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A review by mugsandmanuscripts
The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This novel was so well done and the story was such a gift to follow. This book is really sad, but also beautiful.
A short summary: Roya and Bahman, members of different economic classes, meet and fall in love with each other during a time of political turmoil in Iran through a stationery/book shop they both frequent. Despite social customs and Bahman's mother's strong feelings against Roya, they become engaged and begin planning their wedding. All falls apart on August 19, 1953, the day of 28 Mordad Coup D'état, when Roya goes to the city square to meet Bahman to secretly elope but he never shows.
This story is one of heartbreak (and many kinds of it, at that) and enduring love. Both Bahman and Roya spend the next 60 years with other partners, having children, and otherwise living lives bereft of each other. By chance, Roya finds out he lives in an assisted living facility nearby and visits him to ask him why he never showed. An emotional narrative told through flashbacks and multiple POVs follows.
A few things stood out to me about this novel. First, it's just artfully written. The prose flows elegantly, the pacing is perfect, and the characters are both believable and lovable, flaws and all. Second, it's very well-grounded in its time and place. I learned a lot about Iran and the events of the 1953 coup, as well as several cultural practices and class issues (at least from the 1920s-50s). My interest is definitely piqued, and I'm hoping to read more books exploring Iranian heritage.
A short summary: Roya and Bahman, members of different economic classes, meet and fall in love with each other during a time of political turmoil in Iran through a stationery/book shop they both frequent. Despite social customs and Bahman's mother's strong feelings against Roya, they become engaged and begin planning their wedding. All falls apart on August 19, 1953, the day of 28 Mordad Coup D'état, when Roya goes to the city square to meet Bahman to secretly elope but he never shows.
This story is one of heartbreak (and many kinds of it, at that) and enduring love. Both Bahman and Roya spend the next 60 years with other partners, having children, and otherwise living lives bereft of each other. By chance, Roya finds out he lives in an assisted living facility nearby and visits him to ask him why he never showed. An emotional narrative told through flashbacks and multiple POVs follows.
A few things stood out to me about this novel. First, it's just artfully written. The prose flows elegantly, the pacing is perfect, and the characters are both believable and lovable, flaws and all. Second, it's very well-grounded in its time and place. I learned a lot about Iran and the events of the 1953 coup, as well as several cultural practices and class issues (at least from the 1920s-50s). My interest is definitely piqued, and I'm hoping to read more books exploring Iranian heritage.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Miscarriage
Moderate: Violence