Reviews with content warning for Grief - The Stationery Shop of Tehran

This book was a whirlwind! I really enjoyed how Marjan took us from the past to the present throughout. The plot twists were twisting, and I enjoyed the way Marjan set up the plot. I'm not a big romance reader- honestly this is one of two books I've read with romance as a main theme. Without giving away spoilers, the romance between Roya and Bahman was very sweet and definitely portrayed young love at it's finest. The drama between the adults was where the true tea simmered! Aside from the romance elements, I also appreciated the historical/cultural backdrop of the book and learned so much about 1950s Tehran! Highly recommend if you're into historical fiction/romance.

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lily159's review against another edition

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emotional informative sad fast-paced

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

3.75

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thebookwormkatie's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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katonthejellicoe's review

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emotional sad medium-paced

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

tier: liked it a lot

this book was filled with melancholy, nostalgia, and love that could never be forgotten. i didn't cry (tho i was certain i would) but it caused a pang of pain on my chest for so many reasons.

(thirteen hours after i've read this book...)

this was perfectly written — from the characters and their complex personalities and dynamics to the atmospheric setting to its seamless timeline. it was accessible yet poetic in its own way. the historical and romance aspects of it intertwined smoothly with one another which made it a well-balanced novel.

objectively, this is a five-star book. it was probably the best historical fiction i've read in a while. but as you all know, i NEED to cry in books (lols). hence, from personal experience, it wasn't a favorite but it was almost there. in numbers, this may very well be a 4.95 out of 5 stars.

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lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

5.0

I picked this up as part of a Patreon book club selection.
“The Stationary Shop” follows a woman named Roya throughout the majority of her life. As a teenager, she seeks refuge from her war torn country in Mr. Fakhri’s stationary shop. One afternoon, she meets Bahman and they instantly bond over their love for Rumi. When they are driven apart, they continue to communicate via letters they leave each other in books in the stationary shop. Unfortunately, on the day they are set to reunite disaster strikes, and they never hear from one another again. Now, decades later, Roya is living her life in America with her loving husband and now grown children. She is quietly content, until she learns that Bahman is not too far from her. Will she finally be able to get the answers from him that she needs?
This book will simultaneously break your heart and make you believe in love again. Roya and Bahman’s love is so pure and you want with all of your soul for them to be together. You are enraged at their circumstance and heartbroken to read about their country falling apart. I really loved seeing them profess their love, adoration, and hope for one another through letters. Writing is slowly becoming a last art and seeing a love story play out in this way was incredible.
The writing itself in this novel is beautiful. Marjan Kamali is an immensely talented author. Once I started this book, I devoured it within 24 hours because I needed to see Roya and Bahman have their redemption as well as I was continually in awe of the prose.
I also really enjoyed reading about the politics of Tehran in such an approachable way. There is so much turmoil that occurred in this country and it was interesting as a reader to see the revolution that was brewing in 1953, but not have it take away for the story. The discussions about the corrupt leadership and violence told through an innocent citizen’s life were humbling.
Marjan Kamali has quickly become a new favorite author and I look forward to reading more of their books in the future.

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