Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

The Stationery Shop of Tehran by Marjan Kamali

41 reviews

seforaflorian's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infertility, Miscarriage, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Classism

annreadsabook's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.5

I wouldn’t normally call myself a romance reader—I don’t know why, but I often struggle to get into them. So when I heard about The Stationery Shop, a book that considers young love against the backdrop of political unrest in 1950s Iran, I was excited to dive in.

I appreciated the ways in which Kamali depicted the trials and triumphs of daily life unfolding all while one’s country descends into sociopolitical chaos—falling in love can be complicated and weird and messy even in the best of circumstances, but what happens when you throw in political violence and unrest? And I think there’s a lot to be said here about the roles that parents play in the lives of their children—there’s the question of what we owe our parents, and what our parents owe us. 

I did feel that the writing style left a bit to be desired—I would’ve loved to see a bit more of Roya beyond her desires to be with Bahman, and conversely I felt by the end of the book I knew next to nothing about Bahman himself—beyond his desires to “change the world,” who really is he and what does Roya actually find compelling about him? And perhaps this is one of the reasons I was a bit perplexed as to how Roya and Bahman, who fell into a whirlwind romance at only 17, continued to pine for each other over the course of 6 decades, well after both of them married others and had children of their own.

Nevertheless, I found myself hoping that Roya and Bahman would somehow find their way back to each other.

Anyway, I think this is might be a solid book for people who don’t generally vibe with most traditional romance books but are looking for something with romance involved--and for those who enjoy historical fiction.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Gun violence

Moderate: Child death and Miscarriage

Minor: Suicide attempt

ddnreads's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

*inhale*

AAAAAAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHH

HUFT

😡🥺😫😫😫😫😭😭

"Did we make it?"
*insert smile through the pain meme*

The Stationary Shop is a romance laced with historical fiction set in Iran. Told through non-linear timeline, it revolved around the political condition at that time, young once-in-a-lifetime lovers, and difficult condition of one's family. 

The story traced back the tangled love background history of a mother who affect the young lovers' path to the future. 

I have my suspicion, but how it turned out still enraged me :((( I hate miscommunication trope.  And I think they deserve better. At least the closure gave it justice 🥺

If you're into historical fiction romance with complicated family dynamic, the love of a mother and the lost of children, pick this book up and suffer with me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Classism

Minor: Gun violence

bree_of_the_woods's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Abortion

Minor: Death of parent

smsegal's review against another edition

emotional informative tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Gun violence

telemesmerism's review against another edition

emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Infertility, and Abortion

nicolebooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Violence, Suicide attempt, War, and Classism

Moderate: Abortion

mels_reading_log's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book is beautiful from the cover, to the love stories within. Not only did I fall in love with the characters and have my heart broken with them as well, I found out about some Persian dishes I need to try, because the food in this book leaps off the pages. Such a great love story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Gun violence, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Abortion and War

This book takes place in 1950’s Iran through 2013 in America so it does cover a lot of touchy subjects.

spellygirl's review against another edition

reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

It's a pretty good book, just a bit slow for my taste, and a lot of back and forth between times/people. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Grief, Murder, and War

Moderate: Blood, Abortion, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Cancer and Terminal illness

schausjk's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Abortion, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Minor: Cancer, Infertility, Blood, and Pregnancy