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A review by niamhbereading
The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
5.0
absolutely enchanting.... a lovely read.....
roya, our main narrator, is so enchanting. the story is told in third pov but the kamali does a great job of infusing roya's voice in it. she's human & messy & i can see myself in her. her reactions to the plot felt like something i would do, too.
the romance was so sweet. roya & bahman were the perfect teenage love story. i was rooting for them! & when it all went wrong it hurt me deeply :( though i wouldn't say this book is a romance, because it focuses on so much more than roya & bahman's romantic love. the plot is much richer than two teenagers falling in love.
the story begins in 1953 iran, & a good chunk of the book takes place there. even when it moves to the us, persian culture is seen everywhere through roya's voice. i'm not persian & i don't engage w/ persian culture really, but damn this book made me fall in love w/ it. i can see the research kamali did to create such a rich world. i'm extra impressed bc this book takes place in 1950s iran AND us, so kamali had to do double the period research.
the plot was so complex. three generations playing in one love story! everything falling together! wow
the depiction of iranian political conflict was so interesting. never did i think i would find myself, a silly american in 2023, learning about iranian coups seventy years prior. kamali is such a wordsmith that it was interesting.
n e way wonderful read! i would recommend this book to fans of sweet romances, period pieces, & complex stories. i think if you love "the princess bride" by william goldman you'll be into this.
roya, our main narrator, is so enchanting. the story is told in third pov but the kamali does a great job of infusing roya's voice in it. she's human & messy & i can see myself in her. her reactions to the plot felt like something i would do, too.
the romance was so sweet. roya & bahman were the perfect teenage love story. i was rooting for them! & when it all went wrong it hurt me deeply :( though i wouldn't say this book is a romance, because it focuses on so much more than roya & bahman's romantic love. the plot is much richer than two teenagers falling in love.
the story begins in 1953 iran, & a good chunk of the book takes place there. even when it moves to the us, persian culture is seen everywhere through roya's voice. i'm not persian & i don't engage w/ persian culture really, but damn this book made me fall in love w/ it. i can see the research kamali did to create such a rich world. i'm extra impressed bc this book takes place in 1950s iran AND us, so kamali had to do double the period research.
the plot was so complex. three generations playing in one love story! everything falling together! wow
the depiction of iranian political conflict was so interesting. never did i think i would find myself, a silly american in 2023, learning about iranian coups seventy years prior. kamali is such a wordsmith that it was interesting.
n e way wonderful read! i would recommend this book to fans of sweet romances, period pieces, & complex stories. i think if you love "the princess bride" by william goldman you'll be into this.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt, War, and Violence
this story takes place in 1953 iran, during political conflict. there is a coup & a character gets stabbed & dies . do not read if you're sensitive to war & death in war