Why I was interested in this book

To be honest, I am generally skeptical of friends’ book reviews as much as I am of bestseller lists because taste is very subjective and there are lots of popular themes & types of content that I have no interest in reading. However, as I hope you’ve also found, there are some people whose taste in books is aligned with mine and whose recommendations are solid. When my best friend suggested The Lion Women of Tehran to me, I knew I was in for a good read.

Basic Info

• Author: Marjan Kamali, Iranian-American
• Genre: fiction | historical fiction, coming-of-age, political
• Book concept: two unlikely friends change each others’ lives, for better & for worse, over decades of a complicated relationship. Set against the backdrop of massive social, economic, political and religious shifts in Iran, 1950s-present
• Published in 2024 | Gallery Books (imprint of Simon & Schuster)

Did I like The Lion Women of Tehran?

Yes. The story of the complexities of friendship between Ellie & Homa was very captivating in and of itself, and I enjoyed learning a bit about a country and a culture that is mentioned in the news a lot, but of which I previously knew very little (and very unfortunately, skewed more to the negative).

Before reading The Lion Women of Tehran, what I knew about Iran consisted of the film Argo, about a creative espionage mission to retrieve American/Canadian diplomatic hostages from Tehran during the 1979 crisis, and brief anecdotes from a former expat professor who was explicitly clear that he identifies as Persian, not Iranian, and that he would never return to his home country.

So, my mind was wide open to receive whatever the book had for me and it delivered a beautiful commentary on the ubiquitous phenomenon of growing up—the ups and downs; trials and celebrations; mistakes and reparations; friends and enemies; joys and pains we all go through as we navigate life as young people. For some, that journey is made more fragile and convoluted when their lives are set against extraordinary circumstances of hardship.

One author’s one fictional book cannot and should not be taken as a canonical or all-encompassing representation of a country, religion, culture, political side or people group. However, I am grateful that The Lion Women of Tehran did expand my knowledge and understanding (and therefore my concern and compassion) for people who live under very different circumstances than I do. I can’t fathom how difficult it would be to grow up as a woman in a country that continues to pull power, privilege and respect away from people. It seems that there are some parallels being written on the walls in my own country, but the situations and severities are different (and I am not a young girl anymore). Many of us have a lot more agency and privilege than we can ever realize until we learn about and from other people. This book reminded me of the true grit, grace and strength that humans possess and gave me hope for a future full of redemption.

One small complaint of the writing is that the majority of the book is narrated by one of the main characters, Ellie. But, over halfway through the book, the narration starts to trade between Ellie and the other main character, Homa. It made the storyline feel a little choppy, though it probably also added some depth to both characters to see more than just one person’s personal perspectives. Definitely wasn’t a deal breaker for me, just an odd choice for storytelling.

This book may be for you if you also like: Tehran; Iran; childhood friendships that last to (or return in) adulthood; New York City; presumably Kamali’s other titles (I haven’t read any yet… though they’re on my list); protesting; the happiness and heartbreak of moving out of one’s home country; fashion; saliva-inducing descriptions of food (particularly of salad olivier, dolmehs, Iranian caviar, kuku sabzi, ghormeh sabzi, fenugreek and rose water ice cream); nostalgic tea sets; stories of doing the right thing even when it’s hard; fighting for freedom; friendship necklaces (or bracelets or rings); sacrificial love; chosen family; Persian poetry.

Buy the book

https://bookshop.org/a/109412/9781668036594

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SDG