Anita AmirrezvaniCritiques

After the narrator's father dies suddenly, she and her mother are forced to travel to Isfahan and beg relatives to take them in. They are grudgingly welcomed as domestic help into the household of her father's half-brother Gostaham, an esteemed carpet designer, who reluctantly allows the young woman to assist him in his business after appraising her skill, an opportunity that will surely help her and her mother get back on their feet.

This book was all right, but it certainly didn't compare with Equal of the Sun, which was breathtaking and the first of Amirrezvani's books I read a number of years ago. I questioned some of protagonist's choices and found her almost unbelievably naïve and foolish, even for her young age. There was also a great deal of unhappiness balanced with very little true joy so that as a whole it felt rather heavy and I wanted to like it more than I actually did.

For all the fiction I've read set in the 16th century, I don't know that I've read anything set in Persia, or what is now Iran. This tale of royal courts, intrigue, and overlooked women is just as interesting as the more often told tales of the Borgia Papacy or Tudor England. Told from the perspective an eunuch in the service of a royal princess, this novel hints at the power women had in a world that dismissed them. An interesting read and highly recommended for those interested in historical fiction set outside of Europe.

this was surprisingly compelling when i think about what i usually care about in a story. for some reason, the carpet making was fascinating to me, even as i don't really feel that i learned much about it. but i kind of feel like i could have read about that forever. i was so absorbed in the story that i didn't even notice that the main character wasn't named until over 1/3 of the way through, and then it was easily forgotten again. but i really like this aspect, maybe not quite for the reason the author meant, but because of how anonymous women are when covered from head to toe in a chador. how they are seen for their separate body parts and not who they are, like an unnamed narrator can be, but how we see how much more there is to her.

i really liked the interspersing of the folktales and oral stories passed down; it worked really well here. this was a really interesting look at an iran hundreds of years ago, and what life was like for a segment of the population. the idea of the temporary marriage, the sigheh, was particularly interesting, and i can see how it can both really help and really hurt someone, often at the same time.

Ventana abierta a un mundo tan lejano como desconocido, rica en fascinantes detalles sobre la vida cotidiana en la Persia del siglo XVII, esta novela cuenta la historia de una joven audaz y perseverante que logra transformar su vida gracias a su extraordinario don para confeccionar alfombras. A los catorce años, tras la prematura muerte de su padre, la protagonista ve cómo sus posibilidades de matrimonio se desvanecen, lo que la obliga a marcharse del pueblo con su madre y trasladarse a la capital, Isfahán, donde un pariente lejano las acoge como sirvientas. Sin dote y condenada a depender de la caridad ajena, la joven huérfana no tendrá más remedio que aceptar un sigué, un contrato de matrimonio temporal, pero gracias a la ayuda de su tío, diseñador de alfombras en la corte del sah, tendrá ocasión de descubrir los secretos del antiguo arte de tejer alfombras, su tradición, el significado de sus dibujos y el origen vegetal de sus vibrantes colores.

"Equal to the Sun" equals a full three stars from me. Loosely based on the princess Pari Khan Khanoom Safavi, it's a story set in 1570's Iran. It's kind of funny that I've read about this time period set in England, Japan, Russia (well, book in queue), Hungary (Elizabeth Bathory), and Turkey/Malta. Now, it's Iran's turn.

The book opens with stomach churning introduction when a eunuch describes his castration to the princess. I had to walk away and return to the book. After that intro, I found the book slowing with reciting of poems and the maddening formalities and brown-nosing titles when addressing people. Was it the author's choice? Or do people really talk that way? Oh, light of the universe, please make it stop.

This is a book that dragged on some. The book's main plots were surviving the change in shahs .... and the protagonist's investigation for his father's death. I found the conclusion of the investigation anti-climatic and lacking wow factor. Author earns big points for shining the spotlight on a oft overlooked time period and place.

In het begin heeft het even geduurd voor het boek me "beet", maar daarna vond ik het prachtig.

I wasn't sure I was going to like this as much as I did...for some reason, I thought there were going to be more fantastical elements included in the story (apparently I'm not very good at reading plot synopses...), and I eventually figured out this was just going to be straight up historical fiction. Ha! And for an audiobook, a format of which I'm still trying to become a good listener, I was even more surprised as the plot moved relatively slowly. It was all on account of reader Shohreh Aghdashloo's rich delivery that I swooned over the craft of weaving and the unnamed narrator's awed culture shock of acclimating to Isfahan. I really appreciated how strong and flawed the narrator was and how believable she was written as a teenager experiencing young marriage and class divisions particular to 17th-century Iran. Two thumbs up!

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Read Harder: Historical fiction set before 1900.

rabck from bookstogive; historical fiction set in late 1600s Persia (Iran) about the coming of age of a girl who is a very good rug knotter. After her father dies, her mother & she leave their village to live with a very distant relative of her father's, who is a master rug designer, in servitude to his family. But what a great opportunity for her to learn all the intricacies of rug design. I will never look at a "Persian" rug the same again. I had no idea of what it takes to make one by hand.

This is the story of a young Iranian woman. The setting is a small village in the 1620's. She is 14 years old and an only child, Later in the year the process of arranging her marriage will commence. sadly her father dies suddenly, leaving she and her mother without visible means of support. They are forced to leave their home and seek shelter with her father's half brother. He is a man of considerable means, a carpet manufacturer of repute. Gostaham, is a kind and generous man, happy to open his doors to his brother's impoverished family. His wife Gordiyeh is not so welcoming and puts them to work in the kitchen with the other servants. However they are safe and warm and well-fed. In fact Gostaham is very taken with his niece, who unlike his own daughters takes a genuine interest in rug making and indeed is experienced as a knotter. she asks if she can observe him in her free time, to learn and even assist him.
A chance encounter with a customer results in a sigheh offer, a temporary marriage of specified length. He is a man of means and the family are hopeful that should she please him, the three month sigheh will be extended and result in a permanent marriage providing security for both mother and daughter.
the book very much reflects the patriarchal society where women have little say over their own fate. Men may have multiple wives and little opportunity to attain financial independence.
I delighted in the descriptions of the rug making process and on completion of the book searched online for examples from this period. Yes many rigs still survive after 400 years. The story is intertwined with oral tales from those times which work well to define the direction and decisions the protagonist is forced to make, This is a wonderful first book providing a fascinating insight into the artisans of a complex and interesting culture.½

De weg naar volwassenheid in het complexe Iran van de zeventiende eeuw.

Loved, loved, loved this debut novel. If you liked the Kite Runner, you'll enjoy this book. Couldn't put it down.

Great follow up to her first book.

I picked up this book at the library book sale because of its Persian setting but quickly found that the book felt like fiction crafted to fit the author's research. I read about 70 pages but couldn't go on because the character and plot development were so weak and predictable.

Really enjoyed this book by Amirrezvani also. Am looking forward to any future work she produces.

Although this is the second novel I’ve read by Anita Amirrezvani, it was actually her debut, which drew on her rich Iranian heritage to create a story of love and loss set in dazzling 17th-century Isfahan. It’s a tale of overlapping relationships, largely between women: those between mother and daughter; between friends; and between an established woman and her poor relations. But, most of all, it’s a tale of craftsmanship – of carpets: the sumptuous Persian carpets designed by masters in the workshops of Isfahan and knotted with painstaking patience, which are splendid enough to be venerated as works of art in themselves...

For the full review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2017/05/28/the-blood-of-flowers-anita-amirrezvani/

Young Javaher is the son of a murdered nobleman in 16th-century Iran. Willing to sacrifice his body in pursuit of uncovering the truth about his father's death, Javaher chooses to become a eunuch in order to gain access to the harem (women's quarters) in the royal palace. Once there, he eventually becomes a trusted servant and adviser of the royal princess Pari, daughter of the reigning Shah. When the Shah, who has four wives and numerous other children, suddenly dies without having named an heir, the line of succession is unclear.

Equal of the Sun is a beautifully written book, and it is based on real historical figures and events. The author's delightful prose and imagery made me feel almost as though I were present. Fantastic!

Equal to the Sun by author Anita Amirrezvani is a historical novel of 16th century Persian politics told by relating the story of Princess Pari Khan Khanoom, a favored daughter of the Shah, and her quest for power. The story is told by her trusted servant, eunuch, Javaher, who serves as her advisor, spy and confidant.

This story illustrates the difficulty of being an intelligent, ambitious woman who must battle for her very life in a time where women weren’t expected to show how politically enlightened they could be. Princess Pari plots and schemes behind the latticed screen of the harem. Her father appointed her as his advisor when she was only sixteen. When he died she had difficulty convincing the subsequent incompetent Shah of her value and had to make arrangements to have him murdered. She thought the next Shah would undoubtedly recognize her value, but unfortunately he came with a very ambitious wife.

I liked the first book I had read by this author, The Blood of Flowers, and found Equal to the Sun another absorbing read. As the story is told by Javaher, I felt the character of the princess was a little remote but I particularly enjoyed the setting of this story as I don’t often get to read about this time or this part of the world. Equal to the Sun was an excellent example of how good a well written, well researched historical fiction novel can be.

Wat een mooi boek is dit. Hier heb ik echt van genoten. Prachtig geschreven en ik wil eigenlijk gelijk naar Isfahan. De hoofdpersoon (Haar naam wordt in het hele boek niet genoemd.) is een eenvoudig meisje van het platteland die, na de dood van haar vader, gedwongen is met haar moeder te verhuizen naar haar oom en zijn gezin in de stad Isfahan. Ze was in haar dorp al een tapijtenknoopster en haar oom blijkt dat ook te zijn. Van hem leert ze te kijken naar patronen en kleuren en ze blijkt er talent voor te hebben.½

In 1576, when Tahmasb Shah of the Safavid dynasty dies unexpectedly, there is no designated heir to the Iranian throne. Sensing the chance for greater power, different factions within the ruling class weigh up the contenders. Pari Khan Khanoom has all the qualities of a brilliant Shah – intelligence, political acuity, generosity and compassion – but one major flaw negates all the rest: she is a woman. And yet she is determined to play a role in the struggle for the succession. As Tahmasb’s beloved daughter and most trusted adviser, she has helped to direct the empire’s policy for fourteen years and is determined to carve out a place for herself under the new Shah. But which of her brothers will succeed in claiming the crown? Based on the true story of Tahmasb’s ambitious, fratricidal sons, Amirrezvani’s novel turns the spotlight on their remarkable sister, as remembered by her loyal vizier, the eunuch Javaher...

For the full review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2017/02/19/equal-of-the-sun-anita-amirrezvani/

Equal of the Sun – A. Amirrezvzni
Audio performance by Simon Vance
4 stars

The story is told by the eunuch, Javaher, closest advisor to the Princess Pari. Javaher is uniquely positioned to navigate the treacherous political pathways of Iran’s 16th century court intrigue. While her father lives, Pari is in an unusual position of power and influence. After her father’s murder, her influence within the court decreases drastically.

This was an interesting look at historical events and a culture that are completely unknown to me. So, I can’t speak to how much this fiction conforms to fact. As a novel, this book was enjoyable reading. The descriptions were very rich and the action was well plotted. I was drawn into the conspiracy and the trauma of the story. I liked the major characters and I was saddened by the tragic events of the story. Clearly it was as dangerous to be female in the Iranian royal family as it was to be a female relation of 16th century English monarchs.

The Blood of Flowers – Amita Amirrezvani
4 stars

“First there wasn’t and then there was. Before God, no one was.”

Once upon a time……..

The story begins with a story, a Persian fable of a young girl with the charmed future of a happy prosperous marriage.

No such future exists for the unnamed narrator of Blood of Flowers. Her story begins in her fourteenth year with the sudden death of her devoted father. It continues through a precarious year as she and her impoverished mother seek support from unsympathetic relatives. It is seventeenth century Iran in the time of Shah Abbas. This young woman has only two assets; her virginity and her talent as a designer and a maker of rugs.

This book is full of fascinating cultural background. There is naturally much detailed description of the craft and culture of rug making. The storyteller speaks eloquently of the effort and tedium of the process, but also expresses the artist’s satisfaction in creation. There is also much description of women’s work and the role of women in this culture. Various fables scattered about the story provide more of the colorful cultural background. Of particular importance to the plot is a form of temporary marriage called a ‘sigheh’. In another culture such a relationship might be called concubinage. For the story’s protagonist it creates both opportunity and the threat of disgrace. I was very impressed with the author’s ability to show, realistically, how a woman could exercise personal choice in an essentially powerless situation. This is a satisfying coming-of-age story of a young woman who manages to create a life for herself in restrictive circumstances.

I have mixed feelings about the audio version of this book as performed by Shohreh Aghdashloo. On the one hand, it is always helpful to hear correct pronunciation of foreign words. Aghdashloo’s accented reading added to my sense of being in a very different time and place. It also added more personality to the unnamed protagonist. Unfortunately, this performance was so heavily accented that I sometimes had trouble understanding the English words. Also, the reader delivered much of the text in a rather monotone, unemotional voice that did not fit with highly emotional events. I felt more connected to the suffering and triumph of the main character when I was reading her first person account. My four star rating is for the book itself. I would give the audio performance three stars.

A note for parents and teachers: Although this book is about what we would consider to be an adolescent girl, it deals with very adult themes. The depiction of the ‘marriage’ includes some explicit and erotic scenes.

This reads like a Persian Cinderella story, punctuated by traditional Iranian stories and brilliantly brought to life with vivid descriptions of the fabled city of Isfahan. The aspect of the art of carpet making was particularily interesting, as were the descriptions of customs and everyday life in seventeenth century Iran.

Anita Amirrezvani's latest novel, Equal of the Sun, transports readers to 16th century Iran. At the centre of the story is Iranian princess Pari Khan Khanoom, daughter of the Shah. Although Pari lives in a male-dominated society, she becomes her father's closest adviser due to her unrivaled knowledge and understanding of court politics. When the Shah dies suddenly without naming an heir, the country falls into chaos. Putting her prodigious skills as a courtier to use, Pari works tirelessly to install her brother Isma'il on the throne, hoping he will reward her efforts by naming her his chief adviser. While her efforts on behalf of Isma'il are successful, her aspiration to become his chief advisor goes unrealized, and ultimately contribute to the power struggles that characterize Isma'il's reign. At Pari's side is her chief adviser, Javaher, a eunuch whose loyalty to his princess never wavers. Together, they must navigate their way through an increasingly treacherous court, one where it is difficult to tell friend from foe.

The greatest strength of this novel lies with Amirrezvani's conveyance of the customs and conventions of the royal court, especially as they pertain to women. Whether Pari or Javaher are in audience with the Shah or simply trying to collect information through associates in the royal harem, the reader is given great insight into life at court. Although Pari is at the heart of this novel, I feel it is her trusted adviser Javaher, from whose perspective the story is told, who is the real star of the book. Although born into the nobility, Javaher's father is accused of treason and put to death. To prove his loyalty to the court, Javaher does the unthinkable and voluntarily becomes a eunuch. Amerizzvani does a masterful job developing Javaher's character, showing his determination to balance his service to his princess while at the same time attempting to uncover the truth about his father's death. She also successfully conveys Javaher's inner struggles to come to terms with his decision to become a eunuch.

Given my knowledge of Iranian history is limited, I was immediately drawn to this novel because reading it would present me with the opportunity to learn about historical people and places of which I know little. Upon reading the first couple of chapters, however, I wasn't immediately sure that the historical components of the novel would be detailed enough to meet my expectations. Nevertheless, by the time I finished I realized my concerns were unfounded, as I had, in fact, learned an awful lot. Although it did take me a bit of time to connect with the novel's characters and story lines, by the midway point, when court power struggles and intrigues come to the forefront of the story, I found the book difficult to put down. I look forward to reading more from this author.

a really fantastic book