagery a lot as well, perhaps as a reminder of the Ouroboros, the fictional snake that eats its own tail to represent an eternal cycle of destruction and rebirth. Anjir sheds his life for love, but he is also tricked and bitten by the proverbial snake.
October 6, 2024
NetGalley ARC (Audiobook) Review:
An intriguing, raw novel that should be more prosaic and could be less sexually explicit.
Despite the captivating premise of hypocritical homosexuality and gender laws in Iran, the book’s sensory aspects are far more prominent than its plot. The second-person narrative is, in my experience, rarely successful but Sinaki’s prose lends itself perfectly to its use - I think because it reads more like poetry than a novel. That, along with a beautiful narration from Michale Crouch, kept me listening to this audiobook longer than I may otherwise have. Still, I didn’t feel motivated to go back to this after about 50%, which is usually as long as I give ARCs to capture my attention.
I could see myself picking this up again in the right setting; I feel like it would lend itself well to a languid, stickily hot summer’s day. But that’s the main appeal of such a literary novel as Medusa of the Roses: it’s a mood read. I am not currently in the mood to listen to more descriptions of come. But maybe some of you are.
-
I am grateful, whatever my personal views expressed, for the opportunity provided to me by NetGalley and RB Media to read this ARC.
An intriguing, raw novel that should be more prosaic and could be less sexually explicit.
Despite the captivating premise of hypocritical homosexuality and gender laws in Iran, the book’s sensory aspects are far more prominent than its plot. The second-person narrative is, in my experience, rarely successful but Sinaki’s prose lends itself perfectly to its use - I think because it reads more like poetry than a novel. That, along with a beautiful narration from Michale Crouch, kept me listening to this audiobook longer than I may otherwise have. Still, I didn’t feel motivated to go back to this after about 50%, which is usually as long as I give ARCs to capture my attention.
I could see myself picking this up again in the right setting; I feel like it would lend itself well to a languid, stickily hot summer’s day. But that’s the main appeal of such a literary novel as Medusa of the Roses: it’s a mood read. I am not currently in the mood to listen to more descriptions of come. But maybe some of you are.
-
I am grateful, whatever my personal views expressed, for the opportunity provided to me by NetGalley and RB Media to read this ARC.
May 23, 2025
Medusa of the Roses is a sort of love story sort of noir missing person/whodunnit story set in Iran. I enjoyed learning about Iranian queer culture; while it’s illegal to be gay in Iran, the government will pay for a trans woman's medical transition. The way that Anjir viewed transitioning as a practical way to be with Zal vs an affirmation of his identity was a completely unique point of view from anything else I've ever read, which was cool/interesting.
All that being said, I really did not enjoy my time with this book. The lyrical writing (which usually I love!) had me rolling my eyes. I’m sure a huge element to this is my severe reading slump, so take whatever I say with a grain of salt. Potentially could revisit this when I'm in more of a reading mood if I get a glowing review from a trusted source, because the concept is still cool even after the book is over.
All that being said, I really did not enjoy my time with this book. The lyrical writing (which usually I love!) had me rolling my eyes. I’m sure a huge element to this is my severe reading slump, so take whatever I say with a grain of salt. Potentially could revisit this when I'm in more of a reading mood if I get a glowing review from a trusted source, because the concept is still cool even after the book is over.
June 17, 2024
thank you netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book!
this is a great debut as far as they go
zal and anjir are everything honestly, reading about their troubles and tribulations in modern day iran is honestly eye opening. excited to see more!
this is a great debut as far as they go
zal and anjir are everything honestly, reading about their troubles and tribulations in modern day iran is honestly eye opening. excited to see more!
Want to Read
June 7, 2024I hope this will break me and make me sob like a child.
big thank you to Grove Atlantic and Grove Press for providing me with an arc.
big thank you to Grove Atlantic and Grove Press for providing me with an arc.
June 17, 2025
oh my god.
August 29, 2024
Medusa of the Roses by Navid Sinaki is a story of Anjir and Zal, childhood best friends whose relationship evolved into lovers/boyfriends as they grew into adults. The setting is modern-day Iran where being gay is illegal but the government seemingly accepts trans people (it was implied that this isn't a true acceptance). Anjir is planning on transitioning to a woman even though he's not trans just so he can be together with Zal and the two can get married. Their plans are ruined when Zal is brutally attacked on the streets and ends up in a hospital.
This is just the premise but so much happens in this novel! In the official blurb, it's described as queer literary noir and it's a quite accurate way to describe the book. As Anjir tries to unravel the mystery of who attacked Zal, he meets all kinds of eccentric characters and we get a glimpse into the sceneries of gay life in Tehran. There are also lots of twists and unexpected reveals!
The language is quite poetic; it took a little bit of getting used to but I found it very beautiful. There were a few times where I wasn't 100% sure what was going on but I went with the flow and the puzzle pieces always fell to their places.
I really loved the incorporation of ancient Greek and Persian mythology. One example would be Tiresias, whose name came up quite often. He was turned into a woman according to myth so Anjir identifies with him throughout the story.
I really enjoyed this book and would wholeheartedly recommend it but I want to warn everyone that it's extremely violent at certain points and violence against queer people is told in graphic detail. That's the reality of gay people in Iran though so I tried not to 'look away' but it was borderline triggering. The book is definitely worth reading but be careful if this is something you find hard to read.
Thank you, NetGalley, Grove Atlantic, and the author for graciously providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review! 💜
This is just the premise but so much happens in this novel! In the official blurb, it's described as queer literary noir and it's a quite accurate way to describe the book. As Anjir tries to unravel the mystery of who attacked Zal, he meets all kinds of eccentric characters and we get a glimpse into the sceneries of gay life in Tehran. There are also lots of twists and unexpected reveals!
The language is quite poetic; it took a little bit of getting used to but I found it very beautiful. There were a few times where I wasn't 100% sure what was going on but I went with the flow and the puzzle pieces always fell to their places.
I really loved the incorporation of ancient Greek and Persian mythology. One example would be Tiresias, whose name came up quite often. He was turned into a woman according to myth so Anjir identifies with him throughout the story.
I really enjoyed this book and would wholeheartedly recommend it but I want to warn everyone that it's extremely violent at certain points and violence against queer people is told in graphic detail. That's the reality of gay people in Iran though so I tried not to 'look away' but it was borderline triggering. The book is definitely worth reading but be careful if this is something you find hard to read.
Thank you, NetGalley, Grove Atlantic, and the author for graciously providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review! 💜
January 23, 2025
enough to turn your heart to stone
i really struggled between a four and five for this, ended up erring on the side of the caution but for how beautiful the ending is it may well deserve the five
i really struggled between a four and five for this, ended up erring on the side of the caution but for how beautiful the ending is it may well deserve the five
September 1, 2024
This book really was something else, and I’m not entirely sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.
I honestly felt that this book in no way followed the blurb, perhaps rather loose here and there, but I felt almost done in. I was expecting this love story set amongst hardships. I expected to see the horrors and to be moved. To learn more and have a better understanding of what other people have to go through in other countries under extreme and oftentimes horrific circumstances.
Unfortunately, I got none of that from this book.
Now, let me not dissuade you from reading Medusa of The Roses. Like the writer of the blurb said, this book reads 100% with the intensity of a wild fever dream.
Two lovers find themselves in a country where being attracted to the same sex is prohibited. If caught you’re punished with the likes of a 100 lashings on your back or if you’re a multiple offender you can find yourself hung for your perverseness.
Then one day Zal finds himself beaten up, bloody and almost unrecognisable after attending a gay night club. Anjir feeling betrayed because Zal had been there with another man, however he chooses to forgive him. But, once out of the hospital and home, Zal disappears.
Anjir then goes on a wild journey to find out where Zal is. There is a surprise at the end, but I wish it had been expanded on. It felt as if Sinaki just wished to be finished with the story and done with writing.
There was no connection with characters or the narrative for me. In fact, I walk away more confused and slightly disturbed. Please make sure to check out all the trigger warnings for this book. It is graphic and often times exceedingly vulgar (even for someone who is well read in taboo and dark novels). I don’t think I can bear to hear more about male bodily fluids.
However, if you’re wanting more of a gritty dark thriller read that follows a rather delusional MMC, then this book could be for you.
Honestly, the only comparison I can make off this book is that of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. It’s strange, perhaps a bit weird, and the majority of the time you have absolutely no clue what is actually going on.
Overall, in the end, I'm torn. It's certainly unique, but whether that uniqueness works for you will depend on your taste for the bizarre.
I honestly felt that this book in no way followed the blurb, perhaps rather loose here and there, but I felt almost done in. I was expecting this love story set amongst hardships. I expected to see the horrors and to be moved. To learn more and have a better understanding of what other people have to go through in other countries under extreme and oftentimes horrific circumstances.
Unfortunately, I got none of that from this book.
Now, let me not dissuade you from reading Medusa of The Roses. Like the writer of the blurb said, this book reads 100% with the intensity of a wild fever dream.
Two lovers find themselves in a country where being attracted to the same sex is prohibited. If caught you’re punished with the likes of a 100 lashings on your back or if you’re a multiple offender you can find yourself hung for your perverseness.
Then one day Zal finds himself beaten up, bloody and almost unrecognisable after attending a gay night club. Anjir feeling betrayed because Zal had been there with another man, however he chooses to forgive him. But, once out of the hospital and home, Zal disappears.
Anjir then goes on a wild journey to find out where Zal is. There is a surprise at the end, but I wish it had been expanded on. It felt as if Sinaki just wished to be finished with the story and done with writing.
There was no connection with characters or the narrative for me. In fact, I walk away more confused and slightly disturbed. Please make sure to check out all the trigger warnings for this book. It is graphic and often times exceedingly vulgar (even for someone who is well read in taboo and dark novels). I don’t think I can bear to hear more about male bodily fluids.
However, if you’re wanting more of a gritty dark thriller read that follows a rather delusional MMC, then this book could be for you.
Honestly, the only comparison I can make off this book is that of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. It’s strange, perhaps a bit weird, and the majority of the time you have absolutely no clue what is actually going on.
Overall, in the end, I'm torn. It's certainly unique, but whether that uniqueness works for you will depend on your taste for the bizarre.
April 21, 2024
yeah but no. i really wanted to love this, but unfortunately medusa of the roses lacks a lot.
the plot itself is interesting enough, despite how misleading/poorly-written(?) the blurb is. it is set in iran and follows anjir and zal - the latter is brutally hatecrimed in the beginning of the book when he is caught with another man, and then suddenly vanishes leaving only a note. the book takes more of a mystery-ish turn when we follow anjir as he figures out where his lover is and who hurt him, and consistently keeps this tone throughout the novel as he falls deeper and deeper down this rabbithole.
considering how interesting it sounded, and the fact that persian and greek mythology is interwoven into the story, i thought it would be very much up my alley - but i had a couple of issues with this book.
first of all, anjir's transition felt purely transactional. he literally states multiple times that he had no issue with being a man and that it was just the circumstances that he was in that pushed him to do it (ie. the government only accepting trans people while condemning homosexuality - sounds familiar to where i live!) and the fact that he's willing to do it for zal. i felt like this kind of propagates the harmful stereotype that some people simply transition for the "benefits" of it, so trans people must not really exist. but then again, this scenario might be a reality for some people, so i can't really speak for everyone.
second of all, EUGHH THE OVERSEXUALISATION..
i understand it as a writing choice(?) or that anjir might simply be hypersexual, but i genuinely could not stand the way he brought up sex in the most random of ways. it was just uncomfortable and made him seem slightly unhinged in his obsession. or maybe thats a personal issue.
complaints aside, i did enjoy the writing for the most part, and this was easy to get through. the ending/twist was interesting, although i think i was supposed to feel sympathetic for zal and i absolutely did not which kind of detached me from it a bit. overall meh, i could see myself possibly recommending this to someone but it definitely wasn't for me.
arc from netgalley
the plot itself is interesting enough, despite how misleading/poorly-written(?) the blurb is. it is set in iran and follows anjir and zal - the latter is brutally hatecrimed in the beginning of the book when he is caught with another man, and then suddenly vanishes leaving only a note. the book takes more of a mystery-ish turn when we follow anjir as he figures out where his lover is and who hurt him, and consistently keeps this tone throughout the novel as he falls deeper and deeper down this rabbithole.
considering how interesting it sounded, and the fact that persian and greek mythology is interwoven into the story, i thought it would be very much up my alley - but i had a couple of issues with this book.
first of all, anjir's transition felt purely transactional. he literally states multiple times that he had no issue with being a man and that it was just the circumstances that he was in that pushed him to do it (ie. the government only accepting trans people while condemning homosexuality - sounds familiar to where i live!) and the fact that he's willing to do it for zal. i felt like this kind of propagates the harmful stereotype that some people simply transition for the "benefits" of it, so trans people must not really exist. but then again, this scenario might be a reality for some people, so i can't really speak for everyone.
second of all, EUGHH THE OVERSEXUALISATION..
i understand it as a writing choice(?) or that anjir might simply be hypersexual, but i genuinely could not stand the way he brought up sex in the most random of ways. it was just uncomfortable and made him seem slightly unhinged in his obsession. or maybe thats a personal issue.
complaints aside, i did enjoy the writing for the most part, and this was easy to get through. the ending/twist was interesting, although i think i was supposed to feel sympathetic for zal and i absolutely did not which kind of detached me from it a bit. overall meh, i could see myself possibly recommending this to someone but it definitely wasn't for me.
arc from netgalley
May 8, 2024
I haven't read a book in 1st person perspective for so long. This was fun and confusing. I enjoyed the overall story as best as I could understand it. The different scenes were interesting and I learned a lot about different people's lives.
My biggest complaint is that I still don't know what the main character's motives were. Or even why they did what they did. Right before writing this review I read through the premise again and that's when everything made more sense - which feels like a writing issue. Someone shouldn't be dependant on your blurb/summary to understand the contents.
My secondary complaint is slightly more nitpicky - I wish they included more description of settings. There's plenty of descriptions of sex and what reminded the main character of a sexual memory, but not enough of the scenes and life around. Occasionally these sexual memories are out-of-pocket or unnecessary but they don't add life to the scene. I understand the main character is a very sexual person but all I know about certain areas is where they jerked off, not really what they look or feel like.
Very interesting read!
~Thanks Grove Atlantic via Netgalley for the ebook.
My biggest complaint is that I still don't know what the main character's motives were. Or even why they did what they did. Right before writing this review I read through the premise again and that's when everything made more sense - which feels like a writing issue. Someone shouldn't be dependant on your blurb/summary to understand the contents.
My secondary complaint is slightly more nitpicky - I wish they included more description of settings. There's plenty of descriptions of sex and what reminded the main character of a sexual memory, but not enough of the scenes and life around. Occasionally these sexual memories are out-of-pocket or unnecessary but they don't add life to the scene. I understand the main character is a very sexual person but all I know about certain areas is where they jerked off, not really what they look or feel like.
Very interesting read!
~Thanks Grove Atlantic via Netgalley for the ebook.
July 5, 2025
This book is a great example of what happens when the prose is so good I will literally ignore every other sin this book committed because words so pretty I want to eat them. Like, it wasn't until after I scanned the Goodreads reviews that I realized this was supposed to be a thriller. A thriller! I didn't think it was supposed to be anything at all but 240 pages of vibes.
I really shouldn't have let this impulse purchase sit on my shelves for almost an entire year while I read so many comparatively worse books.
I really shouldn't have let this impulse purchase sit on my shelves for almost an entire year while I read so many comparatively worse books.
August 13, 2024
This was one of the first literary novels I read and it was a journey.
To make clear from the start, I did enjoy this book. But I am a complete newbie to literary novels which will be the perspective this review will be written from. It took me a very long time to get into it. I was not used to the way the words flowed. They were written beautifully with a lot of words giving strong images, but it was new to me. When I got used to it eventually though I really started enjoying it. They gave a lot of beautiful feelings to the story and added a lot to what was happening.
The story itself was really interesting. It started intense immediately for the story to calm down a bit afterwards. The start of the main characters partner being attacked was a lot and made me feel for both men from the start. When it's then revealed the partner was attacked because he was with another man things changed with how I felt about him, but at the same time I kept hoping he would be okay.
There is a big part of the book where the main character meets a trans woman. I liked it how she was a character with her own background and personality. Her stress around bottom surgery was relatable to me as I am in my own process of working towards that as a trans man and it was interesting to see this included in the book.
The ending was quite open and vague for me. I do want to acknowledge this might be because of my autism and new venture into literary fiction, as it often happened I wouldn't exactly know what was going on. But it had some style about the ending I still quite liked.
Concluding this is an interesting story to read about a gay life in Tehran where the main character is trying to grasp what happened to their partner in an attack.
I received an eARC and this was my honest review.
To make clear from the start, I did enjoy this book. But I am a complete newbie to literary novels which will be the perspective this review will be written from. It took me a very long time to get into it. I was not used to the way the words flowed. They were written beautifully with a lot of words giving strong images, but it was new to me. When I got used to it eventually though I really started enjoying it. They gave a lot of beautiful feelings to the story and added a lot to what was happening.
The story itself was really interesting. It started intense immediately for the story to calm down a bit afterwards. The start of the main characters partner being attacked was a lot and made me feel for both men from the start. When it's then revealed the partner was attacked because he was with another man things changed with how I felt about him, but at the same time I kept hoping he would be okay.
There is a big part of the book where the main character meets a trans woman. I liked it how she was a character with her own background and personality. Her stress around bottom surgery was relatable to me as I am in my own process of working towards that as a trans man and it was interesting to see this included in the book.
The ending was quite open and vague for me. I do want to acknowledge this might be because of my autism and new venture into literary fiction, as it often happened I wouldn't exactly know what was going on. But it had some style about the ending I still quite liked.
Concluding this is an interesting story to read about a gay life in Tehran where the main character is trying to grasp what happened to their partner in an attack.
I received an eARC and this was my honest review.
Read
July 26, 2025 It may seem impossible to separate the body from its history, but it is the accumulation of time, ravages of age, the bruises peeled from the knee I see in the mirror, not with sadness, but acceptance that I am the sum of all the changes I have allowed the ones that have been foisted on me.
Navid Sinaki had such a thoughtful introduction to Toshio’s Matsumoto’s 1969 masterpiece Funeral Parade of Roses , a story of oedipal myth and Japanese queer night life, at Anthology Film Archives NYC as a part of the Medusa of the Roses book release in August 2024, that I quickly got my hands on a copy of his debut novel.
Anjir was a compelling character, morally ambiguous, with a slippery desire plagued by morbid romanticism. What I will say is, since the novel is first person POV and we are tethered to the perspective of Anjir, I did not sense any ambiguity to his gender expression. When Anjir is in pain from multiple gender reassignment surgeries at the end, I questioned the decision to bake this into the character’s development. But I think Medusa of the Roses is more than Anjir and Zal and their stories. I think, by entrenching the novel in myth, Anjir and Zal become windows into the multitude of lives within the Iranian population. Women, men, children coming to terms with longings that tear through the expectations of gendered performance, at the threat of domestic or government administered violence. Perhaps these cast of characters are the myth of something much larger than themselves. Focus on what you swallow, not what swallows you.
I love Genetian prose like this. I definitely will check out whatever Sinaki does next.
Navid Sinaki had such a thoughtful introduction to Toshio’s Matsumoto’s 1969 masterpiece Funeral Parade of Roses , a story of oedipal myth and Japanese queer night life, at Anthology Film Archives NYC as a part of the Medusa of the Roses book release in August 2024, that I quickly got my hands on a copy of his debut novel.
Anjir was a compelling character, morally ambiguous, with a slippery desire plagued by morbid romanticism. What I will say is, since the novel is first person POV and we are tethered to the perspective of Anjir, I did not sense any ambiguity to his gender expression. When Anjir is in pain from multiple gender reassignment surgeries at the end, I questioned the decision to bake this into the character’s development. But I think Medusa of the Roses is more than Anjir and Zal and their stories. I think, by entrenching the novel in myth, Anjir and Zal become windows into the multitude of lives within the Iranian population. Women, men, children coming to terms with longings that tear through the expectations of gendered performance, at the threat of domestic or government administered violence. Perhaps these cast of characters are the myth of something much larger than themselves. Focus on what you swallow, not what swallows you.
I love Genetian prose like this. I definitely will check out whatever Sinaki does next.
November 3, 2024
The writing style was beautiful and I expected tragedy and heavy themes based on a character who lives in Iran and chooses gender reassignment surgery to be with his childhood lover because being transgender is more acceptable in that culture than same-sex relationships.
But the love story was so tragic and each love interest so ireedemable as people that I was left wondering why do any of this for people you don't really love. It just fell into the "bury your gays" trope that seems like the only way that gay men can get published now if it's not a romance or other mainstream genre and I find myself growing tired of gay trauma porn.
The writing was gorgeous, just struggled with the depressing if realistic story, even knowing all the possible content warnings in advance.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
But the love story was so tragic and each love interest so ireedemable as people that I was left wondering why do any of this for people you don't really love. It just fell into the "bury your gays" trope that seems like the only way that gay men can get published now if it's not a romance or other mainstream genre and I find myself growing tired of gay trauma porn.
The writing was gorgeous, just struggled with the depressing if realistic story, even knowing all the possible content warnings in advance.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 25, 2026
‘When we die, I want to be together. I want to be at your side either as the cause or as the witness.’
This took a while to click for me, the language felt a bit overwritten at first and I bristled at how often it mentioned cum tbh. It did build on me though, overall it’s a dreamlike story of doomed lovers.
The homophobic violence in Tehran shapes Anjir’s feelings about himself as a gay man and seep into his relationship with Zal. He finds himself in a reality where trans women are accepted but gay men aren’t so transitioning could allow them to be together openly. Greek and Middle Eastern myths are woven throughout which gives their relationship a mythic quality of its own.
I’m glad I read this for a book club and pushed through my initial discomfort, I do think it’s a worthwhile read.
May 19, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ebook copy of this!
I was so excited about this and I definitely think it's a good book but I personally found it extremely triggering. That is probably my fault for not doing more research about the story before reading. I would like to give it another try in the future since I think it has a lot of potential to become one of my favourite books but as of now it's just not it.
I was so excited about this and I definitely think it's a good book but I personally found it extremely triggering. That is probably my fault for not doing more research about the story before reading. I would like to give it another try in the future since I think it has a lot of potential to become one of my favourite books but as of now it's just not it.
August 1, 2024
Wow! So beautiful! I had to force myself to slow down reading this one. I wanted to see what was going to happen next. It got a little rocky there around the 80% mark to the point I thought was reading a different book, but it recovered with that ending. Just so beautiful!
Thank you NetGalley, Navid Sinaki, and Grove Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!
Medusa of the Roses by Navid Sinaki releases August 13, 2024!
Thank you NetGalley, Navid Sinaki, and Grove Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!
Medusa of the Roses by Navid Sinaki releases August 13, 2024!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews