A review by pascalthehoff
Disoriental by Négar Djavadi

adventurous emotional informative slow-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

Everything you’d want from a historical generational drama and more. Disoriental tells the story of the Iranian revolution of 1979, that was way more complicated than us Westerners like to believe. It shows the foreplay and the aftermath of the revolution, as well as the very ambivalent state of the Iranian republic before it, and life as exiles in Europe after it – all from several perspectives within the family, but through the pen of the youngest daughter. 

 

There are so many facets to the story and its characters, that the novel is sure to enlighten any Western reader who grew up in a post 9/11 world with its simplified image of the Middle East. The plot tops off the historical aspects with the engaging present storyline of the gay female protagonist trying to get pregnant in her exile in Paris. 

 

Present, past and even deeper past interweave in elegant ways, sometimes mid-sentence, in the protagonist’s narration. This makes the many names and different generations introduced in the first chapters quite a challenge initially. Kind of like if Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko were more like its non-linear TV adaption, but without the visual support of the actors’ faces. 

 

Once this quiets down and the plot settles with the younger generations, however, each character gains surprising depth, making the entire family’s fate compelling to learn about and experience.