Reviews

The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree by Shokoofeh Azar

tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition

4.5

‘Beeta says that Mum attained enlightenment at exactly 2:35 p.m. on August 18, 1988, atop the grove’s tallest greengage plum tree on a hill overlooking all fifty-three village houses, to the sound of the scrubbing of pots and pans which pulled the grove out of its lethargy every afternoon.’ 

This book has been patiently waiting for me to read it for some years. That’s not uncommon: unless I live to be 120 or thereabouts, I suspect I’ll shuffle off this mortal coil with a reading list that would require a further century to complete. Yes, unlikely magical thinking. But once I picked up this novel, I was transported into a world where magical realism and harsh reality are brought together and conveyed to the reader in a form of classical Persian storytelling. 

This novel is set in Iran in the period after the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Roza, the mother of Sohrab, Beeta and Bahar, receives enlightenment in the greengage tree at the exact time that her son Sohrab is hanged under the instructions of Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini. The family fled Tehran in 1979, but they are not safe from the unrest even in the small village of Razan. Our narrator, Bahar, is a ghost. She was killed in Tehran in 1979. 

How does it work, this blend of reality and magic? In my reading, the magic leavens the reality without discounting the brutality of it. In addition to the impacts on Iran, the disappearances of people and the hangings, the rules about head coverings and the ubiquitous uteloads of men with firearms, each member of Bahar’s family has their own reaction to the events that have overwhelmed their country. Roza leaves her family after climbing down from the greengage tree. Her husband, Hushang withdraws, immersing himself in books before returning to Tehran. Beeta becomes a mermaid, while Bahar moves restlessly, and observes. 

Of course, there is more to the story. There are other characters, there are djinns, there are elements of the natural world as well. And somehow, Ms Azar draws these (seemingly) disparate elements together to deliver a rich story which reflects an ancient storytelling tradition which I chose to see as hope for a different future.  

Highly recommended. 

Jennifer Cameron-Smith 

secanno's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

krtlszlv's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

cmdennehy's review against another edition

challenging dark

5.0

papaveriepapere's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

dutchcrunch's review against another edition

4.0

Many passages here were 5 star quality however, I have given this book 4 stars due to some passages being lost in translation—particularly the more politically-focused sections and those that diverted away from the novel’s central family. It also could have used a few more revisions to knock out issues with syntax and unintentional repetitive passages.
The novel is deeply rooted in political trauma that has destroyed a beautifully interconnected Iranian family. It showcases how external conflicts (war, revolution, national disaster) can have internal consequences to the family unit. I found the sections about Roza’s disappearance and Beeta’s transformation to be particularly profound. I found it overall to be reminiscent of Ana Castillo’s /So Far from God/; as well as the obvious connection to /One Hundred Years of Solitude/.

*Some of the most exquisite magical realism I have ever experienced*

audreypalz's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

3.5

An interesting, sad, and layered book. There were parts I loved where the writing really shone and the author's emotional intelligence and grief were immediately apparent, but other times where I got a little lost. I'd recommend it, especially to anyone interested in the history of Iran, but it is, at many points, a tough read. 

ang_2's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

reggiethebird's review against another edition

challenging dark informative mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

p_scale's review against another edition

3.5

This was a strange read. I wasn't sure I was going to finish it untill about chapter 10, I'm not sure what changed or if I just started to grasp the writing style but it really was quite a change in that chapter.

There were still alot of things I didn't really connect with and broke the world of the story for me somewhat but this could be due to cultural differences as well. 

By the end I felt really connected to the characters though, I liked how the story flowed from different perspectives everyones wants and needs felt very unique to them and their character. 

I wouldn't say this is a necessary read but if you end up reading it I would give it a chance, definitely something unique and indefinable about this book.