Marjan KamaliThe Lion Women of Tehran: The life-affirming BBC Radio 2 Book Club pick

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4.75 starsThe Lion Women of Tehran, by Marjan Kamali, is a powerful, evocative, moving story with impactful characters, rich history, important themes and eloquent writing.We start with an irrepressible friendship between two girls from different economic, social and political statuses in 1950s Tehran. Political unrest is rampant and engulfs everyone. Ellie and Homa have lives that eventually diverge, then reunite, and we follow the paths they take. The journey is fascinating, heartbreaking, cathartic and inspirational. This epic story is meaningful and memorable and will grip your heart, stir your emotions, possibly change your perspective, and leave you better for it.

The Lion Women of Tehran is a story of friendship,love, betrayal, politics and a constant longing for freedom. Freedom that the novel seeks is not just of a nation by its women. It shouts for liberty, equality and opportunities that women in every land deserves. Ellie and Homa forged a bond of friendship that has its own challenges. It undergoes the testing of time only to emerge stronger than ever. Homa is the spirit that Ellie seeks throughout her life. She is the passion, commitment and courage that every woman will welcome in her life. Her vigour is infectious. Power hates question and absolute power lothes it. It poses a challenge to those who enjoy the formidable status. Homa thus is a challenge to them. They try to crush her spirit, her purpose of life. She is imprisoned, raped and tortured. The brief fear of survival gives way to her insurmountable commitment for equality and respect for women rights. It's not just a novel but a cry for the respect and security that a woman deserves. Ellie is her safe haven, her home, her love they dream of becoming Lion women of Tehran. Their friendship makes the reader long for similar bonding. Their strength is their bonding which stands rock solid when faced with authorities. It is their protection against the evil eye. Their lifetime is a tale of commitment for each other and for all women who desire and deserve freedom.

Life changed dramatically for seven-year-old Elaheh after her father died. Her father’s brother now held the purse strings for Elaheh and her mother. Uncle Massoud forced them to move to a small place at “the bottom of the city.” Gone was the beautiful home her mother had lived in since her marriage at age 16. Gone were the servants. Gone was the money her father made. Gone were her mother’s paintings, jewelry, furniture, all the trappings of a wealthy life. Home now consisted of two rooms with a mattress on the floor where both mother and daughter slept. Elaheh’s self absorbed, ultra superstitious, mean spirited mother refused to work as having a job was beneath someone who was descended from royalty as she often reminded her daughter.Ellie spent those early days looking out her window at the neighborhood children playing in the streets. Forbidden to join them, she could only dream about having a friend.As their first summer in the slums drew to a close, Elaheh’s mother announced that she had registered her daughter for first grade. Ellie was so excited for school and knew that there she would finally find her perfect friend.But the kind, gentle friend of her dreams never appeared. Instead, a curly haired, loud, boisterous, girl with mischief in her eyes became her BFF. Her name was Homa and she was so different from what Ellie had imagined her best friend would be. Homa and her family welcomed Ellie. But her own mother refused to allow Homa to come home with Ellie. In spite of the prejudice and hate her mother spewed about Homa and her family, the girls built a solid friendship. And together they were going to grow up and follow their dreams.Their bond of friendship was strong with ups and downs throughout their lives. Both girls had dreams. Homa was the idealist - a fighter, an activist, wanting to make changes for the women in her beloved country while Ellie was a gentle soul, who wanted a college education, a husband and children. Both dreams were shattered as Iran’s political climate changed and the Sha was ousted.This beautifully written story is told in flashbacks from 1950 to 2022. This is a story of two little girls who grew up in an ever changing country. It is a story of courage, friendship, women’s rights (or lack of them), Iranian culture, and political unrest. Written by the author who brought us The Stationary Shop, Marjan Kamila has woven an engaging and timely story about the strength and beauty of the women living in Iran. Don’t miss this five star novel.

I was fascinated by the story of Elaheh, the main character of "The Lion Women of Tehran", and her friend Homa. Many Americans may not know the history of our country with Iran. The story of the friendship between Elaheh and her vibrant, passionate friend Homa, illustrates this history beautifully and simply. I don't want to get into too many details of the plot for fear of spoilers, but I will say that the story held my attention from the beginning and kept my attention throughout. I have a personal interest because my mother, aunt and grandmother were from Iran, albeit Assyrian/Armenian Christians. I heard many stories from them about living under the Shah. Homa, Elaheh's childhood friend, is a vehicle for Kamali to illustrate how repression, authoritarianism, and far-right religious rulers can cause so much misery and pain to a population. The Shah and his brutal police force, the SAVAK, were bad enough; Homa could not have foreseen the complete annihilation of personal freedoms the Ayatolleh Khomeini and his regime could bring to this beautiful country. I think the shell of an outstanding novel is here. Kamali has written this for a general audience, almost like a chick lit book with a historical base. But so much more could be explored in these themes. Still, many people will learn from it.I wish there had been a glossary of Farsi terms and even some recipes as an Appendix. That is something that publishers don't do and it may be considered improper. But I think readers would appreciate it.