Zan: Stories

by Suzi Ehtesham-Zadeh

In prose that is both unflinching and lyrical, Suzi Ehtesham-Zadeh presents Zan , a collection of fourteen stories that provide a deep and nuanced view of contemporary Iranian women as they navigate a crucial moment in their nation’s history.
A university student strips off her hijab in the streets of Tehran and films herself as part of a daring protest movement. A wealthy Iranian woman living in Atlanta maintains a secret life as a burlesque dancer. A teenager slips out of a hotel room at night to skinny dip in the toxic Caspian Sea. An Iranian lesbian agonizes over her coming out and her father’s subsequent attempts to re-educate her. These are some of the many windows Zan opens into the complex lives of Iranian women today–those who continue to suffer oppression under the Islamic Republic, those who are crafting new identities in America, and those who hover somewhere in between.
 Against the backdrops of the Islamic Republic and the American empire, these women grapple with the rigid standards foisted upon them and struggle to forge meaningful relationships with people who misunderstand and otherize them. Winner of the 2022 Dzanc Short Collection Prize, Zan explores feelings familiar to anyone who has ever felt marginalized or who has sought a home in a world where cultures collide and conflict.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

212 pages, Paperback

Published June 11, 2024

Reviews

[Carol Novick · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an exquisite book of short stories. The author is American born of an Iranian mother. She has spent a lot of time in Iran and in Europe. Her stories have captured the zeitgeist of upperclass life in Iran and even in a refugee camp. The author also talks about marginalization in the USA. The stories are beautifully told , with rich writing style and subtlety of facts. This book puts the reader directly in the shoes of the story’s protagonist and leaves her so much more sympathetic to Iranian women.

[Anna May · Rating 5 out of 5]

I might be a tad biased, as Suzi was my beloved English teacher for all 3 years of middle school from 2005-2008. She challenged me in ways that I had never been up to that point, and for that I will be always grateful to her. I think of her class often, although it was over 15 years ago, as she treated us as smart people, not just kids. We read books that others might not read until high school or college, and she always had creative ways to keep us engaged.

This book is absolutely a work of art; I adored each story in its own way. I also learned a lot, which is the beauty of books, right? These stories are diverse and emotional, but all of the women connect back to Iran or their Iranian heritage in different, distinct ways and time periods.

[Olivia Medley-Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m lucky enough to have had the author as my English teacher- my favorite all time teacher I should note. I may be biased, but it’s hard to deny just how profound and beautiful these stories are. Most stories are less than 20 pages each, and yet they all fully capture the character’s moment in time. I learned so much about Iranian culture, and found myself reflecting on my own privilege in the world.

[Cullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up.

Baboon, Her Revolution, and Married Life, Day 12,785 were favs.

Zendegi was also very good, and I say this as someone not fond of the second-person.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great assembly of short stories. I really enjoyed the author’s mix of tales though all were ‘female-centric’ and focused on the perspective of Persian-American women. I was particularly taken by the stories “Aab” and “Coming Out, Going Under”. Each story is multi-layered and attempts to give voice to various Iranian women struggling with identity, self-worth or purpose while in the shadow of the current Iranian Islamic Republic’s policies against females. I hope the author continues to publish further collections.

[Alina · Rating 3 out of 5]

“You want to believe that Iran is still alive in you, that it is not watered down to the point where it is just an anecdote, a story you tell, a badge you take out and wear when the occasion calls for it… Your fear, your shame, and your guilt will help nothing and no one. The best you can do is to feed them into words on paper, so at least they will feel real.”

[Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled to finish the book. It portrayed various women struggles in Iran. The book has lots of short stories!