Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali

15 reviews

nataliebootlah's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

“Shir zan. A woman with the courage of a lion.” 

 

This gave me the FEEEEELS. I haven’t been touched by a book like this in a long time, what a gift! 

 

I knew next to nothing about the Iranian Revolution prior to reading this. Despite that, Kamali beautifully mixed fiction with historical facts to tell the tale of two young girls from different socio-economic classes become fierce friends. This is their story. The themes of girlhood, feminism, courage, political upheaval, resilience, and friendship—among others—portrayed in this story are relatable and incredibly timely. 

 

There were moments that had me laughing, crying, and rereading portions due to their profoundness. Sadly, it does not go unnoticed that the struggle for women’s rights seen in these pages is reminiscent of what many women around the world still face today, even here in America. And yet, this story sprinkles a bit of light into the darkness. 

 

What a truly fascinating, heartfelt read! One of the best I’ve read this year so far. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Death of parent, and War

Minor: Infertility, Infidelity, and Miscarriage

annamay1021's review

adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Sexism, Death of parent, and War

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Domestic abuse and Infidelity

ringofkeyz's review

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

Moderate: Infertility, Misogyny, Police brutality, Grief, and Alcohol

Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, and Miscarriage

bookwitch's review

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

While not AS heavy as another book I read this same year (that takes place in a similar time/area), it was still so very informative of what it might have been like to live through that history. What I find so interesting is that when you look for books about World History, you would think events like the ones that took place in this book and others, would have been a big chapter, but they are still to this day, whitewashed out of our history. It is devastating, and shameful that western education has excluded cultures like Ellie and Homa's, and the events that took place in the not so distant past. 
I did not absolutely love the story as a whole, but that does not take away from how upsetting it was to read about their experiences with a politically tumultuous Iran, and how their wealth/classes effected how they ended up. I very much enjoyed reading about Iran's history, and from female perspectives, though I did not always agree that these particular character's actions were smart or understandable. 

Following the friendship of Ellie and Homa through time, and distance, this book explores a lot of interesting themes of friendship and what someone is willing to do for their friends. 
Another one I read for book club, that I wouldn't have necessarily picked up for myself, and ended up really enjoying.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, and War

Moderate: Miscarriage, Sexual assault, and Death of parent

Minor: Infertility, Infidelity, and Torture

sarahbsews's review

emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: War

Minor: Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Rape, Torture, Police brutality, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism

clairebartholomew549's review

emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is a really striking story about generational change, what it means to fight for justice in your own way, lifelong friendships, and making peace or making waves. I felt deeply for both Homa and Ellie, and I learned so much about Iran. This book also had vivid descriptions of food that had my mouth watering, and it told a beautiful story of how food connects us and has so many memories and significance. The love story between Homa and Eleah really starts and ends with food, and it was a really meaningful throughline. It also made me very hungry, lol!

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Classism

bree_of_the_woods's review

challenging emotional informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Grief, and Alcohol

Moderate: Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Violence, and War

Minor: Infidelity

micaelamariem's review

challenging emotional inspiring reflective tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

This was a heartbreaking story set in the backdrop of the Iranian revolution and our two friends, one more politically minded than the other but both want reform in their own ways. The book expertly navigates the themes of coming of age, family, friendship, feminism, and even jealousy with the idea of an “evil eye.” 
The book had me enraptured. It was well written, descriptive, had compelling characters that caused me to care about them despite their flaws, and taught me more about Iranian history that I’m ashamed to say I didn’t know. And the sad thing is, Iran is still facing the same unfair policies today. If I learned anything from the book, is that we must keep fighting for what’s right, no matter the cost. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Classism

cdkm9's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

An amazing novel that was hard to put down. The author brings the reader along a rollercoaster of a journey through both the horrible and lighthearted/joyful moments in Ellie and Homa’s lives.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief, and War

Minor: Drug abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Rape, Torture, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic

mamagriff's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

A powerful historical fiction novel about life, religion & political divisions in Tehran from 1950s through 2022. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Violence

Moderate: Grief, Pregnancy, and War

Minor: Child death, Infertility, Infidelity, and Alcohol