

Loading... Censoring an Iranian Love Storyby Shahriar Mandanipour
![]() None. Middle East Fiction (149) No current Talk conversations about this book. Mandanipour is very popular in Iran but this is his first book to be published in the US. A suprisingly funny novel about a famous Iranian writer trying to write a love story with a happy ending. Shades of Pale Fire and any novel where the characters wriggle out from under the grasp of the author. ( ![]() World Lit Today review It's hard to pin down my thought on this book. I recognize I am very unfamiliar with real Iranian literature, so it's difficult to distinguish between cultural characteristics and the author's style. It is a metanarrative, in which the narrator explains why certain choices are made in the love story (the internal story) and explains a lot of the Iranian culture as it relates to literature. This dialogue is really interesting (even though it gets tedious in the middle, it picks up again) to help a Westerner like myself. It also adds humour to the novel because of the absurdity of some traditions and conventions. As the book progresses, the narrative and internal story crisscross, which is more challenging to wrap my mind around -- the lines between the two stories really blurs. Overall the interaction between the narrator and his story is intriguing from a writer's perspective and that of a storyteller. I don't actually like Sara; she is coquettish but stubborn and arrogant...? I don't really know how to describe her, but I didn't really empathize with her. I think that's alright, though, because Dara and the narrator are the main characters, and they're more likeable. The most similar author to which I can liken this book is [a:Thomas King|25892|Thomas King|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-M-50x66.jpg]. His [b:Green Grass Running Water|46277|Green Grass, Running Water|Thomas King|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320433170s/46277.jpg|45411] blurs the lines between the metanarrative and narrative and also subtlely and artistically points out absurdities in (native Canadian) culture. Actually, I can see an interesting comparison study being possible between these two stories. 3,5 en fait. J'ai beaucoup aimé l'idée, les références et la façon d'utiliser l'humour pour parler de la situation dans son pays natal. Toutefois, le procédé m'a paru un peu lourd par moments. A sharp, witty tour de force. The novel is at least in part a reflection of Iranian culture and society, with its immense gulf between the public and the private and where people are adept at not saying what they really mean and not meaning all that they say. Clever, funny and depressing - all at the same time. no reviews | add a review
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