The Lion Women of Tehran

Amazing story of two girls whose lives intersect at age 7 by chance. They have different dreams and expectations but their lives intertwine. They have an enduring friendship fraught with hardship due to the political landscape of 1950-1980s Iran. They support and defend one another throughout their lives.

It is a beautiful story that will be with me .

Many books feature friendships that span a lifetime, as this book does. But what makes this so special is that it sheds light on a pivotal time in Iran’s history, one that expanded women’s rights, only to usurp them again. It taught me the difference between Persian and Arabic, and the traditional foods and culture of Iran. It taught me the lengths that brave women were willing to go to in the fight for equality and freedom to just live their lives and make their own choices. It reminded me of the beautiful, complex, sometimes painful and always redemptive relationships that women share as we move through life. This is a wonderful book, and I highly recommend that you share it with your closest friends!

I loved The Lion Women of Tehran. I loved the novel’s main characters. I loved learning the history of the oppression of Iranian women through Ellie and Homa’s story. The two girls become friends in childhood. Their friendship endures despite trials and tribulations. On International Women’s Day in 1979, readers are right there with Homa as men with clubs enter the crowd of protesters. Tens of thousands of women marching. This novel thrilled me and enlightened me and made me want to waste no time in trying Persian food because of the frequent references to dishes I had never heard of, let alone tasted. I felt the anguish of Iranian women when the current regime passed a law making the hijab mandatory. When Homa marches for women’s rights, readers are right there by her side, clenched fists in the air. We root for Homa and Ellie across 75 years. So much happens in this novel, but it’s a page-turner. No wonder Oprah recommended it. I appreciated Marjan Kamali’s Author’s Note that she is neither a scholar nor a historian. That may be true, but Kamali succeeds in making us care about Iran and its courageous women. She adds timeliness to the story with reference to Mahsa Amini, the Kurd who was murdered for having shown a bit of hair. Run, don’t walk, to your favorite local independent bookstore and get your hands on this novel. It is excellent.

After reading this book, I have a new appreciation for all the things I simply take for granted in my "American" life and as an American woman. I don't plan to be an activist but I definitely feel like a more informed ally of women's rights.

I recommend this book. Read it. It reminded me of "The Kite Runner". I don't mean it as an insult but a compliment: I loved the history presented in this novel. I loved the characters and the imagery. I love the rhythm of the story. It reminded me of listening to my grandma or grandpa tell a story of their past or of my parents. It kept me up all night. "One more chapter, then I'll go to sleep," is what I repeated over and over until I came to the end all too soon.

One thing I didn't like is that I didn't see the recipes of some of the dishes described in the book. The author describes them in such detail, I was left salivating and searching for things like "fesenjan near me." Okay, I am not a big fan of rosewater anything. But I would love to taste of of the dishes described in the book.

I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did. Thank you for reading my review (if you made it this far.)

Thank you Gallery Books for allowing me to read and review The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali on NetGalley.

Published: 07/02/24

Stars: 4.5

I enjoyed Kamali's storytelling. This checks all the emotional boxes: I laughed, cried, cringed, held my breath, shook my head and sighed; a rollercoaster of emotions.

The story spans the lifetimes of two women who became friends as young children. They were born into the Iranian culture. And this is where Kamali shined. She added enough Iranian traditions and political views to keep the story authentic: a book on friendship and differences. I wasn't overwhelmed with political nuances. The basics of head coverings, women voicing their opinions, educational opportunities are touched on. I found the balance of power in income and familial differences to be represented equally.

The story is beautifully done. I would recommend and gift this.

Format:

📚 Paperback: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Really liked it!

🎧 Audiobook: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Narrated by Mozhan Navabi with Nikki Massoud The narration has a great flow and is smooth in pronunciation. The voice inflection is soothing, but it was also a bit monotone so it made it difficult to stay engaged at times.

The Lion Women of Tehran is a story of two young girls, Ellie and Homa, who are from different backgrounds yet become best friends. As they are coming into adulthood, a terrible mistake takes them on separate paths.

✴️ What I liked:

~ The story is beautiful! I fell in love with each of the characters and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about their lives.

~ The writing is very detailed and helps the reader picture what is being described, such as food and clothing.

✴️ What didn't work for me:

~ The pacing is slow in the first half of the book until it hits the climax before the start of Part Three.

✴️ Final thoughts:

This book is tragically beautiful, while also empowering. Never stop fighting for equality, lionesses. 💪