Book Review: The Stationery Shop of Tehran

Introduction

The Stationery Shop of Tehran is a novel written by Marjan Kamali, an Iranian-American writer, which portrays the love germinated amidst the political chaos in Iran. The story presents the threads that either break or make a love story succeed, be it a political situation of a country, familial preferences, or the determination of two lovers. 


Summary 

In a country having two poles regarding political beliefs, pro-prime minister and pro-shah meet a simple high school girl, Roya Joon, who loves to read, and a politically active and motivated Bahman, who wants to change the country. The love story germinates through the stationery shop owned by Mr. Fakri, who also helps people communicate by providing a platform: the stationery shop. The development of the love story further succeeds in concluding the engagement. 

With the grave political situation affecting the country, the communication between Roya and Bahman gets affected too. Though they find a way out to communicate through letters, it does not contribute to making a relationship legal from engagement to marriage. As a result, Roya moves to the United States along with her sister Zari, and Bahman continues with his life in Iran. 

Characters

Roya Joon: An intelligent, simple girl who is so devoted to academics while also giving her heart to love.

Bahman: A political enthusiast who is determined to change the country.

Zari: Younger child who is carefree and bubbly.

Mr. Fakri: The stationer who is kind and noble.

Baba: A modern father to two girls who is hopeful about his country.

Maman: Mother to Roya and Zari, who is kind and gets worried for her daughters.

Mrs. Aisle: Bahman's mother, who is diagnosed with depression and needs special care.

Mr. Aisle: Bahman's father, who is kind and considerate.

Critical Analysis

Strengths

  • The story is crafted in a way that makes a person finish it in one go.
  • The emotional turbulence connects the readers to the main characters, making the story lively and happening.
  • The plot of the story is interesting.
  • The twists in between add the flavor, keeping readers intact and excited simultaneously.
  • The character development is so far good.

Weakness

  • There could be improvements made concerning the twists followed by the twists.

Personal Reflection

As a person with a keen interest in history and politics, I got some glimpses of the political scenario in Iran at that time.

Conclusion

The novel is full of emotions, connecting a reader to the political, economic, and social dynamics of the country. With an introduction to new characters along with their proper development, the story hooks the reader throughout, helping them complete a novel in one sitting. It is best recommended to the readers who enjoy the love-based story with a touch of politics and other spectrums of the country. 

If you also want to check on the review of romance-based novel,' Too Good To Be True', go through the link: Too Good To Be True

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