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The Girl from the Garden
An “immersive” generational tale (Library Journal): When Asher, the patriarch of a wealthy Jewish family in early 20th-century Iran, and his wife are unable to have a son, he makes a dangerous choice that could mean the downfall of his family. This “riveting portrait of family strife in a troubled land” (People) “will not be easily forgotten” (Booklist starred review).
An extraordinary new writer makes her literary debut with this suspenseful novel of desire, obsession, power and vulnerability, in which a crisis of inheritance leads to the downfall of a wealthy family of Persian Jews in early twentieth-century Iran.
For all his wealth and success, Asher Malacouti—the head of a prosperous Jewish family living in the Iranian town of Kermanshah—cannot have the one thing he desires above all: a male son. His young wife Rakhel, trapped in an oppressive marriage at a time when a woman’s worth is measured by her fertility, is made desperate by her failure to conceive, and grows jealous and vindictive.
Her despair is compounded by her sister-in-law Khorsheed’s pregnancy and her husband’s growing desire for Kokab, his cousin’s wife. Frustrated by his wife’s inability to bear him an heir, Asher makes a fateful choice that will shatter the household and drive Rakhel to dark extremes to save herself and preserve her status within the family.
Witnessed through the memories of the family’s only surviving daughter, Mahboubeh, now an elderly woman living in Los Angeles, The Girl from the Garden unfolds the complex, tragic history of her family in a long-lost Iran of generations past. Haunting, suspenseful and inspired by events in the author’s own family, it is an evocative and poignant exploration of sacrifice, betrayal, and the indelible legacy of the families that forge us.
An extraordinary new writer makes her literary debut with this suspenseful novel of desire, obsession, power and vulnerability, in which a crisis of inheritance leads to the downfall of a wealthy family of Persian Jews in early twentieth-century Iran.
For all his wealth and success, Asher Malacouti—the head of a prosperous Jewish family living in the Iranian town of Kermanshah—cannot have the one thing he desires above all: a male son. His young wife Rakhel, trapped in an oppressive marriage at a time when a woman’s worth is measured by her fertility, is made desperate by her failure to conceive, and grows jealous and vindictive.
Her despair is compounded by her sister-in-law Khorsheed’s pregnancy and her husband’s growing desire for Kokab, his cousin’s wife. Frustrated by his wife’s inability to bear him an heir, Asher makes a fateful choice that will shatter the household and drive Rakhel to dark extremes to save herself and preserve her status within the family.
Witnessed through the memories of the family’s only surviving daughter, Mahboubeh, now an elderly woman living in Los Angeles, The Girl from the Garden unfolds the complex, tragic history of her family in a long-lost Iran of generations past. Haunting, suspenseful and inspired by events in the author’s own family, it is an evocative and poignant exploration of sacrifice, betrayal, and the indelible legacy of the families that forge us.
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First published August 18, 2015
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About the author
Parnaz Foroutan
4 books63 followersParnaz Foroutan was born in Iran and spent her early childhood there. She received PEN USA's Emerging Voices fellowship for her first novel, Girl From the Garden, which was inspired by her own family history.
She has been named to the Hedgebrook fellowship and residency, and received funding from the Elizabeth George Foundation, among other institutions.
She currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two daughters.
She has been named to the Hedgebrook fellowship and residency, and received funding from the Elizabeth George Foundation, among other institutions.
She currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 234 reviews
September 21, 2015
3.5 For a successful Jewish man in Iran, not having a son is a terrible disgrace. For Rakhel, married to Asher at twelve and married for three years without any sign of a child it is a catastrophe. This story is narrated by the only remaining family member as a old woman now living in Los Angles.
This is a story about brothers who would do anything for each other, about family and what it means in the Iranian culture. I enjoyed reading about this culture in which I am so lacking in knowledge. Women are treated so strictly, so unforgivingly but even though it is very hard to like the very young Rachel at times, I did like that she didn't just accept things as they were but within the narrow frame allowed her she found a way to prosper. A very heartrending story, extremely well written though it does bounce back and forth in time.
The descriptions were wonderful, the family story well told. A very good story about a culture of which I am glad is very different from my own.
This is a story about brothers who would do anything for each other, about family and what it means in the Iranian culture. I enjoyed reading about this culture in which I am so lacking in knowledge. Women are treated so strictly, so unforgivingly but even though it is very hard to like the very young Rachel at times, I did like that she didn't just accept things as they were but within the narrow frame allowed her she found a way to prosper. A very heartrending story, extremely well written though it does bounce back and forth in time.
The descriptions were wonderful, the family story well told. A very good story about a culture of which I am glad is very different from my own.
October 5, 2015
“The Girl from the Garden” is a story of a wealthy Persian Jewish family living in Iran at the beginning of the 20th Century. It’s more of an account of women’s cultural plight at that time. Although these women were fed well and surrounded by monetary beauty, their lives were ones of male servitude and oppression. Only the conniving seemed to survive.
The author, Parnaz Foroutan, uses her own family’s folklore as fodder for this beautifully written novel. Foroutan stated that as her family members aged, the family stories changed. She won’t call this historical fiction as the sources became unreliable. This reader is appreciative that she chose to use the folklore, in whatever state of truth, in fiction. It made a fine novel.
The story is told as memories of the family’s only surviving daughter, Mahboubeh. She is living in Los Angeles, ruminating over her mother, who died when she was a mere child. No family member would explain explicitly how her mother died; her father would only state that it was “from the complications of womanhood.” After reading the novel, that statement had a different meaning for me.
The novel has complicated names that started to trip me up at the beginning, but I got the flow and after about 20 pages and found the names easily remembered. Because Mahboubeh is elderly, her ruminations ebb and flow through current life. It took me a bit to understand that flow. As a result, this is a novel that does take careful reading. Warning: don’t read while tired! I highly recommend this novel because Foroutan’s writing is beautiful, and the story captures a time and place in history that is incredibly interesting.
The author, Parnaz Foroutan, uses her own family’s folklore as fodder for this beautifully written novel. Foroutan stated that as her family members aged, the family stories changed. She won’t call this historical fiction as the sources became unreliable. This reader is appreciative that she chose to use the folklore, in whatever state of truth, in fiction. It made a fine novel.
The story is told as memories of the family’s only surviving daughter, Mahboubeh. She is living in Los Angeles, ruminating over her mother, who died when she was a mere child. No family member would explain explicitly how her mother died; her father would only state that it was “from the complications of womanhood.” After reading the novel, that statement had a different meaning for me.
The novel has complicated names that started to trip me up at the beginning, but I got the flow and after about 20 pages and found the names easily remembered. Because Mahboubeh is elderly, her ruminations ebb and flow through current life. It took me a bit to understand that flow. As a result, this is a novel that does take careful reading. Warning: don’t read while tired! I highly recommend this novel because Foroutan’s writing is beautiful, and the story captures a time and place in history that is incredibly interesting.
August 4, 2023
A haunting tale of oppression, longing, and the devastating choices made from shame and envy. Across two timelines, we see the disastrous consequences of equating a woman’s worth to her ability to bear sons. Through beautiful and sorrowful prose, The Girl from the Garden is a chilling remembrance of loyalty, tradition, and the weight of silence. It is a warning against the sting of betrayal, the urge to hurt when feeling hurt. It is a recording of the cycles of nature, the ways in which women align to the trees, the seasons, the moon; it is a solemn assurance that we do remember women of the past, not as they were seen then, but as individual, bright souls who flicker on through history.
July 3, 2015
The Girl From Garden is the debut masterpiece from Parnaz Faroutan and another one added to my favourite reads this year. It is a powerful tale of desire, obsession, jealousy, power and vulnerability and ultimately the downfall of a wealthy Persian-Jewish family set in the early twentieth century.
Mahboubeh, the only surviving daughter of the Malacouti family, is an elderly woman who spends her time tending and talking to the plants in her garden. Mahboubeh drifts in and out of the past reliving her memories as a young girl in Iran and it is through her that we hear about a young married couple who are unable to produce an heir to ensure the continuation of the family line; and we bear witness to the tragic events and destructive forces that destroyed the family.
When Asher Malacouti's young wife fails to produce an heir and his brother's new wife becomes pregnant he decides on a course of action that will have disastrous consequences. The disdain and resentment that Asher displays toward his wife, Rakhel, will distort and shape her into a manipulative, vindictive woman. Rakhel will go to any extremes to maintain her status within the family including the use of spells and help of djinns in this highly superstitious, spirit believing culture.
In a male dominated and strict boundary controlled environment the young women jostle with one another in a struggle to reach the most beneficial status within the unit, sacrificing any chance of true friendship or bond, and is where betrayal, and manipulation are the unending driving force.
The Girl From The Garden is all the more poignant as life for young girls is pretty much the same today as it was then. Little or no alternative exists than to be married very young to produce children, and look after their husband and family, often in oppressive and restrictive marriages, as is the case for Rakhel.
The Girl From The Garden is a beautifully written piece of literature. Vividly depicting a world rich in detail with beautifully drawn characters who effortlessly come to life and lodge themselves into your mind.
I highly recommend The Girl from the Garden to anyone interested in learning about lives from a different time and culture and would generate lively discussion in book reading groups.
Mahboubeh, the only surviving daughter of the Malacouti family, is an elderly woman who spends her time tending and talking to the plants in her garden. Mahboubeh drifts in and out of the past reliving her memories as a young girl in Iran and it is through her that we hear about a young married couple who are unable to produce an heir to ensure the continuation of the family line; and we bear witness to the tragic events and destructive forces that destroyed the family.
When Asher Malacouti's young wife fails to produce an heir and his brother's new wife becomes pregnant he decides on a course of action that will have disastrous consequences. The disdain and resentment that Asher displays toward his wife, Rakhel, will distort and shape her into a manipulative, vindictive woman. Rakhel will go to any extremes to maintain her status within the family including the use of spells and help of djinns in this highly superstitious, spirit believing culture.
In a male dominated and strict boundary controlled environment the young women jostle with one another in a struggle to reach the most beneficial status within the unit, sacrificing any chance of true friendship or bond, and is where betrayal, and manipulation are the unending driving force.
The Girl From The Garden is all the more poignant as life for young girls is pretty much the same today as it was then. Little or no alternative exists than to be married very young to produce children, and look after their husband and family, often in oppressive and restrictive marriages, as is the case for Rakhel.
The Girl From The Garden is a beautifully written piece of literature. Vividly depicting a world rich in detail with beautifully drawn characters who effortlessly come to life and lodge themselves into your mind.
I highly recommend The Girl from the Garden to anyone interested in learning about lives from a different time and culture and would generate lively discussion in book reading groups.
September 14, 2015
A kalidescope of emotions....envy, jealousy, sorrow....all set in a wealthy Jewish families home. ...it did take me a moment to get into the ebb and flow of the book going back and forth between the recollections of Mahboubeh and what happened in the past....
September 25, 2015
I think heartbreaking sums this one up pretty well. It's a beautifully written tale about a Jewish family in Iran. But it is universal in that it addresses the plight of a barren woman and the effect it has on her family. It's a very special read. It goes back and forth in time which can be a little confusing, but I think it is a successful mechanism for storytelling, which is really what the book is.
November 19, 2015
An interesting peak into the lives of Iranian Jews from generations past - a time when a woman's worth was measured by her ability to bear children. The story is told in memories and flashbacks, narrated by the only surviving daughter of a prosperous family, now an old woman living in Los Angeles. The details and descriptions allowed me to step between the pages of the book and imagine what life was really like for a woman in that time and place. It's a story of tragedy, despair, betrayal and sacrifice. I look forward to future books by this author.
March 26, 2020
With sumptuous prose, evoking the lyricism of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, the author creates a vivid portrayal of a culture where female children are considered a burden on the family and barren women are cursed.
Like a richly-coloured Persian carpet, family myth and traditions, folklore and biblical imagery are woven into this tragic tale of sorrow, sacrifice and paradise lost.
A tough read, made bearable by the beautiful writing.
Reviewed for Whichbook.net
Like a richly-coloured Persian carpet, family myth and traditions, folklore and biblical imagery are woven into this tragic tale of sorrow, sacrifice and paradise lost.
A tough read, made bearable by the beautiful writing.
Reviewed for Whichbook.net
July 1, 2019
It's so hard to read about women who are treated as less than human for the sake of religious or cultural reasons.
I found the transitions between the modern storyteller, Mahboubeh and the past, following Rakhel a bit difficult to follow at first, until I got used to it. I'm also not sure why it was framed that way, since the daughter Mahboubed, who is telling Rakhel's story isn't supposed to know everything that happened or what happened to her mother, Khorsheed
I understand it's partially based on the author's own family history, which gives the story more dimension and an added layer of sadness. Overally I'm glad I read this one.
I found the transitions between the modern storyteller, Mahboubeh and the past, following Rakhel a bit difficult to follow at first, until I got used to it. I'm also not sure why it was framed that way, since the daughter Mahboubed, who is telling Rakhel's story isn't supposed to know everything that happened or what happened to her mother, Khorsheed
I understand it's partially based on the author's own family history, which gives the story more dimension and an added layer of sadness. Overally I'm glad I read this one.
September 16, 2015
An interesting read but just too sad and depressing. Don't get me wrong, all books don't need happy endings but I need at least one small glimmer of happiness or at least hope that something good will happen. Not so with this story of the women in a wealthy Jewish family in Iran in the early 20th century. Rakhel is married to Asher but when she fails to conceive, he takes his cousin's ex-wife (after a scandalous divorce) as his 2nd wife. She doesn't conceive either (hmmm . . . maybe the women aren't the problem here!) so Asher destroys what little pride she has left and divorces her. Rakhel then basically steals her sister in-law - and best friends - son to raise as her own so that her husband will have a heir. And of course no good comes of any of this. It reminded me of Henna House so if you enjoyed that you might like this one too.
October 14, 2015
This is a first novel for writer Parnaz Foroutan and she knocks it out of the park! A Jewish Iranian family's tragic history is told through the ancient eyes of Mahboubeh, the sole surviving daughter, who now lives in California. This is not a happy story but one that is fraught with such sadness, tragedy and loneliness that it leaves you aching at the end. The saving grace is the beautifully detailed writing. Parzaz paints a picture so clearly that you can almost smell and hear the goings on in the Malacouti family compound. Her writing, which is rich and her skill as a storyteller is what kept me turning page after page. I don't know why, but I had never considered what life must have been like for a Jewish family in early 20th century Iran. A haunting story that will stay with you long after you have finished it.
August 21, 2015
An at times engrossing at other times frustrating novel. The glimpse into the lives this Jewish family in Iran is captivating: fear, obsession, jealousy, loyalty, faith and violence all mix together in the cloistered environment of the family enclave. It is a glimpse into a seemingly lost world full of mystery and joy, tragedy and love, faith and superstition.
But the jumping back and forth in time and the complex way this is narrated undermines much of this story, Whenever the story comes back to the present it slows down and loses its punch. The flashbacks carry all the power.
An interesting and promising debut novel but one I am of mixed feelings about.
But the jumping back and forth in time and the complex way this is narrated undermines much of this story, Whenever the story comes back to the present it slows down and loses its punch. The flashbacks carry all the power.
An interesting and promising debut novel but one I am of mixed feelings about.
March 12, 2017
Told in a weird, already has happened kind of POV. Several stories, all meshed and interactive with each other. Hard to attach yourself to the characters because you're at such a distance. No active voice. Really horrible things happened to each of these characters, really negative stories of grief involved. I like the premise and I like the potential of the characters, I just really didn't like the way that it was told. Wordy, long, convoluted sentences and paragraphs that didn't do anything to advance the story.
August 30, 2015
The Girl from the Garden by Parnaz Foroutan was a book that I enjoyed reading very much. It was about a Persian Jewish family living in Iran early in the twentieth century. Told through the memories and thoughts of Mahboubeh,the only remaining relative of Asher Malacouti, a wealthy Jewish man, and his family. The themes of jealously, power and obsession run throughout the book. It was well written and I look forward to reading more books by this author.
December 15, 2015
The narration is jumpy and confusing, and if it wasn't for the book jacket, I wouldn't know who anyone was. Based on the other reviews, this is a common complaint. I don't have the wherewithal to continue with the story; when I have a feeling of dread upon picking up the book or do what I can to avoid reading, that's when I know it's time to move on.
April 23, 2015
A spectacular novel - portrait of loss, longing, and passion in the intimate lives of an extended family in Iran. Foroutan is a writer of remarkable talent, haunting yet suspensful and her tale is moving and unforgettable.
Read
July 23, 2015Review by Penny Metsch for the Jewish Book Council.
September 7, 2015
Loved the story
September 16, 2015
An amazing, lushly written novel.
June 27, 2017
I had not heard anything about this book and picked it up on a whim and I'm so glad I did! It is a beautiful and lushly written story set in two times, present day American (very little) and early twentieth-century Iran (where most of the book takes place). The story is told through the "flashbacks" of Mahboubeh, a woman in the present who is wrestling with the ghosts of her family history. It is a heart wrenching story that truly shows the "complications of womanhood" in that time when a woman did not belong to herself but to her husband and if she could not produce and heir, she was nothing. The flashbacks do flow seamlessly in and out of Mahboubeh's present day thoughts but I didn't really have any trouble following that. The writing is so rich and really does transport you to another place and time. I woud love to read more from ParnazForoutan.
"She closes her eyes and remembers when the women gathered, even to celebrate the little things. In hope of dispelling the monotony of their days. They came together for the plucking of a bride's eyebrows, the sixth night of a daughter's birth, the first meal of a baby, the spilt blood after the first night of being a wife. And they gathered to celebrate the holy days, too, and for the preparation of feasts for those sanctified days, and for Sabbath dinners. And sometimes, they entered each others homes just to bring news, to share the joy or spread the shame, to help with an ailing mother, to mourn, to console, to counsel, to tell stories, to eavesdrop, to bring a talisman against miscarriage, a remedy to win back a straying husband, to bring news about the misconduct of potential brides, to return borrowed china, to apologize, to pray, to forgive."
"She closes her eyes and remembers when the women gathered, even to celebrate the little things. In hope of dispelling the monotony of their days. They came together for the plucking of a bride's eyebrows, the sixth night of a daughter's birth, the first meal of a baby, the spilt blood after the first night of being a wife. And they gathered to celebrate the holy days, too, and for the preparation of feasts for those sanctified days, and for Sabbath dinners. And sometimes, they entered each others homes just to bring news, to share the joy or spread the shame, to help with an ailing mother, to mourn, to console, to counsel, to tell stories, to eavesdrop, to bring a talisman against miscarriage, a remedy to win back a straying husband, to bring news about the misconduct of potential brides, to return borrowed china, to apologize, to pray, to forgive."
September 29, 2021
The Girl from the Garden is Mahboubeh, and the garden is in LA, and all she does it wander around the garden remembering and imagining things from her family's past in Iran. It's all sad and tragic. The book the character centers on most is Rakhel, the incredibly bitter 15 year old wife of Asher, the rich Jewish merchant who slights her because, for the three years they've been married, she can't get pregnant. She wants to get pregnant. But she can't because Asher can't, but he is furious about how he's going to pass on his wealth. Rakhel first abuses and manipulates her sister, Khorsheed, who has a little boy; then she abuses and manipulates Kokab, the second wife Asher takes on.
What makes the book especially compelling are these two side characters, Khorsheed and especially Kokab, who come across as interesting, kind, wise characters. This is especially the case of Kokab, who is incredible independent and strong and forceful, though it does little good in this misogynistic, patriarchal moment in Iran.
The way we see through Rakhel's eyes through Mahboubeh's eyes the trap these women are in, and their vitality and power and how little these free them, is powerful. There is a surprise ending that is not entirely a surprise. The weakest conceit of the book is the wandering around the garden alone remembering things.
What makes the book especially compelling are these two side characters, Khorsheed and especially Kokab, who come across as interesting, kind, wise characters. This is especially the case of Kokab, who is incredible independent and strong and forceful, though it does little good in this misogynistic, patriarchal moment in Iran.
The way we see through Rakhel's eyes through Mahboubeh's eyes the trap these women are in, and their vitality and power and how little these free them, is powerful. There is a surprise ending that is not entirely a surprise. The weakest conceit of the book is the wandering around the garden alone remembering things.
August 29, 2015
The switch between two time periods in the voice of a child who is now an elderly old woman living by herself in a different country and reliving her family's past Jewish history
Mahboubeh relives the story of her family . Her uncle Asher M is the head of the household and has worked very hard to for bringing wealth and success to the family. His marriage to Rakhel does not get him the son he desires and leaves Rakehel frustrated in the marriage ! Asher obsesses about Koka his cousins wife and that gets Rakhel on edge
Khorsheed who is Asher's brother wife and Mahboubeh's mother gives birth to a son which drives Rakhel crazy with envy and more frustration. Then Asher does something so drastic that the family is left reeling and Rakhel acts out to gain her already precarious position in the family!
A sad story of women's worth is determined by her fertility and her ability to give birth to a son. The desperation in these societies that the women go through to prove their worth to themselves and to the society to be considered to be human beings!
Mahboubeh relives the story of her family . Her uncle Asher M is the head of the household and has worked very hard to for bringing wealth and success to the family. His marriage to Rakhel does not get him the son he desires and leaves Rakehel frustrated in the marriage ! Asher obsesses about Koka his cousins wife and that gets Rakhel on edge
Khorsheed who is Asher's brother wife and Mahboubeh's mother gives birth to a son which drives Rakhel crazy with envy and more frustration. Then Asher does something so drastic that the family is left reeling and Rakhel acts out to gain her already precarious position in the family!
A sad story of women's worth is determined by her fertility and her ability to give birth to a son. The desperation in these societies that the women go through to prove their worth to themselves and to the society to be considered to be human beings!
November 7, 2015
Beautiful imagery
Based on the recommendation of Rachel Schwartz, I picked up this book and began reading it. I was lost in the imagery of the scenes. I cared about the protagonist of the novel, Rakhel. My heart went to her for her pain and sufferings. The idea that bearing a child is purely the key to a person's worth in a society is painful at best and harmful at worst. I loved the usage of Farsi words through out the book. The Farsi words were peppered and they did not interfere with the understanding of the context even if you have never heard of the language. Mrs. Foroutan has done a marvelous job. Cannot wait to read more works by her.
Based on the recommendation of Rachel Schwartz, I picked up this book and began reading it. I was lost in the imagery of the scenes. I cared about the protagonist of the novel, Rakhel. My heart went to her for her pain and sufferings. The idea that bearing a child is purely the key to a person's worth in a society is painful at best and harmful at worst. I loved the usage of Farsi words through out the book. The Farsi words were peppered and they did not interfere with the understanding of the context even if you have never heard of the language. Mrs. Foroutan has done a marvelous job. Cannot wait to read more works by her.
September 26, 2015
Wow. So the narrator is an old woman, who is forgetting the past, and in this state of mind, she is trying to recreate a story to find out how her mother died. This author manages to create this sense of disorientation of identity, time and space so magnificently. The author intentionally sets out to create the same confusion in the reader that the narrator experiences, as the story progresses and as the old woman's capacity to identify temporal reality deteriorates. What a brilliant idea for structure. And what a story. I'm speechless.
November 9, 2015
I do not get all of the great reviews of this book. I thought that it was going to be about the lives of Jews in Iran before and after the Shah was deposed. Sadly, this turned out to be a book about a woman trying to get pregnant with a son. It is shallowly written and I could not get past the first 20% of the book because I just did not care about this woman's genitals, which is all too often the focus! If you want to read a good book on this topic check out The Septembers of Shiraz by Dalia Sofer.
September 28, 2015
It took a while for the story to get going, but once it did it was very good. The tagline ("She died from complications of womanhood") ending up being more powerful and touching than I could have imagined at first.
October 2, 2015
A Beautiful and Haunting Novel
I was impressed by the lovely prose and the intriguing family history. I liked how the author weaved the story from the present to the past. It was a fascinating view of a different culture and time.
I was impressed by the lovely prose and the intriguing family history. I liked how the author weaved the story from the present to the past. It was a fascinating view of a different culture and time.
July 23, 2015
The story was good, but I felt like the book jumped around a lot. I didn't feel the transition from real life to memories was constructed well.
November 9, 2015
Delicate, gorgeous writing. Beautiful story of Persian Jewish family when women were chattal, only valuable for making babies
December 29, 2022
I listened to the unabridged 7-hour audio version of this title (read by Lameece Issaq, Harper Audio, 2015).
There are actually two girls, not one: A contemporary woman, Mahboubeh, who lives in California, and an aunt, Rakhel, a child bride of the wealthy Malacouti family, who lived in a Jewish community in the city of Kermanshah, western Iran, in mid-20th century. Part of the storyline is a competition between the childless Rakhel and Mahboubeh's mother, Khorsheed, who produces an heir, a vital need of a prosperous patriarchal family.
The author captures well the lives of women as meal-preparing/baby-making machines in traditional male-dominated Iranian society and their bravery and self-actualization under extreme patriarchy. The writing is beautiful and poetic, showing how oppressed women created little joys for themselves in a joyless environment, where women harbor suicidal thoughts for not being able to satisfy an heir-obsessed traditional family.
In addition to how women were oppressed in Iran some seven decades ago, many of them suffering or even dying "from the complications of womanhood," we also learn about social and religious traditions of Jewish Iranians and their highly-restricted and watchful community in a Muslim-majority country.
This book is yet another example of the extraordinary talents of Iranian women authors, who, in the past couple of decades have provided us with a steady stream of fiction and non-fiction titles. Writing provides an outlet for these women's frustrations in being treated as second-class citizens, not only by men but also by traditional, elder women. As I write this review, a feminist revolution is afoot in Iran under the slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom." Iranian women are highly educated and serious contributors to literature and poetry, mostly in Persian, but, more recently, also in other languages, as well as to other art forms. Their writing, acting, painting, and other talents are being recognized internationally, to the chagrin of the ruling mullahs, their cronies, and other patriarchs.
There are actually two girls, not one: A contemporary woman, Mahboubeh, who lives in California, and an aunt, Rakhel, a child bride of the wealthy Malacouti family, who lived in a Jewish community in the city of Kermanshah, western Iran, in mid-20th century. Part of the storyline is a competition between the childless Rakhel and Mahboubeh's mother, Khorsheed, who produces an heir, a vital need of a prosperous patriarchal family.
The author captures well the lives of women as meal-preparing/baby-making machines in traditional male-dominated Iranian society and their bravery and self-actualization under extreme patriarchy. The writing is beautiful and poetic, showing how oppressed women created little joys for themselves in a joyless environment, where women harbor suicidal thoughts for not being able to satisfy an heir-obsessed traditional family.
In addition to how women were oppressed in Iran some seven decades ago, many of them suffering or even dying "from the complications of womanhood," we also learn about social and religious traditions of Jewish Iranians and their highly-restricted and watchful community in a Muslim-majority country.
This book is yet another example of the extraordinary talents of Iranian women authors, who, in the past couple of decades have provided us with a steady stream of fiction and non-fiction titles. Writing provides an outlet for these women's frustrations in being treated as second-class citizens, not only by men but also by traditional, elder women. As I write this review, a feminist revolution is afoot in Iran under the slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom." Iranian women are highly educated and serious contributors to literature and poetry, mostly in Persian, but, more recently, also in other languages, as well as to other art forms. Their writing, acting, painting, and other talents are being recognized internationally, to the chagrin of the ruling mullahs, their cronies, and other patriarchs.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 234 reviews