The Lion Women of Tehran

One of the best books I read all year. Beautifully written, timeless themes of friendship, betrayal and loss, and a gratifying, heartfelt ending. Fascinating historical setting. Loved it. Read it as part of a book club and it provided the basis for a great discussion. Others loved it as well.

The Lion Women of Tehran was my first Marjan Kamali book, but I'm thinking it won't be my last. If you know my reviews, you probably know I'm a bit picky with secular fiction. It needs to be lyrical but not too flowery, deep but not bogged down in descriptions, angst, or repetition. The Lion Women of Tehran met this criteria and more. I wasn't sure what I expected from it, but the more I read of this novel, the more I wanted to read, until I looked up and realized I had finished. As with so many great books, Marjan's characters were largely responsible for how much I enjoyed Lion Women. Ellie and Homa are Iranian women growing, changing, and building lives in the 1950s-1980s. Yet they felt as real and accessible as if they were 21st-century American women, or timeless women, period. Their friendship warmed me from the inside out. I identified and empathized with its ups and downs, and worried about what would drive these two women as close as sisters apart. Refreshingly though, Marjan's treatment of Homa and Ellie never lingered on the pain and angst of lost friendship. That pain exists, and it's raw and heartbreaking. But underneath beats a couple of strong, unbreakable hearts. Speaking of unbreakable hearts, I loved that I identified with both Homa and Ellie throughout the novel and in different ways. I have never faced the travails Homa did and pray I never have to. Yet, I know what it feels like to fight for the rights of a particular group and feel like few if any people understand what you're doing or why. My home life was far less tumultuous than Ellie's, and I was never a "queen," in high school or otherwise. Yet, I have been the one who's more hesitant about speaking up, the one who doesn't take the risk, the one who's a bit more conventional in her desires or choices. Identifying with both protagonists this way helped me see more deeply into their points of view and understand their choices. I found this unique and invaluable in a "lost friendship novel," because I thought most other authors might set it up so readers were encouraged to "take sides." Additionally, I was struck by how political, yet how down-to-earth and challenging, Lion Women was. That is, on a personal level, I don't think I'd agree with Ellie or Homa's political position, either as an American or had I been born Iranian. But because Marjan writes these positions as belonging to real people, I could see why and how both positions contributed to the Iran of their day. I could see why and how an average citizen would choose one position or the other, and how her life would be affected. In other words, the Iran of history books became a real country here, with real stakes and real, life-altering questions attached. To segue, that leads into how well I think Marjan did with the setting. I don't normally brag on settings, but the Tehran of the eras she covers pops to life on the page. I truly felt I had experienced everything from the Grand Bazaar to Iranian girls' schools to "westernized" parties to 1970s New York while reading this novel. (As much as I disliked Ellie's mother for most of the book, I couldn't help identifying with her reaction to the earliest iteration of TV dinners)! By the time I finished Lion Women, I had a bit of an appetite for Persian ice cream and spices, I had embraced the rhythms of some beautiful names (I had never heard the name Homa before), and I definitely wanted to stand in solidarity with the "lion women." In fact, I think that's the thing I appreciated about this book; both Ellie and Homa turn out to be "lion women," just in different ways, and they bring that to different situations and places in the world, in their lives. Having finished the book, I would've loved a more even split between Ellie and Homa's POVs, so I got a deeper sense of who Homa was especially. I also would've liked a deeper look into how Islam looked in the eras Marjan covered (I understand both Ellie and Homa came from secular households, and it works, but knowing where the book was headed, I'd have appreciated some stronger religious or philosophical threads). Similarly, now that I'm finished, I wonder if it wouldn't have been a better idea for Homa, instead of being a Communist, to simply be a passionate women's rights advocate. (That is, a lot of Americans make immediate assumptions when you say, "Communist," plus, I thought that thread kind of took away from the "main" story and what Homa was mainly focused on fighting for). Those minor notes aside, The Lion Women of Tehran has been my best literary surprise so far this year, in secular fiction or otherwise. If you haven't read it, I urge you to do so. It's a particularly great pick for a book club if you've got one; mothers with teen or adult daughters might love reading it together. Enjoy, perhaps with a themed snack. I know I'll be looking for similar books soon and taking the inspiration to nurture my inner "lion woman." Thanks, Marjan!

Loved this book. I lived in Iran for a year as a foreigner & loved the food & custom references. I enjoyed the authors dictation & voice. The story carries many truths, warmth, humor & tragedy. A real testimonial to the tenacity of this culture- and in particular, to the women*

I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down. The writing is unbelievably rich and immersive, drawing the reader into the heart of a remarkable friendship that feels both intimate and timeless. The author masterfully weaves personal emotion with the broader political atmosphere of Tehran from the 1950s, creating a vivid portrait of love, loyalty, and resilience. A deeply moving and unforgettable read.

Iran as a country has been a chaotic, tragic, yet majestic mix of history, politics, archeology, humanity, feminism with great beauty and unmeasurable pain. Ms Kamali’s novel captures it all in stunning prose, with a documentary feel of clarifying and enriching what we do know. We are all very human and similar in far more ways than different and she makes it vividly relatable characters and their families, friends and loves. A very good read, indeed

Deep friendship that spans decades set against the harsh fate of living in Iran before the fall of the Shah and after. As they say, be careful for what you wish. Homa pays the price supreme. Ellie spends a huge part of her life feeling guilty for the unintentional pain she caused her dearest friend. This novel is particularly timely today. The book reads easily, yet it still put me through all of the emotions a good book should. And, as the best books do, it left me with a few tears. Well done. Fight on women of Iran. Never give up on the freedom you deserve.

An absolutely brilliant book so well written and researched. The overall message was that love and friendship can survive inspite of extreme hardships. I felt as if I had lived alongside Ellie and Homa as the author's descriptions of life in Iran were so vivid. Some very touching scenes, you'll need tissues! Definitely one of my favourite reads. Some very touching scenes, you will need tissues! Easily one of my best reads this year,

Loved the book

Amazing story of friendship!

Das Buch liest sich gut und die Geschichte gibt uns Einblick in das Leben von Frauen im Iran. Die Freundschaft zwischen Ellie und Homa ist Hauptbestandteil der Geschichte.

LOVED this book.