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kincardine's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
annika_fabbi's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
laurapoulosky's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed the writing, the story, and the characters of this historical novel, which also taught me a bit about Iran and its cultural groups. I did skip a few sections early on about a horrible eye injection and its treatment, because they were too graphic for me and made my own eyes sting in sympathy. Other than those scenes, though, I would highly recommend this book.
emmadaamen's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
carroll79's review
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
2.5
elisegmusic's review
3.5
This book follows Aria, from her beginnings as a baby left on the street to die, all the way through to her marriage and her first child. It tells of the women who impacted her life, and it also shows how the Iranian revolution progressed into the violence that finally erupted.
I went into this excited about the historical fiction aspect, because I love learning about events and cultures that school didn’t teach me about, but it was actually pretty sparse in the details about the Iranian Revolution, and I felt like I left this book not really having learned much at all. I also feel like this book left a lot of things unfinished - there were so many interpersonal relationships Aria had that didn’t feel explored completely. The journey there was enjoyable, but I ended the book feeling like I was missing something more.
hannahmccarl's review
3.5
This book was hard to follow for me at times as it often switches between characters and timelines without notice. But the story and character development is good!
acantha's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
xosarahirene's review against another edition
4.0
This was a tough book to get through. Some parts dragged on, but there was magic in some of the scenes that will be unforgettable. The pain of this story was worthwhile, and I’m interested to research more information based on this time period.
candacesiegle_greedyreader's review against another edition
4.0
There is so much we don't know about Iran, especially in the period before the Islamic Revolution. It was religiously diverse, with Muslims, Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, and B'hai living together, not necessarily comfortably, but together.
Aria, a redheaded, green-eyed abandoned baby (light eyes are very bad luck) is rescued from wild dogs by a kindhearted driver, who takes her home to a wife who hates the child. That hatred will ultimately lead to Aria's rise in social class and her experience of Iran from poverty to wealth.
The story gets muddled toward the end, but this is a good, readable novel that will open your eyes to a culture and people we may know little about. It ends with the Islamic Revolution, but I would be interested to know how Aria, Hamlet, and their nameless baby survive their country's evolution.
Aria, a redheaded, green-eyed abandoned baby (light eyes are very bad luck) is rescued from wild dogs by a kindhearted driver, who takes her home to a wife who hates the child. That hatred will ultimately lead to Aria's rise in social class and her experience of Iran from poverty to wealth.
The story gets muddled toward the end, but this is a good, readable novel that will open your eyes to a culture and people we may know little about. It ends with the Islamic Revolution, but I would be interested to know how Aria, Hamlet, and their nameless baby survive their country's evolution.