Disoriental

A crash course in Persian/Iranian history that transcends form. A novel that reads like nonfiction the way I wish nonfiction was more often written. Historical, semi autobiographical yet a true novel, one which elucidates a period of history still affecting the world and its people. Highly recommend this challenging novel.

Which is the story? The writer seems to think that we want to know back stories of virtually every character. Perhaps it is the translation that sometimes makes the writing sound self-conscious and melodramatic. For this reader, these excesses seriously undermine a story that otherwise would almost certainly be entirely gripping.

When I started reading the book, I was expecting literary fiction, considering all the prizes it has received. It had a good beginning. But after 60 pages or so, I was disappointed. As one reviewer pointed out, there’s hardly any structure in the narrative. Many minor details are dramatized as significant events. The whole book would benefit from a good editing. In addition, the narrative is interrupted by presentation of recent Iranian history. Either the story or the history would have been interesting in themselves.

Such brilliant book, one of the best I have read in years!
Rich prose and has focus on observing emotions and feelings, ones we often not able to describe or even recognize, or just consider it so heavy on us that we pretend these feelings dont exist?
Story of Iranian family, with complexities and trauma brought by politics in country, finding themself in Paris, settling for new life in exile which is not that straightforward.

Too much expository; a heartfelt book which leans heavily (altogether?) on materials from Djavadis own experiences. The jumps in time sequence were disconcerting . Were they necessary? The use of THE EVENT that came at the beginning as a teaser, was referred to all the way through, and finally explained, held the book together but most readers would have figured it out before it was explained. I know the history of Iran but not the landscape. This I enjoyed. I wish there had been more development of Anna as a character and her relationship with the narrator.

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