A review by natreadthat
The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Amidst the rising Iranian revolution, two kids find solace in one another as their love story blossoms. A chance encounter more than sixty years later leads Roya back to Bahman, the boy she was going to marry. Will she finally learn why he never met her in the square all those years ago? 
 
This story is not a happy one, it’s a tale of love, loss, and forgiveness. What would you do if the lost love of your life resurfaced decades later? How would your current partner handle it? The story follows Roya as she grows up, heals from heartbreak, leaves her country to attend college, marries, and crosses paths with Bahman once again. There are different kinds of love in the human experience, and this was a great reflection of that. 
 
I really, really loved The Lion Women of Tehran (read it!!) and was hoping The Stationary Shop would be just as excellent. It was good, but Lion Women is my favorite Kamali so far! And wowee, check out that beautiful cover! 🤩

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