A poignant, heartfelt new novel by the award-nominated author of Together Tea–extolled by the Wall Street Journal as a “moving tale of lost love” and by Shelf Awareness as “a powerful, heartbreaking story”–explores loss, reconciliation, and the quirks of fate. Roya, a dreamy, idealistic teenager living amid the political upheaval of 1953 Tehran, finds a literary oasis in kindly Mr. Fakhri’s … finds a literary oasis in kindly Mr. Fakhri’s neighborhood stationery shop, stocked with books and pens and bottles of jewel-colored ink.
Then Mr. Fakhri, with a keen instinct for a budding romance, introduces Roya to his other favorite customer–handsome Bahman, who has a burning passion for justice and a love for Rumi’s poetry–and she loses her heart at once. Their romance blossoms, and the little stationery shop remains their favorite place in all of Tehran.
A few short months later, on the eve of their marriage, Roya agrees to meet Bahman at the town square when violence erupts–a result of the coup d’etat that forever changes their country’s future. In the chaos, Bahman never shows. For weeks, Roya tries desperately to contact him, but her efforts are fruitless. With a sorrowful heart, she moves on–to college in California, to another man, to a life in New England–until, more than sixty years later, an accident of fate leads her back to Bahman and offers her a chance to ask him the questions that have haunted her for more than half a century: Why did you leave? Where did you go? How is it that you were able to forget me?
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I loved it. Could personally relate to the story in many ways. Highly recommend it
This book is very rich in culture, story, plot, cuisine, and LOVE . The characters are beautifully drawn, most everyone will find them relatable. This is a story of heartache and it will break your heart over and over again, at it leads you through the streets of Tehran to Boston. I could not put this book down, as it proves love doesn’t heal all wounds, it invigorates them! The magic within “The Stationery Shop” will stay with you long after the final page! It’s simply fantastic, I adore it!
I was given an eARC of this novel from Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Thank you kindly to Gallery Books for the opportunity to imagine and read the pages of this book!
A young Iranian couple fall in love in the 1950’s during their visits to a stationery shop in Tehran. They become engaged, but are cruelly separated by the young man’s deranged mother.
A very touching love story. Set against the backdrop of the Iranian revolution, The Stationery Shop is also a story of what we cling too after suffering loss. The interplay of 1953 Iran scenery against the 1960’s in America was artfully arranged and compelling as well.
THIS IS A MUST-READ FOR 2019!
I cannot think of a book this lovely that I have read in a very very long time.
The story is intriguing and enchanting and perfectly paced. I loved each one of her characters (even the one bad one) and that never happens for me.
This book is filled with grace in its storytelling, which is a rarity these days. There is no rush towards anything. The build to the climax of the story is ever so slight and the ending is satisfying. Like the perfect dessert with the perfect cup of coffee at the end of an exquisite meal.
This is definitely in my top five for 2019.
Bravo, Marjan, Bravo!
Set against the political turmoil of 1950’s Tehran, Marjan Kamali’s The Stationary Shop illuminates how love is experienced over time and influenced by the fingerprints of others. Yet. despite every obstacle, the power of heart and memory endure. A beautiful and sensitive novel that I loved from the first page.
A beautifully immersive tale, The Stationary Shop brings to life a lost and complex world and the captivating characters who once called it home.
What a pleasure — a novel that is all at once masterfully plotted, beautifully written, and populated by characters who are arresting, lovable, and so real. Brava, Marjan Kamali; now that I’ve finished, I miss this world of yours.
This was a very interesting read. Not being overly familiar with the history of Iran, it was compelling. This book spans 60 years or so going between Tehran and the US. Politics aside, it was a beautiful look at young love, heartbreak and romance. It also was very interesting to see the dynamics of different families and couples. Contrasting class, religion, ethnicity, political views, mental illness, loss of love, loss of country and loss of life all factored in to these very diverse romances. For me, the most emotional scene was not between the lovers but between the sisters-in-law. It was much more real and raw. Overall, a very good historical fiction book.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher and voluntarily chose to review it.
I’m not a very emotional person–I’m usually left dry eyed when others are sobbing over books all around me–but this novel gutted me in the very best way possible. I am wowed by The Stationery Shop.
The story of Roya and Bahman begins when they are teenagers in 1953 in Tehran. The two fall in love, meeting in secret at the Stationery Shop. They become engaged, although the political upheaval around them and family demands threaten to tear them apart. The two decide to marry anyway, but when Roya goes to meet Bahman for their wedding, he doesn’t show up. The story then moves forward–through the 1950s, into 2013–as we trace Roya’s life, which has the mystery of Bahman’s rejection constantly dangling over it. In 2013, they meet again in the United States, where Roya settled.
The details in this novel are exquisite. Kamali has a light touch–never does the story feel weighed down–but she paints a rich portrait of what life was like in Iran in the 1950s, with the foods, the smells, the customs. The setting is as beautifully drawn as the characters. Kamali also includes the Iranian politics of the time in an incredibly seamless manner. The upheaval plays a large part in the story but doesn’t weigh it down. (In 1953, Iran was on the brink of revolution as the Shah was in power but in direct conflict with Prime Minister Mosaddegh, all the while a Communist faction looked to gain a foothold in the government.)
This novel, which I read courtesy of NetGalley, is one I didn’t want to end. The images are haunting, the story both heart-breaking and uplifting. It’s a story of love and family and the things we give up and the losses we deal with. I am now eager to search out more books that take place in Iran. In the meantime, I can say that though the year has only just begun, this will absolutely be one of the best books of 2019.