Scan barcode
walden2ite's review against another edition
5.0
A beautiful, enlightening and saddening story of coming of age during Iran's revolution. This should be read after reading detailed accounts; Roya provides a perspective on the revolution, not extensive details of it.
alexblackreads's review against another edition
3.0
This was a really interesting look at growing up in a tumultuous time in Iran, and an interesting perspective because most of what I've read about Iran from this time has been from the perspective of Muslims. Hakakian is Jewish which changes a lot of what she personally went through. Would definitely recommend just for her own experiences and a lot of the stories of the personal relationships she had and the way the world changed them.
Her writing style was a little too flowery for me. Towards the end I started adjusting to it better, but it took a very long time. It just constantly felt like it was too much for my tastes.
I also struggled a little with how little of the revolution we as readers saw. I think had I not already read other books about Iran in the 70s and 80s, I would have been very confused by the political events. Perhaps it's because of how young Hakakian was at the time, but it was written in a very disjointed way. The book is much more about her personal life with the politics as a backdrop and catalyst for some of the events. I just wish it had felt a little more cohesive.
I would recommend this book, though. It was interesting and definitely worthwhile. I learned a lot of things from this that hadn't been present in other works and Hakakian has had such an interesting life. I just think I wanted something more or different from it.
Her writing style was a little too flowery for me. Towards the end I started adjusting to it better, but it took a very long time. It just constantly felt like it was too much for my tastes.
I also struggled a little with how little of the revolution we as readers saw. I think had I not already read other books about Iran in the 70s and 80s, I would have been very confused by the political events. Perhaps it's because of how young Hakakian was at the time, but it was written in a very disjointed way. The book is much more about her personal life with the politics as a backdrop and catalyst for some of the events. I just wish it had felt a little more cohesive.
I would recommend this book, though. It was interesting and definitely worthwhile. I learned a lot of things from this that hadn't been present in other works and Hakakian has had such an interesting life. I just think I wanted something more or different from it.
hopefullyfatireads's review against another edition
3.0
the only unique thing about this book is the fact that she’s jewish iranian. i’ve read a couple of other similar memoirs but none were from a jewish person’s perspective.
alissawva's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent memoir of the life of a young Jewish Iranian girl growing up in revolutionary Iran. It is a must read.
beccah85's review against another edition
3.0
This memoir is relatively short but a little difficult to get through. I had never read a story about a Jew living in a Muslim country. It was enlightening.
estherd1's review
4.0
The ending is very anticlimactic. Omitting what I’m sure many readers were waiting to get to.
eschell's review against another edition
emotional
informative
sad
fast-paced
4.5
Ahhhh so deeply personal! My favorite account of the Iranian Revolution so far. The author details her experiences as a Jewish girl and woman in Iran and experiencing the fervor of revolution, the restraining changes, and so much more. She really takes you all the way through her childhood with a lot of personal details.
readerkim's review against another edition
4.0
Not a broad view or much background of the environment and political aspects. But an emotional first person account of life in Tehran before, during and after the fall of the royal family.
bookwormmichelle's review
4.0
The story of a Jewish girl growing up in Tehran during the Revolution. Lyrically written, sometimes a bit too much so for myself.