Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali

9 reviews

kimveach's review

adventurous dark 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

4.25

This book resonated with me.  The story of women losing their rights in Iran in the late 1970s due to conservative religious men seems very timely.  The friendship between two young girls who grow into very different women is lovely.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Miscarriage

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!

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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

ivi_reads_books's review

dark emotional informative sad

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

3.75

This novel presents 20th-century Iranian history through the perspectives of two girls, and later women, who respond very differently to the political upheavals that shape their country. I found their complex friendship fascinating, and I learned a great deal about Iran’s history along the way. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Infertility, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Blood

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. 

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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.

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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. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Violence

Moderate: Grief, Pregnancy, and War

Minor: Child death, Infertility, Infidelity, and Alcohol

alexisgarcia's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Marjan Kamali has done it yet again. this author can create such real characters that you love and feel frustration towards at different points in the book. this author can make me cry like almost no other.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

torturedreadersdept's review

emotional hopeful 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

kwolfie's review

dark emotional 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

This is such a beautiful and heartbreaking story about two completely different women becoming friends, or even sisters, and their journey through life as Iranian women. I know this is a work of fiction, but I genuinely learned a lot from this book and felt so connected to our two main characters. Please read TWs, but if you are able this is a must-read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol

Moderate: Sexual assault and War

Minor: Fatphobia, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Pregnancy