Reviews tagging 'War'

The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali

85 reviews

bridgjm's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, and War

nataliecoyne's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

Words cannot express how much I loved this book. It is such an easy 5 stars and I now really admire Marjan Kamali's writing. I loved her other book that I read, <i>The Lion Women of Tehran</i>, but it's entirely possible that I loved this one even more. The story is so beautiful, albeit tragic at times. And it felt very <i>real.</i> It didn't feel like I was watching some cheesy romance movie.

At first, I didn't really understand the decision to include a romance between Ali and [name I'm not including to avoid spoilers], when I read the chapter with introducing that romance at the beginning of part 2 I was like "okay, this is random??" But, by the end, it made a lot of sense.

I absolutely would recommend this to others. Easy 5 stars.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Drug use, Infertility, Infidelity, Racism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Vomit, Islamophobia, Dementia, Religious bigotry, Abortion, and War

pagesofash's review against another edition

challenging sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

It's a brilliant story, it's just not for me, despite how well written it is and how layer the characters are, despite the confronting history that makes me realise my privilege and question my perspective I just can't love a story that makes me feel sad from start to finish. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, and Classism

Moderate: Suicide attempt and War

Minor: Cancer, Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Police brutality, and Death of parent

qirhh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

It’ll leave you feeling bittersweet yet content. You’ll understand that what’s not meant to be has already been written in our fate, and what’s meant to be will always find its way to us. 

I love this book so very much. It will be on my mind for a while. I will look up the history of Iran and its people. I will think of Roya and Bahman and the people alike when I search it up. I will be reminded of not just the Iran-Iraq war, but the past world wars and the current ones. It will remind me of why I like to pick historical books though they are mostly of tragic stories yet there is always a lesson to learn from them. 

This book will be in my heart forever. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage and Grief

Moderate: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and War

chaitra_brewedbookworm's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

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

5.0

The Stationery Shop of Tehran is a beautifully written, heart-wrenching novel that truly tugs at your emotions. It made me cry, feel deeply for the characters, and reflect on the ease of life we enjoy today compared to the struggles of the past. Though I'm not typically a romance reader, this book pulled at all the right strings, making me want to know more about the boy who would change the world and his beloved, Roya Joon.
The depiction of political unrest and its lasting impact on people’s lives is breathtaking. The way Marjan Kamali weaves history into the love story is seamless, capturing both personal and political turmoil. Written in multiple timelines with third-person narration, the story also includes poignant letters that provide a deeply personal touch.
I cried, hurt, and even cursed at the characters' fate as I experienced their journey through love, loss, and betrayal. This story is filled with so much—passion, sisterhood, dreams, trauma, trust, friendship, and psychological struggles. The ending left a lump in my throat; it was so painful yet so incredibly moving. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Classism

Moderate: Cancer, Death, and War

charink's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: War

Minor: Gore and Abortion

brayj_'s review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Abortion, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and War

artemismoon057's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad tense medium-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

Moderate: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Colonisation, and War

lomesia's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Mental illness, Self harm, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Violence, Mass/school shootings, Abortion, and War

Minor: Cancer, Incest, Pedophilia, and Police brutality

erebus53's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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? Yes

4.0

This one is a quiet cozy, but melancholy and tear jerking story of love, loss, and.. ok more loss.

Teens meet in Tehran, are separated, and come back together in the end of lives that are rivers of joy and sadness.

I liked the story, but it's more evocative than plot-filled. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Abortion, Pregnancy, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism