In Tehran, Iran, little Sara is traumatized by witnessing the brutal assault and murder of her 9 year-old sister by a man she knows. She is left mute by the experience, unable to communicate her terror and grief. She then develops a strange reaction to the trauma, by sprouting a beard every time she is forced to be around a man she doesn't know. Over time, Sara leaves Iran and becomes a great spiritual leader known as the Prophetess, where she then experiences further oppression and manipulation by social media.

This is a strange and thought-provoking little novel - a work of magical realism which skillfully depicts the impact of state, social and religious-sanctioned oppression and violence towards women. Sara is all women, angry at having to cover themselves, lower their voices, defer to men and be invisible.

As the Prophetess, a journalist asks her with what gender she identifies. "All the women in me, who have come a long way, laugh at this. They say being a woman is absolute misery, and those who are born even a little bit male should hold on to that privilege. This is the outcome of thousands of years of what men have done to us...but I am a woman. Not just one, but millions."

This book couldn't be more timely or relevant than right now. I hope that many people will read it and that it sparks an important conversation, not just for women but for all of us. Much gratitude to Vehicule Press for sending this gem to me, and to Dimitri Nasrallah for recommending it in his Giller Prize interview.