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I had some great reads this year, but The Lion Women of Tehran was my top read for 2024.

I wonder what my top read will be in 2025?

#readingbracket2024 @CSeydel

This book was a good homage to the fierce and loving Persian women I know in my family.

I felt the book was realistic. The storyline could really happen. I don't think any book can truly capture the horror that was Khomeini, but it did illustrate how the U.S. had previously interfered with the Iranian government, ultimately leading to a terrible backlash. I hadn't fully grapsed this history until this book.

Wow. This was a good one. It‘s heavy at times, as it should be with the topic of women‘s rights in Iran over the last several decades. But it has funny parts, a tremendous friendship, and some really good and decent human beings. I knew a tiny bit of Iran‘s history, but this opened up my view of it and I hope things get better there in my lifetime.

Friendship at its finest. Homa is a women after my own heart and so admirable. The author touched lightly on the history of Iran but mainly focused on the struggle of women.

Oh my goodness! I loved it!
A story of two young girls of different backgrounds becoming best friends during the 1950s in Tehran, and growing up in different worlds. Along with the themes of friendship, forgiveness, women's freedom, and learning to love, we also learn the history of how women lost their rights in Iran. I grew to like Ellie (though she got on my nerves a few times) but I loved Homa. It was realistic and bittersweet. I give it 5 ⭐️

I‘m forever looking for books featuring lifelong female friendships that speak to me the way Elena Ferrante‘s books do. This comes close.

Loved it !! Learned so much !

This is one of this year‘s Great Group Reads books (full list coming soon) so I brought it with me on holiday so I‘d start it.

This is a stunning portrayal of youth, courage and friendship, all set against the turbulent decades in Iranian history. This is the second novel I have read by Kamali and I am a huge fan of her writing style. I have been swept up by both stories, and this one particularly resonated with me. Her study of female friendships in this narrative is remarkable. I felt the love and the joy along with the sadness and uncertainty as this story unfolded.

I just loved The Stationary Shop, so I was excited for this one and it did not disappoint. It follows the lives and friendship of two women in Tehran who meet as girls and the different paths they end up on. It‘s terrific. Kamali really excels at bittersweet.

What a beautiful book! It‘s a story about strong woman in Iran who had a very strong friendship. It‘s about forgiveness and love. I learned a lot about life in Iran and about how it changed for the worse over the years. I sympathize with the strong women who live there, for whom freedom is just a dream. Reading this book reminded me of how fortunate am to be free. I highly recommend this book and gave it 5 ⭐️s.

This book gives us a glimpse of life in Tehran from the 1950s through 1980s. The way it weaves a friendship of two 7-yo girls into and through adulthood to capture the Iranian experience, women‘s rights, class divide, social injustice - is exceptional. Some of the story is particular to Iran and some is universal to female friendships. 👇

I loved this book about two young women growing up in Tehran. A really good book about friendship and life under a totalitarian regime.

I thought this was excellent!

A story about friendship (including all the complications) and deciding what you are going to stand up for and how much you are willing to sacrifice for your beliefs.

Here's what I chose for #BOTM this time. I put One Star Romance in my July box already. I have the two other books as well. I had to wait until my relationship status changed so I could add more than two books.