A review by megansoetaert
The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali

emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes

3.5

This is a well-done historical fiction novel exploring the lives of two girls/women, Homa and Ellie, over the course of their lives in Iran and, later, the US. I loved their friendship and how their lives intersect again and again over time. Readers get to see their growth against the backdrop & because of a changing Iran in the 50s-70s.

I wish we had more chapters from Homa’s POV earlier on. Also, some of the later chapters felt rushed or misplaced. I think the best developed sections of the book were when Homa & Ellie were teenagers/young adults—it combines their personal fights, activism & politics, and their country very well.

Overall, I love seeing more historical fiction that’s not about WWII/Europe! This is a great read and tells the story of young 20th century women in Iran beautifully.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for a free copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings