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sfcohen's review against another edition
3.0
Should be 3.5 stars. I liked this book; it wasn't perfect (in fact, it's sorely in need of a copy editor in a few places) but it's enjoyable if you like a little magical realism thrown in with your cultural commentary. It's occasionally a little difficult to follow all the generations of this extended Iranian Jewish family, especially since the narrative is told in a series of flashbacks that gradually catch up to the present day. Worth reading just to learn a little bit about how Iran's Jewish population fared under and after the shah, and the ways in which Persian Jews fared differently than their Ashkenazi counterparts when they came to the US.
zptdoda's review against another edition
3.0
This was a curious book. We read it for bookclub and most of the people did not like it. I found it interesting, but I think I would have found it more amusing if I knew more about the culture. I did learn some new things, which led me to research more outside of the book, which I always appreciate.
ninasimo's review against another edition
4.0
Engaging lyrical writing, compelling complicated characters, grounded and mildly mystical plotlines made this a 4 star read about love, loss, grief, persistence, emigration. I will read more by Gina Nahai.
mattinthehat's review against another edition
I had trouble getting invested in/keeping track of the characters. Also I was busy
mdpenguin's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I had a very hard time getting into this. The story is told like a history, which didn't appeal to me. The characters are all very interesting and there are a few that I got behind, but the focus is mostly on Raphael's Son and his mother through most of it and they're such unpleasant people to read about. The humor was uneven, relying mostly on a sardonic irony that didn't always work for me and sometimes was absent or felt out of place during the darkest parts of the real-life history of what people were fleeing during and after the revolution. With all of that said, it all comes together in the end into something that's really quite beautiful. You have to go through the unpleasantness to understand why the revelations at the end are so important and profound.
reflectiverambling_nalana's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
While I find myself incredibly interested in this subsection of society and the cultural history in both countries featured I can't say I ever really connected with any of these characters which made it a difficult read to invest myself in. In fact, the way in which one is automatically referred to put me entirely off and rather abrasive to those that we are supposed to be rooting for. While I understand finding someone's actions unacceptable, there is an ugly title given to a character before the reader can even be allowed to come to conclusions about themselves that comes across more about race, pride, and greed than action initially.
THe mystery didn't feel as vital of a part, even though it is the introduction, as a way to tell the story of the places and time. I did like the perspective of what it was like for different times before and after the revolution. I do like how it highlights the different venues when it comes to class and gender. But I just never was as engaged as I had hoped.
THe mystery didn't feel as vital of a part, even though it is the introduction, as a way to tell the story of the places and time. I did like the perspective of what it was like for different times before and after the revolution. I do like how it highlights the different venues when it comes to class and gender. But I just never was as engaged as I had hoped.
sjgrodsky's review against another edition
2.0
I raced through this book to be ready for a book club meeting.
I may have had a different opinion if my read had been less pressured. But I tend to think I would not have completed the book at all.
I share the frustrations others have mentioned: there were too many characters and too many plot lines. It was hard to keep track of everyone. The author tells when she should show.
Also: the characters do not develop. Raphael's wife is shrewish. Raphael's son is evil. Elizabeth is bright but cold. All of these characters start out this way and so remain to the very end, despite the changes in circumstance each experiences.
A final complaint. The shah modernized Iran, surely a good thing. But he was also a brutal dictator who used torture and murder to stifle opposition. The narrator and her characters ignore the politics that engendered their exile.
I may have had a different opinion if my read had been less pressured. But I tend to think I would not have completed the book at all.
I share the frustrations others have mentioned: there were too many characters and too many plot lines. It was hard to keep track of everyone. The author tells when she should show.
Also: the characters do not develop. Raphael's wife is shrewish. Raphael's son is evil. Elizabeth is bright but cold. All of these characters start out this way and so remain to the very end, despite the changes in circumstance each experiences.
A final complaint. The shah modernized Iran, surely a good thing. But he was also a brutal dictator who used torture and murder to stifle opposition. The narrator and her characters ignore the politics that engendered their exile.
leleroulant's review against another edition
3.0
I received this as an advanced reading copy from LibraryThing. It was a very readable book. It was a good story. There were just a few spots where I started to lose interest. I didn't know how to feel about the main character (which is what I think the author was trying for), but as a result, it left me with an ambivalent feeling of the book in general.
zoes_human's review against another edition
emotional
3.0
Sad, beautiful, edifying and thought-provoking.