Scan barcode
A review by belindab
Censoring an Iranian Love Story by Shahriar Mandanipour
5.0
Tired of writing "dark and bitter" stories, an Iranian writer sets out to write a love story. Unfortunately, a publishing permit isn't easy to acquire and practically impossible for a narrative that could tempt or titillate readers with forbidden images, however subtly implied. That includes virtually any contact between unrelated men and women. So, with Mr. Petrovich from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance looking over his shoulder, our author commences his tale. At first his young lovers behave as he tells them to, but soon they begin asserting themselves in their own story. The author is forced to step in himself on occasion to nudge events into safer directions, even as he dreams of the passages he's forbidden to write. The writing process is detailed in text, the narrative in bold and the passages that would annoy Mr. Petrovich are dutifully struck through.
I loved this book. Mandanipour is alternately amused, exasperated, terrified and heartbroken by the regime in his beloved country. I wish I could read Farsi, because I'm certain there is even more word play and symbolism that didn't survive translation.
It's hard to describe, because there are so many asides and digressions. Mandanipour talks about how movies are edited in Iran (Stands with a Fist and Dances with Wolves are turned into long lost brother and sister, and of course any scene showing a woman below the chin is censored). About how the agent tapping your phone, over time, becomes a confidant. He talks about the symbolism used in Iranian poetry to avoid actually naming men and women, their body parts or the joining thereof:
"The garden trekking, zoo traveling, fruit picking and scuba diving of the two lovers takes an entire day and a night, and then the two sleep for an entire day and night... I hope that after this rather lengthy example, you have come to understand why censorship is so complicated in Iran and why Iranian literature, which is quite rich, is so difficult to translate and to read."
All this is woven around his actual story of lovesick Dara and Sara. As the novel progresses, the line between the author's life and his creation blurs - it's like watching the action through a heat wave, you recognize the actors but can't quite tell who is who. Seen one way, the story is true. Seen another, the story is also true, but means something else entirely. Then Mr. Petrovich blunders in, and there's the recurring problem of the hunchback midget. So you see, a concise description is nearly impossible.
I loved this book. Mandanipour is alternately amused, exasperated, terrified and heartbroken by the regime in his beloved country. I wish I could read Farsi, because I'm certain there is even more word play and symbolism that didn't survive translation.
It's hard to describe, because there are so many asides and digressions. Mandanipour talks about how movies are edited in Iran (Stands with a Fist and Dances with Wolves are turned into long lost brother and sister, and of course any scene showing a woman below the chin is censored). About how the agent tapping your phone, over time, becomes a confidant. He talks about the symbolism used in Iranian poetry to avoid actually naming men and women, their body parts or the joining thereof:
"The garden trekking, zoo traveling, fruit picking and scuba diving of the two lovers takes an entire day and a night, and then the two sleep for an entire day and night... I hope that after this rather lengthy example, you have come to understand why censorship is so complicated in Iran and why Iranian literature, which is quite rich, is so difficult to translate and to read."
All this is woven around his actual story of lovesick Dara and Sara. As the novel progresses, the line between the author's life and his creation blurs - it's like watching the action through a heat wave, you recognize the actors but can't quite tell who is who. Seen one way, the story is true. Seen another, the story is also true, but means something else entirely. Then Mr. Petrovich blunders in, and there's the recurring problem of the hunchback midget. So you see, a concise description is nearly impossible.