The Margaret Thatcher school of beauty

by Marsha Mehran

A moving tale of exile, friendship, love and the healing power of poetry from the bestselling author of Pomegranate Soup. Set in Buenos Aires during the Falklands War, The Margaret Thatcher School of Beauty is the story of a group of displaced Iranian refugees living in a decaying Beaux Arts building in the city centre. The inhabitants of the building form an eclectic community: a sick ex-prisoner and his daughter, a promising medical student; a timid hairdresser; a newlywed couple with a dark past; a young revolutionary; an eccentric pilgrim of Mecca; and at the heart of the group Zadi Heirati, a single mother struggling to make ends meet at the beauty salon she operates from her apartment. Drawn together by a revolution in their homeland, they begin to find solace in weekly poetry meetings. The words they share inspire each to turn inward and discover beauty long buried. As a new war unfolds in their adopted country, this group of disenchanted individuals begins to form a family. At once familiar and extraordinary, this moving story weaves disparate lives together into a tapestry of unique grace, wit and lyricism. 'Mehran is a sensually evocative writer... a joy to read' - Sydney Morning Herald

Genres: Fiction, Iran, Contemporary, Adult, Book Club

293 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Marsha Mehran escaped the upheaval of the Iranian revolution with her family. She grew up in the United States, Australia and Argentina, where her parents operated a Middle Eastern café. She lived in both Brooklyn and Ireland.

Reviews

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Margaret Thatcher School of Beauty is the third novel by Iranian-born author, Marsha Mehran. It is set in Buenos Aires in 1982, as well as earlier times in Iran. When Zadi Heirati flees Iran with her young daughter, Maryam, in tow, she has plans to search for Maryam’s father, David, in Iowa. But a visa to America is not easily procured, and she finds herself bound for Argentina. A chance encounter at Heathrow with a mink-coated Iranian woman sends her to fifth floor of The Anna Karenina building in Buenos Aires, where a group of Iranian ex-pats reside.

As Zadi and Maryam meet the other tenants, they are enveloped in Iranian culture. She opens a salon and school of beauty, and is an enthusiastic participant in the poetry evenings the Capitan organises. Gradually the lives of the tenants and their reasons for coming to the Anna Karenina are revealed. Against the backdrop of the Falklands War, the characters’ lives and loves are told, and the reader is treated to some enchanting Iranian poetry. There is a definite Maeve Binchy feel to this novel: realistic characters leading ordinary lives, yet charming the reader.

In the Afterword, Mehran’s father, Abbas Mehran discloses that there is a strong element of the author’s personal experience in this novel. A very handy glossary of Iranian words is included. Marsha Mehran’s tragic death in early 2014 means that this captivating novel is the last time the reading public will enjoy this talented author’s work.

[Reza]

Marsha Mehran has been the newest voice I have discovered among the Iranian diaspora literature. Much in the vein of the majority of the other Iranian diaspora writers, her life was shattered by the Iranian Revolution in 1979 and her first years in exile were spent in Argentina.

"The Margaret Thatcher School of Beauty" traces the private lives of a group of Iranian tenants in an apartment block in Buenos Aires whose lives have had different patterns, but they all share one thing, unwanted displacement. The story takes place in early 1980s during the Falkland Islands war, but the war stands as a very blurred background to the main story and is in no way plays a part in the unfolding of the events.

What makes Mehran's narrative unique is the fact that, unlike many other Iranian diaspora writers, we do not hear sudden outbursts of anger. Those whose lives were destroyed by the revolution always present this anger in one way or the other within a certain character or by stepping out of the narrative to comment upon it. Mehran, by putting the poetry reading sessions at the heart of the story, sprinkles her narrative with Rumi, Hafez and Attar. This creates a unique sense of Iranian characteristic, a sense that as if you, as the reader, were present and a part of the session. However, I do not think that it means that the reader needs to have a thorough background in Persian poetry to appreciate this novel. Mehran's unique story-telling talent keeps the reader interested by bringing bits and pieces of the life-stories of the characters, creating a world where in which characters are very similar, but at the same time unique.

I strongly recommend this book, specially to those who have an interest in Persian poetry!

[Dianne Franklin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I very rarely do not finish a book as I always feel it will get better. I could not finish this book. It was disjointed and I was confused with the characters. Disappointing.

[Roberta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Preso al volo dallo scaffale "novità" in libreria perché il titolo è indubbiamente accattivante: a chi può venire in mente di intitolare un istituto di bellezza a Margaret Thatcher? A una madre single iraniana, scappata da un paese che disprezza questa sua condizione e finita per caso in Argentina mentre cercava di andare in Iowa, alla ricerca dell'americano che l'ha messa incinta.
La fortuna le arride in aeroporto, dove incontra la connazionale che la dirotterà a Buenos Aires e a un edificio dall'improbabile nome di Anna Karenina. Il palazzo ospita un buon numero di iraniani scappati dal proprio paese e insieme ricostituiranno due attività tipiche della loro cultura: l'hammam e un circolo di poesia.
Le donne parlano mentre si depilano e si passano l'hennè. L'unico uomo davvero presente è il capitano, promotore delle serate letterarie in cui si leggono e commentano poesie iraniane. Ci sono momenti di rottura (una moglie reagisce al marito violento, una figlia perfetta si lascia andare a un moto di rabbia...) ma tutto sommato la storia è delicata e femminile. Vite difficili ed originali scorrono nelle parole di queste donne e spesso il non detto pesa più del raccontato.

Non conoscevo l'autrice. Leggendo l'appendice finale ho scoperto che è morta giovane e sola a 36 anni e che questo è il suo terzo ed ultimo romanzo, edito dal padre. A quanto pare la storia è molto biografica. Probabilmente cercherò i due libri precedenti.

[Simona · Rating 4 out of 5]

"E che mi dite della bellezza? Quanto è importante per qualunque cosa facciamo, per tutto ciò che siamo? Non credo che potrei fare quello che faccio, se non sentissi tale desideriro".

Prima di commentare questo libro, è bene fare una premessa a quello che è stato il mondo di Mehran e al suo intento di scriverlo.
Mehran è una scrittrice morta prematuramente e per questo suo romanzo ha tratto spunto dalla sua famiglia e dai suoi ricordi di infanzia. Partendo dai suoi ricordi di infanzia e di adolescenza di bambina nata a Teheran ed emigrata a Buenos Aires, si raccontano le vicende qui narrate. Le vicende di un palazzo, l'Anna Karenina, appunto, dove le protagonsite sono donne, donne che si riuniscono praticando il culto della bellezza, delle poesie persiane, dell'antica arte del band adazi, ovvero la depilazione con il filo.
Prroprio qui, dove Margaret Thatcher cerca di insinuarsi dichiarando guerrra all'Argentina per le Falkland, la bellezza riempie il cuore ed è fonte di passione, malinconia, dolcezza, dolore, come l'antica cultura millenaria iraniana ci tramanda.

[Bharti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This title will take you beyond the proverbial beauty school. It is and it's not about physical beauty. The beauty lies in the poems recited in conversations the characters have. You get to know them on a different level. You may find it difficult to place their occupations or backgrounds, but will easily understand what's going on in their hearts. The story maybe about glimpses into the lives of displaced Iranians trying to keep their culture alive by forming a close knit group, but its about so much more on a philosophical level.
Reading this book is like immersing yourself in rich prose, poetic narration and mysteries of a culture. There is a sense of mysticism in the air as you see the story unfold. On the outside it may look like just another refugee's story, on a closer look you see so many layers amongst it that it stops you and calms you.
The writer seems to have digged in and drawn from her experiences to present us with a brilliant narration and a glimpse into a simple yet complex culture.

[Sharon Horkings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story intertwined with Persian poetry. Very sad to think that Marsha did not see her hard work completed in a novel but thankfully her family ensured the book's publication.

[Rashida · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book to be quite beautiful, if a little confusing/disjointed at times, because there were so many characters and sometimes there was no clear indication of who was talking, or that the story had moved on to a different time period. Regardless, I found some of the characters intriguing, and Hajji Khanoum especially, deserved a whole book to herself. I didn't feel particularly connected to Zadi as there isn't much focus on her beyond her daughter, and I didn't find Maryam very realistic, she spoke with a wisdom that was beyond a small child in my opinion.

However, I liked the atmosphere, the discussion of poetry, the themes of belonging, loss, love, and so on. The afterword explained that the author had sadly passed away before this was published (by her father in the end) so that went a long way towards explaining why it felt slightly incomplete, and I respect what her father was trying to accomplish. Furthermore, I would definitely consider reading the author's previous works, as they sound like something I would enjoy.

[Dawnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a very nice amount of different cultures, areas of the world and different characters! If there ever was a book that features multi cultural world aspects this certainly is one!

The writing was nicely done, with a poetry feel to and throughout the entire story.

I personally had a bit of a problem always keeping the many different characters straight and not get confused who was currently talking or who said what.

Overall it is a very nice and different book that overs a nice view into different cultural aspects and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

If you are in search for something that is not the typical reds but still fun and interesting to read I highly recommend this book!

*thnaks to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for giving me the free ebook to rview*

[Annalise · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has some beautiful, poignant moments, and a huge amount of potential, but...

I found the whole thing quite disjointed; there were story lines and concepts begun but not continued.

I didn't get a good sense of characters, they seemed blurred and not well defined.

The typos and grammatical errors detracted from the prose.

That said, I got to the end of the book and found the afterword written by the author's father, noting that he pulled the book together from notes and rough sketches after his daughter's death. This gave some shape to the issues I had with the novel and gave me a huge amount of respect for it.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an interesting mix of cultures, lyrical passages and interesting characters. It follows friendships formed when Zadi leaves Iran during the revolution to seek refuge in Buenos Aires. She opens a beauty Salon and her neighbours share their stories amongst themselves and the book can feel like a collection of short stories which are sometimes quite startling. Recounting why they fled from Iran to Argentina.

It’s one of those books that is rich in foreign cultures and poetical lyricism.

With many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

[Rania T · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel that the intense spirituality of the poetry of Rumi that is scattered throughout this novel drove Marsha Mehran to try and forge a connection with the Divine. She must have come pretty close, as she is no longer on this earth. Her 'disappearance' mirrors that of many of the novel's characters. Their personal stories are merely fleeting glimpses in time which is symbolic of the shortness of our tested life on Earth and the eternal life that awaits us in the hereafter.

[Sara Matsuzaki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started out slow and didn't pick up, in my opinion, until about halfway through. Although scattered and hard to follow at times, I loved the life Mehran put into her characters and the collection of complex and thought-provoking poetry throughout. Although it's not one of my favorite books, I appreciate Mehran's dedication and that feeling was strengthened when I read the afterword by her father.

[Margot · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this because I enjoyed her other books so much. But I didn't find it nearly as good as the previous books. To me it seemed a bit disjointed and tortured. I'm afraid the back story might explain this in some way. I'm really sorry that it wasn't better.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lost interest and did not finish

[Alexandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book very disjointed and I couldn't get into it or relate to any characters. In fact I got them all confused, and really couldn't wait to finish it. Disappointed.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I selected this novel because I enjoyed Mehran’s first novel, “Pomegranate Soup,” and had made a note to myself at the time (2005) to check in with newer works later. She wrote a sequel but I wanted to see what other ideas for stories this young author developed. Tragically this is her last opus. She died in 2014. Her father added an epilogue about the posthumous crafting of this novel; he had to assemble it from several versions of manuscripts and make sure all the Iranian poetry is well translated, while staying true to what he knew of his daughter’s intentions.

The result is a tale of expatriate Iranians in Buenos Aires, who create social connection, first through a salon managed by two Iranian women, then in a weekly poetry night. They take turns reciting classic Persian poetry, varied with some contemporary writing, and discuss the meanings. Their personal back stories, both their lives in Iran, and how they arrived in Argentina, emerge for the reader, although they don’t always confide in one another.

The common theme is strong independent women and their life experiences with love, romance, marriage, and for a few, abuse. Sometimes in following these back stories, I temporarily lost track of the contemporary characters and their role in the community, but the overall effect was moving.

[Elisabetta Giromini · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author was born in Tehran in 1977 but left with the family in 1979 when the Islamic Revolution broke out. This book has all the tone and charm of the cultural circles of Iranian immigrants abroad. It is set in Buenos Aires, the first destination of her family migration, in a building on Avenida Florida called “Anna Karenina”.

The protagonist, Zadi, is there with her daughter for a chance meeting at the airport with Haji Khanoum, the beating heart of the palace life. She decides to get busy and open a beauty salon that bears the name of the English “iron woman”. Around the salon and the coming and going of customers of Iranian origin, a circle of poetry is created in which the inhabitants of the building meet once a week to read, comment, quarrel, always starting from the texts of the great Persians.

Their stories are intertwined in a present in which everyone’s past and the melancholy of abandoning their native land are reviewed.

[Janka H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rumi, Hafez and the power of stories.

In Buenos Aires, a group of friends of (mostly) Persian origin meet and discuss the life in and through the poetry of the finest Persian poets. Mostly females, they told their life stories and share their emotions.

The idea behind the book is beautiful. The poetry is first class (I need to read me some Hafez and Rumi, too!). The poetry and its interpretation is native to the Persian people, I think.
But the book is very difficult to read. It is heavy, wanting to be philosophical, but not really touching my soul. I think one must be very mature to write simply, and the authoress was quite young when writing the book (she died during the writing process), and maybe also fighting her inner demons.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is quite different than what I usually read. I enjoyed the historical information about Iran, Persia and the Iranian diaspora. The poetry, which reminds me that I do not read much poetry, as always had ambiguity. The idea of a poetry discussion group makes a lot of sense, and I would enjoy discussing with other what particular poems might mean. I suspect, as in this book, the discussion would evolve into a general discussion about various aspects of humanity and our place in the larger environment. That would be quite enjoyable for me. The afterward saddened me, reminding me of my own mortality.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read. Unfortunately, my mind kept getting stuck on the characters names and wondering if I was pronouncing them right, which made focusing on the story hard at times. Other times the Iranian words woven into the narrative lead me to put the book down to find out their meaning. Then the mention of different foods made me do the same.
I don't think I got what was intended from this novel but it made me want to learn more about some aspects of Iranian life.

[Salar · Rating 1 out of 5]

The many characters and their stories never quite come together, the narrative hindered rather than helped along by the many poems quoted. The writer's own story is more fascinating, tragic and touching than the book itself. https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-en...

[Aditi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I agree with the reviews stating this book was disjointed. It was slow, a bit boring, and confusing to follow at times. The author left many lines and stories incomplete... it seems that she intended to sound philosophical, mystical, or just deep but it didn't translate that way and just ended up being incoherent, annoying, and cringe.

[Clare Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by a woman who died too young, published after her death by her father, a beautiful, sad, harrowing, poetical book about a group of mainly women Iranian refugees, who hoped to get to America but living in Argentina. A book of beauty in its many forms.

[Gloria Ramera · Rating 1 out of 5]

Un libro che non consiglio. Avevo alcune aspettative su questa autrice che mi aveva particolarmente colpito per il libro “Cafe Babilonia”. Invece qui ho avuto difficoltà a seguire il discorso. Peccato!

[Sheila Pritchard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating - especially re poetry groups and Hafiz and Rumi poems. But a bit disjointed I felt. Powerful and sad to hear the stories of those displaced people.

[Wendy Slight · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unusual for me to give up on a book, especially when I have enjoyed previous books by the same writer. Just couldn’t get into it-didn’t seem to flow or have any momentum.

[Mara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un romanzo. Una poesia.

[Ceebee]

DNF

[Louise · Rating 2 out of 5]

dnf