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

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...

A Life of my Own by Rupangi Sharma (Book Reviews: 4/5)

'A Life of my Own' is a story that will take you on an emotional ride; sympathy, joy, anger, and pride, all wrapped up in this 168 page book. Shweta is pregnant for the first time post several years of her marriage, but her husband and in-laws force her to consult a doctor for the baby's gender reveal. Things go downhill after that and Shweta has no other choice but to protect her foetus from her torturing in-laws. Her journey is inspiring and written with honesty. The uniqueness of the plot was the conversation between the baby and God, where the inquisitive former would ask a variety of questions about it's mother and the people around her. Their brief chit-chats are pretty interesting as well. I appreciate the author's way of presenting her characters. As much I enjoyed reading the book, my heart sank down everytime there was a remark on female foeticide in India and the blind bias for a male child. We usually ignore this fact assuming it's a rural thing and ...

The Serpent's Revenge : Unusual Tales from the Mahabharata by Sudha Murty (Book Reviews: 4/5)

Sudha Murty's books have always been a delight to her readers, and The Serpent's Revenge: Unusual Tales from the Mahabharata is no exception. Fascinating, light, and smooth to read, this 200-page short- story collection comprises less-known folk tales from the epic Mahabharata. While some of them are popular in different parts of the country, some of the stories are a pleasant surprise to the readers. I have been a major fan of the Hindu epic Mahabharata since childhood and love reading every story and folk tale related to it. Dozens of titles have been released revolving around the lives of the main characters of the epic, most popularly of those including Draupadi (Princess of Panchal, wife of the five Pandavas), Karna (best friend of Duryodhana and son of Kunti and Lord Surya), and Arjuna (the mighty archer Pandav and Krishna's beloved.) Most of the stories in the book belong majorly to the above characters and some are quite unheard of. My personal favourit...

Books N Unicorns

Search This Blog