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paracosm's review against another edition
4.0
In this book we follow a woman named Massoumeh, she was raised in a conservative family, and lives through the Islamic Revolution in Iran and other conflicts that occurred in that country in the late twentieth century.
The thing I liked the most about the novel is how it showcases female strength. When contemporary media tries to portray "strong female characters" it usually leans towards an incredibly badass but hot warrior, that's not like other girls and hates anything related to domestic life. The author breaks this mold completely. Massoumeh is a mother, a housewife, and very religious, but her strength and bravery is still palpable. She goes through so much in her life, but is always willing to work hard, to keep going even when all the odds are against her, and is incredibly selfless.
My biggest problem with the book is its awful ending. It makes me so mad just to think about it. You see, at the end Massoumeh has a rencounter with her childhood sweetheart, a dude named Said. They fall in love and want to get married. But Massoumeh's children, a bunch of egotistical and selfish assholes, decide that they dont want to get married because she is too old, and having a stepfather would be embarrassing for them. So Massoumeh decides to listen to them, rejects the proposal, and resigns herself to live a life of solitude. That's such a bullshit ending and I hate it so much.
The thing I liked the most about the novel is how it showcases female strength. When contemporary media tries to portray "strong female characters" it usually leans towards an incredibly badass but hot warrior, that's not like other girls and hates anything related to domestic life. The author breaks this mold completely. Massoumeh is a mother, a housewife, and very religious, but her strength and bravery is still palpable. She goes through so much in her life, but is always willing to work hard, to keep going even when all the odds are against her, and is incredibly selfless.
My biggest problem with the book is its awful ending. It makes me so mad just to think about it. You see, at the end Massoumeh has a rencounter with her childhood sweetheart, a dude named Said. They fall in love and want to get married. But Massoumeh's children, a bunch of egotistical and selfish assholes, decide that they dont want to get married because she is too old, and having a stepfather would be embarrassing for them. So Massoumeh decides to listen to them, rejects the proposal, and resigns herself to live a life of solitude. That's such a bullshit ending and I hate it so much.
tinaxx2's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
saessenach's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
hellsells's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
reading_rant's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-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
5.0
myshelfjourney's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
biblioph1le's review against another edition
4.0
Living in a western society as I do, this story opened my eyes to a totally alien culture and whilst I wanted to shake the protagonist, she lived in a society that I find difficult to comprehend. I couldn't put this down as I had to know the ending but like others I was a little disappointed but that is life - not always satisfying in the end!