Soon after Ellie and Homa meet, they are thick as thieves. Homa is brave, with a fiery spirit, desperate for change in their oppressive community. Ellie lives more by the book, hoping for a quieter, more traditional life. Homa pushes her to hope for more, recognize the injustices levied upon them, and challenge the system. Though from different socioeconomic spheres, both young women end up in the same school with the potential to fulfill their dreams – a luxury not afforded to all women. However, at the mercy of a despotic political situation, a naive moment of broken trust will splinter their trajectories. When Ellie eventually finds herself in America she has the opportunity to earn back Homa’s trust. She may not be a revolutionary, but in her own way, Ellie may be a lion woman capable of big things.
The longer this book sits with me, the more I enjoy it, particularly because I think it offers a more nuanced view of what it was like being a woman in Iran in the the 50s and 60s. I think I rated it lower largely because the synopsis mentioned “betrayal,” but the moment they refer to felt less like a bombshell or climactic moment. It did feel true to how things would have unfolded, but it was hard to reframe my expectations after thinking I was going to read something truly shocking. This story is about female friendship, yes, but more so it was about empathy – the power in having it and the power in what you do with it once you have it.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
Pair with: A dirty Shirley
Peaches to Apples 