The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali – Book Review

My Rating: 4.5/5
Goodreads Rating: 4.48/5
Year Published: 2024
Page Count: 327

“We are a thirty-five-year-old woman and a fourteen-year-old girl dancing for our lives, with all of our hearts, melting into laughter, ensconced in unadulterated joy.”

Synopsis

At seven years old, Ellie is living a life of luxury until her father dies, leaving her and her mother to fend for themselves in 1950s Tehran. Desperate for a best friend, she eagerly starts school. Homa enters her life like the answer to her prayers, and they fall into a routine of friendship in the way only young children can. They roam Tehran, sharing their dreams for the future and finding color in the mundanity of life.

When Ellie and her mother are able to return to the wealth of their old life, they do. Ellie leaves Homa behind and grows into a teenager, left only with fading memories. Then suddenly, Homa reappears in Ellie’s life, setting both of them on a new course. A beautifully-written coming-of-age novel, The Lion Women of Tehran follows two best friends through the political strife of Iran in the mid-20th century, charting acute betrayal and deep hatred, but also the strength of loyalty and the everlasting nature of friendship.

The Quick Review (Spoiler-free!)

What does it mean to come of age in a land of tumult? To go from a place of almost equal to one of silence and strife? What is a family, and what would you do to ensure their safety?

This novel was beautiful and powerful. A story of the ups and downs of women’s rights in Iran over the past half century, it intricately discusses the lives of Homa and Ellie–from class differences to political differences to family dynamics. Told predominately from Ellie’s perspective with a few glimpses from Homa, the book depicts a deep connection that time and distance can never erase.

This was a great read. I deducted 1 star because something about the writing style felt slightly obvious at times. I found myself wishing certain points were described, rather than told to me. Often, I would infer something that was masterfully written between the lines only for it to be plainly stated moments later, leading to a sense of repetition. Overall, though, The Lion Women of Tehran is an enlightening, meaningful book that I’d recommend.

The Long Review (Spoiler-free!)

“And so when you see the women screaming in Iran for their rights, please remember that the force and fury of our screams have been gathering power for years.”

Likes

Tehran came alive in this novel, a living, breathing city whose heartbeat pumps life through every word. It built itself around me, like it was I, not Ellie or Homa, exploring the Grand Bazaar, as if it was my hands tearing into edible delicacies, my mind puzzling out how life would change under the new regime. That is to say, the descriptions and writing were excellent. I fell in love with the culture and never wanted the happy portions of this book to end.

Each character was crafted exquisitely. Their flaws, their interests, and their personalities shone through the pages. When a novel is discussing political turmoil, so often the focus is on the politics and not the characters. Instead, we learn about political developments through Homa and Ellie. We react alongside them rather than on their behalf.

“That’s how losses of rights build. They start small. And then soon, the rights are stripped in droves.”

Dislikes

I have few complaints about this novel. For the most part, the prose was beautiful, the characters fully developed and entirely lovable, and the political turmoil described in such a way that even an outsider can viscerally feel it.

As I mentioned in The Quick Review above, I did feel that certain lines could have gone without saying. When an author chooses to clearly allude to something instead of saying it plainly, it can often be a great stylistic choice. However, when something is alluded to, then also written out clearly, it can feel like you’re receiving the same message twice. This happened quite a few times in this novel. However, that’s my only complaint, and it was a relatively small issue.

“There are only screams that muffle into silence. Flames that bring the house down. Dreams that turn to dust.”

Recommendation

This novel is beautiful, a story of love and loss, growth and stagnation. Kamali’s writing is (mostly) breathtaking. I would highly recommend The Lion Women of Tehran to any fans of historical fiction, of feminist literature, or anyone who simply wants to delve into a vibrant world that today is shuttered and silenced.