Reviews

The Last Days of Café Leila by Donia Bijan

jarichan's review against another edition

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3.0

Donia Bijans Audiobiographie ist ein Highlight aus dem letzten Jahr. Ebenso die Rezepte, die darin zu finden sind. Was Romane betrifft muss sie jedoch noch ein wenig üben.

Insgesamt ist es ein ganz nettes Buch. Für jene, die Familiengeschichten mit etwas Drama mögen, ist es perfekt. Auch wenn man etwas sucht, das man einfach so nebenbei lesen und dann vergessen kann. Nach der Lektüre des Homesick Pies hatte ich mir jedoch ein wenig mehr erhofft. Eher etwas von der Qualität einer Nadia Hashimi. Aber damit kann Bijan leider nicht mithalten.

Die Figuren sind übertrieben emotional, es kommt zu oft zu Repetitionen und es fehlt an Tiefe. Nur Zods Geschichte konnte mich packen und überzeugen. Nur dort war ich emotional involviert. Ansonsten war ich entweder mit den Gedanken irgendwo anders oder genervt ab den Figuren.

Lillys Entwicklung ist ein weiterer positiver Aspekt, der dazu geführt hat, dass ich dem Buch doch noch drei Sterne verpasst habe. Ohne diesen Punkt wäre es eine Zwei Stern-Rezension geworden. Bijan hat definitiv Potential, aber vielleicht einfach nicht im belletristischen Bereich.

indianajane's review against another edition

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4.0

I needed half stars for this book, so I could give it four and a half. it made me wish that I could go to Tehran before the Revolution. It made me want to cook Persian food. it was only some elements of the last part of the book that made me not give it 5 stars.

andimontgomery's review against another edition

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3.0

This was a quick read, but I thought I’d enjoy it more than I did. The author wrote with a dispassionate style that never really drew me into the story or made me feel for any of the characters. I also wasn’t really fond of the passive Noor, either. I did enjoy the descriptions of the food they ate (and it made me hungry for Persian food!), however.

kaneebli's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5


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gracescanlon's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25


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notsansastark's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Wow. What a story. About family, leaving, returning. Homesickness. Love. Finding your place, or rediscovering it. One of the books that makes you cry really hard because it feels real. It is real. 

bkish's review against another edition

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4.0

I loved this book. It just was so human all of it. The author is a chef and she had famous restaurant in Palo Alto which is now closed. However the cuisine was french and this book really delves into displays iranian or persian cuisine. Its such a rich book of love and death and family and immigrants and parents and the danger of extreme politics leading to murders. Its a tale of people trying to find their path their way.
She is a good writer good not great...
She is telling somewhat of her own story

Judy

cherryworld's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring fast-paced

3.0

thain's review against another edition

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3.0

Good family drama set in Iran. Enjoyed the old father's backstory and the peripheral characters more than the rather annoying mother-daughter duo. Lots of mouth-watering descriptions of Persian cuisine.

jess_segraves's review against another edition

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4.0

Make sure you have a snack handy when reading this book. Although there were aspects of the book I disliked - the big catalyst in the book, for example - I thought it was well-done and heartfelt.