Publication Date: July 2024

Synopsis:

In 1950s Tehran, seven-year-old Ellie lives in grand comfort until the untimely death of her father, forcing Ellie and her mother to move to a tiny home downtown. Lonely and bearing the brunt of her mother’s endless grievances, Ellie dreams of a friend to alleviate her isolation.

Luckily, on the first day of school, she meets Homa, a kind, passionate girl with a brave and irrepressible spirit. Together, the two girls play games, learn to cook in the stone kitchen of Homa’s warm home, wander through the colorful stalls of the Grand Bazaar, and share their ambitions for becoming “lion women.”

But their happiness is disrupted when Ellie and her mother are afforded the opportunity to return to their previous bourgeois life. Now a popular student at the best girls’ high school in Iran, Ellie’s memories of Homa begin to fade. Years later, however, her sudden reappearance in Ellie’s privileged world alters the course of both of their lives.

Together, the two young women come of age and pursue their own goals for meaningful futures. But as the political turmoil in Iran builds to a breaking point, one earth-shattering betrayal will have enormous consequences.

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What To Expect:

You can expect a coming of age story of two girls growing up in the midst of political upheaval in Iran, from the 1950s to 2022. The novel contains themes of friendship, the impact of political regimes on the everyday lives of women in the Middle East, the power of jealousy, and the redemption that comes when we embrace unconditional love and forgiveness.

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Content Warnings:

Language: Mild – Some religious exclamations. A few uses of “hell” and “damned”

Sexual Content: One scene where sex is accidentally observed; one fade-to-black rape scene; infidelity and affairs discussed in non-graphic detail

Violence: Moderate – Torture and beatings, war time violence, death

Substance Use: Alcohol abuse, marijuana and cocaine use (brief, all portrayed negatively)

Prejudices: Mild – Islamic extremism portrayed; misogyny, and women’s rights all explored mostly politically. Communists imprisoned. Hate towards Iranians.

Religious Themes: There are superstitions discussed, including the evil eye. Islam and hijabs are also discussed.

Other Topics: Narcissistic parent. Miscarriages. Depression (including postpartum depression and PTSD) and suicidal thoughts (non-graphic)

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