Ali Hosseini

The writing style in the first few chapters of this book was a bit hard to get into, and there was so little background at first that it took a while for the story to make sense, but once the story started coming together this was a great book,a snapshot of life in Iran after the Iran-Iraq war. Despite the fact that many stories about this region are heavily political, this novel is far more of a human story, looking at what it meant to be living in a world turning from a secular modern culture towards a non-technological, Islam-inspired theocracy. It is sad that such a lovely place, with such potential and such lovely people, turned so sour so quickly, but as this novel suggests, perhaps there is still some hope for a better future in Iran, even if it is not likely to come quickly enough for its current inhabitants.… (més)

Set in late 1970s Iran, this novel is narrated by Behruz Pirzad who, after studying in the U.S., has returned to Iran upon hearing that his twin brother Ruzbeh is suffering with post-traumatic stress as a result of fighting in the Iran-Iraq war. Behruz finds his home country greatly changed. Because of the repressive religious authoritarian rule of the ayatollahs, Behruz’s affair with a married woman has disastrous consequences and he ends up hiding out at Narenjastan, his family’s lemon grove. In flashbacks he describes his happy childhood spent at the grove, outlines some of his experiences in the United States, and refers to what happened upon his return to post-revolutionary Iran.

I had difficulty getting emotionally involved with the novel and its characters. At the beginning we learn that Behruz attempted suicide by ingesting pesticide and, though he survives, he remains somewhat disjointed from reality. Just as he feels dislocated from a place he no longer recognizes, the reader remains detached from him. The fact that most of the novel is narrated via flashbacks gives the impression of events occurring at a distance which further distances the reader from the impact of those events.

The book is fairly short and could use some further development. There are unanswered questions: Is Musa’s distrust of Kemal warranted? How can Shireen’s behaviour be explained if her love for her husband is as deep as she claims and if she is aware of the consequences of an illicit affair? Some of the plotting is weak. For example, Behruz’s visit to the home of Javid and Farideh seems very coincidental especially since they were never mentioned previously and then serve such a pivotal role.

The novel does give a glimpse of life for ordinary Iranians during a time of upheaval. Certainly the peaceful childhood Behruz remembers no longer exists. The lemon grove serves as a symbol of the collapsing society. At one time the grove was lush and full of sweet lemons; now a disease has attacked the trees which bear little fruit, and the desert is gradually encroaching on the grove. There is a suggestion that the land can be brought back to life but it will require a great deal of tending by both the young and the old, represented by Kemal and Musa in whose care Behruz leaves the grove.

The author makes clear that he believes hope for Iran’s future lies in not letting “the scars of the past . . . [dim] hope and optimism toward the future.” He describes Iran as “an old nation not able to break with its past, a past that is a heavy load not just dragged behind but also controlling the future. . . . It’s as if the train of time had left us many stations back while we were busy with our past and our God.”

I appreciated the perspective offered by this book: an inside look into Iran at a time of turmoil. I just wish it had been provided more than just a glimpse and had been more emotionally engaging.… (més)