M Dawidowicz > Recent Status Updates

Roya attends Bahman's memorial service. After the services, Claire spends time with Roya. They speak about Bahman and have Persian dinner together. The epilogue explains why Mr.Fakhri listened to Mrs.Aslan and how Mr.Fakhri tried to right his wrongs. Such an excellent story. It pulls on the heartstrings and evokes emotions for these characters. I will be thinking of this story for the next few days.

CH29 - Roya visits Bahman again. but finds Bahman's health has worsen. Bahman and Roya spend time together. Roya has forgiven the past. All is OK for that moment in time.

Bahman's letter to Roya explaining his side of the story. Jahangir was in love with Bahman. His mother convincing Mr.Fakhri to switch the letters starting their twisted fate. A very sad plot twist to such young lovers.

CH28 - Bahman & Roya are both 77 and finally met. Roya finds out Bahman was waiting at the square for her and that Shahla had died. This is the chapter where Bahman realizes his letters were changed but Roya thinks he has dementia.

CH 26 - Bahman's son Omid reveals his father is at the Duxton Senior Center. This is when Roya decides she would finally go visit Bahman to find the answers to her questions from many years ago.

CH25 - At 42, Roya has a son named Kyle. Kyle was endlessly curious & Roya's reason to continue living. One day while shopping, Roya finds a place called " The Stationary Shop". This is where she meets Bahman's son. Exciting to see it all come together!!

CH 24 - Bahman's POV of the protests going on. Eventually he lives to see the Shah getting overthrown. He also sees the Iran-Iraq war. We find out that Jahangir joined the army as a doctor but died on the front lines.

Introduced a new character - Claire. We learn about her life and how she came to work at the Duxton Senior Center. Here, we learn that her favorite patient was Bahman Aslan... How did he make it to America? Do we find out in the next few chapters??

We find out Jack and Zari are having their first child. Roya finds out Bahman has twins from Jahangir. Roya finally has a daughter - Marigold. However, Marigold passes away. Zari brings her 2 kids with her - Darius and Leila - for 2 weeks she helps take care of Roya. Eventually Patricia comes over with items for Nowruz. Roya and Patricia bond over tea.

Ch 21- Bahman's POV, he has a son and daughter - twins. We find out that Bahman was Mrs. Aslan's 5th child. Previously all the rest had died.

CH 20 - Walter asks Roya to marry him. Roya agrees & her parents fly out from Iran to attend the wedding. Later Jack and Zari get married. Walter's sister Patricia dislikes Roya for being a foreign wife. Roya is afraid to have a child after Mrs. Aslan's words from many years ago... babies die.

CH 19 - Walter, Jack, Roya and Zari are all having burgers together. Roya invites walter over to cook him dinner. They both make Khorsh e Bademjan. This is the chapter where Roya starts to slowly open up & fall for Walter even if she keeps telling herself not to.

CH 18 - Bahman's POV of life after the coup. Bahman reminises over Roya. We come to find out his mom does calligraphy as well - foreshadowing of his mom falsifying notes to Bahman and Roya? Soon Bahman will have a child with Shahla.

CH 17 - Roya and Zari both live in a boarding house with Mrs. Kishpaugh and attend Mills College in California. Zari starts to date Jack Bishop and Roya gets introduced to Walter.

Roya and Zari apply to american universities for a better life under the wishes of their father. Towards the end of the chapter, Roya and Zari both board the plane to america never knowing when will be the next time they will both see Iran.

CH15 - Roya recieves a letter from Bahmamn. Bahman calls off the wedding to pursue political affairs. A few days later, Roya receives a call from Bahman's mother telling her that Bahman is getting married in 2 months. This crushes Roya's soul.

CH14 - introduced to a new character - Ali.
Ali was destined to married his 2nd cousin Atieh. But he is in love with another girl - Badri. Within this chapter we find out that Ali is actually Mr. Fakhri and Badri is Bahman's mom. Badri was a poor melon selling girl and an ex lover of Mr. Fakhri.

Roya dreams of Mr. Fakhri still being alive and in his stationary shop even though knowing he is dead. Roya talks to him and he gives his response about forgetting Bahman.

Ch11 - Zari knows that Roya has been reading Bahman's letters nightly. Roya makes a statement towards Zari that she doesnt know anything about love. Which ends up hurting Zari. Perhaps shes in love?

Regardless, towards the end of the of the chapter, Roya receives another letter from Bahman which asks her to meet him at Sepah Square so they can get married to each other.

CH10 - Been about a week since Roya last saw Bahman. No calls or letters. Roya went to the stationary shop. There she questions Mr. Fakhri about Bahman and his whereabouts. But Mr.Fakhri said the only thing he could do was send Roya's letters to Bahman via books. During this time, Roya gets 2 letters back from Bahman.

CH9 - Jahangir invites Bahman and Roya over to celebrate their engagement. This is where Roya encounter's Shahla again. During Bahman and Roya's tango dance together, Bahman reveals that Shahla's family works for that Shah and that her father is allied with the Shah's police.

CH8 - Roya & her mom make jeweled rice together for the engagement party. They discuss about Roya's future. Later Bahman's family joins but unfortuantely this is also the chapter Bahman's mother voices out her disdain for Roya. Mr. Fakhri is also an invited guest - invited from Bahmans mom.

CH6 - Bahman asks Roya's parents if he has their permission to marry Roya. Her parents accept him. This is also the chapter we find out about Shahla -- the girl who Bahman's mother wanted him to marry instead.
CH7 - Mostly a POV of Bahman's mother's side & how she wanted Bahman to climb the social ladders into a better life instead of an average life with Roya.

Finished CH5, Roya's family had just finished celebrating Persian New Year and had waited 2 weeks to go back to the stationary shop. There, she sees Bahman again. Bahman had given Roya a gift - a notebook to write her own poetry in. Afterwards, both Bahman and Roya go to cafe Ghanadi as another hangout spot. On the way, they see a woman in red who looks like shes waiting -- foreshadowing?!

Lost in the Desert

Ch 3 - It’s close to Persian New Year & Zari finds out Roya fell in love with Bahman. This is also when Roya is questioned by Bahman about what she really wants to do in life. CH 4 - Roya and Bahman go to protest but Bahman gets beaten by Police who work for the Shah. We get introduced to Jahangir too… Bahman friend who takes him to his father’s clinic.

Introduced to 17 yr old Roya and her younger sister Zori. They’re both having breakfast with their baba and maman. It’s 1953, Mohammad Mossadegh was elected as prime minister and Reza Shah was the king at the time. We find out that Zori is in love with a boy named Yousof. However, we also find out that protests are happening during this time against the prime minister. We also get introduced to Bahman at the shop

Just finished chapter 1. I got introduced to the initial characters… Roya, Walter, and Bahmen. Everyone is about 77 years old. Roya drops off Walter at the dandelion deli and then goes to visit Bahman at the Dustin senior center.