Blog tour: The Lion Women of Tehran

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Welcome to the blog tour for The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali!

More about the book…

In 1950s Tehran, seven-year-old Ellie lives in grand comfort until the untimely death of her father, forcing Ellie and her mother to move to a tiny home downtown. Lonely and bearing the brunt of her mother’s endless grievances, Ellie dreams of a friend to alleviate her isolation.

Luckily, on the first day of school, she meets Homa, a kind, passionate girl with a brave and irrepressible spirit. Together, the two girls play games, learn to cook in the stone kitchen of Homa’s warm home, wander through the colorful stalls of the Grand Bazaar, and share their ambitions for becoming 'lion women.'

But their happiness is disrupted when Ellie and her mother are afforded the opportunity to return to their previous bourgeois life. Now a popular student at the best girls’ high school in Iran, Ellie’s memories of Homa begin to fade. Years later, however, her sudden reappearance in Ellie’s privileged world alters the course of both of their lives.

Together, the two young women come of age and pursue their own goals for meaningful futures. But as the political turmoil in Iran builds to a breaking point, one earth-shattering betrayal will have enormous consequences.

More about the author…

Marjan Kamali, born in Turkey to Iranian parents, spent her childhood in Kenya, Germany, Turkey, Iran, and the United States.

She holds degrees from UC Berkeley, Columbia University, and New York University.

She is the 2022 recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Award.

She is the author of The Lion Women of Tehran, The Stationery Shop, and Together Tea.

Marjan lives with her husband in the Boston area. They have two children.

My impressions…

What a beautiful journey through history and friendship!

At its core, this historical fiction novel set in Iran in the 1950s, and spanning decades, centres on the unlikely friendship between Ellie and Homa, two girls from vastly different social classes. Their character development is astounding, and Ellie and Homa are rendered with such nuance that they leap off the page.

The historical backdrop also comes alive, and the author masterfully weaves Iran's complex history into the narrative, focusing on the regime changes and the impact that these have on women’s rights.

If you’re a fan of historical fiction, family sagas, or stories that focus on women’s rights, this is a must-read: a spectacular novel that deserves a spot on every bookshelf.

Three words to describe it. Evocative. Thought-provocative. Engrossing.

Do I like the cover? Yes, it’s beautiful.

Have I read any other books by the same author? No, not yet.

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