I have been getting a little burned out on books about Iran, so I started this book reluctantly. Because this is such a short novel (fewer than 140 pages)and I really wanted to go to the book talk event, I rushed through it. I was surprisingly impressed.
We are never informed of the narrator's exact location, the time frame of the story, or even her name, only that she is a 17 year old student who recently lost her parents in an accident. She is torn from her home and imprisoned in the bathhouse because of her brother's political affiliation even though she is incredibly uninformed about either side of the battle. While at the bathhouse, she encounters and forms relationships with several of the other female prisoners and endures multiple forms of torture.
The ambiguity of the narrator leaves the reader with a sense of empathy, it is easy to imagine yourself in the situation. The perspective of an ignorant teen lends a sense of objectivity to the tale and allows the author to take a political stand under the veil of anonymity. This story gives us a unique look "under the chador" during a tumultuous time in Iran.
Would I recommend this book? Probably. It's a nice quick read and paints a vivid picture of the times, but definitely not an uplifting, feel good kind of story.
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