Skip to main content

The Stationery Shop of Tehran by Marjan Kamali (Book Reviews: 5/5)


The Stationery Shop of Tehran by Marjan Kamali is one of my first few books of the decade, and I'm so glad I came across this book at my local bookstore. This is one of books that stay with you for a long, long time. Marjan Kamali has poured so much love and pain and emotions in this book, it's almost impossible to finish it without teary eyes.

The protagonists Roya and Bahman are a young couple whose romance starts and grows in a stationery shop belonging to Mr. Fakhri, who too has a small yet powerful role in the story. The narration, particularly of the Iranian lifestyle and households is remarkable and the reader finds her/himself in the streets of Tehran. All the side characters, including Zari, Mrs. Aslan, Jahangir, and Mr. Walter have been given enough and perfect amount of text space and power in the story.


There's always something happening in the story and it's really hard for the reader to out the book down. The dilemma of relationships between Roya and Bahman, Bahman and his mother, Mrs. Aslan, and Mr. Fakhri and Mrs. Aslan, leave the reader in an emotional turmoil. The story paints a beautiful picture of old Iran when it was all about savoring delicacies, rising standards of education, and delightful seasons. It is heartbreaking to see the devastating change the country had to go through in the previous decades.



After a long time I have read a book that has touched my heart and soul. I believe the soul of it will stay with me for a long time. I highly recommend it to everyone from age group 14 and above. 


I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Title: The Stationery Shop of Tehran 
Author: Marjan Kamali 
Genre: Fiction
No.of pages: 312
Suitable for age group: 14 years and above 
Publishing House: Simon and Schuster Ltd

Find the book: Amazon | Flipkart | Goodreads


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Perks of being a Solo Traveler: What my amazing Solo Trips taught me

Today marks the first anniversary of my first ever solo-trip. I had picked Agra, Uttar Pradesh for I was always mesmerized by the breathtakingly beautiful Taj Mahal. After somehow convincing my parents to allow me to travel alone, I landed up in Agra for a three-day trip.              It's fun, it's slightly overwhelming, even weird at times, but the experience of being on your own in a new town taught me a lot. Here are some perks that the adventure of solo travel brings along with it:   1. You make all the rules: Wanna go lakeside at 5 am? Or feeling like taking a nap in the afternoon? You can do whatever you like, whenever you like. Evening walks by the sea shore or enjoying breeze in the balcony, it's totally your call. Taj Mahal, Agra, UttarPradesh 2. Staying at amazing hostels: Backpacker hostels are far safer and cheaper than hotel rooms. Moreover, sharing your dorm room with travelers from different nationalities is an...

This Quora Answer Is A Proof Of How Double Standard Our Mindset Is Towards Women

Like every other day, I was busy scrolling down Quora and paused at a question, the  top answer  of which sort of, pissed me off. I was aggravated with the tone of the answer, which is sadly the major reason for the huge response the answer is receiving.  Here's the screenshot of the question: And here's the answer I'm talking about: The answer is hidden in this anecdote I : I have a  friend, NIT graduate used to work for one of the largest steel makers in the world, and in due course of time he was engaged to his girlfriend.  Two years into the job he applied for and was accepted into the prestigious Indian Military Academy.  When he broke this news to his girlfriend she immediately put a choice to him "Either join the Army or marry me". My friend chose the Army, and thus the engagement was called off. Sad ending no? But wait, this happened next : My friend joined the IMA, passed out this year and currently is busy being a certified badass at 11...

The Rule Breakers by Preeti Shenoy (Book Reviews: 4/5)

Preeti Shenoy's latest release is based in the small tourist town of Joshimath in the foothills of the Himalayas. The progatonist, Veda, a 20-year-old English Arts student has been raised in a house with a strict father, a meek mother and four siblings, Veda being the eldest of all. The story revolves around the dramatic lifestyle changes happening time to time in Veda's life once she moves to Pune post an expeditious wedding to live with her in-laws.   Veda has been an obedient, dutiful child of her parents quite in contrast to her immediately younger sister Vidya, the rebel of the house. Her parents were never interested in getting the women of the house educated and believed in preparing them for marriage as soon as the first proposal came towards their way. Shenoy's lead character gets married to an eight-year-older Bhuwan working in a multinational company. The plot moves forward with Veda's mother-in-law's torturous behaviour towards her, accompanied...