
Publisher: Gallery Books
Format: eARC
Source: Netgalley
Genres: Women's Fiction
Pages: 320
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Publication Date: June 18, 2019
From the award-winning author of Together Tea—a debut novel hailed as “compassionate, funny, and wise” by Jill Davis, bestselling author of Girls’ Poker Night—comes a powerful love story exploring loss, reconciliation, and the quirks of fate.
Roya is a dreamy, idealistic teenager living in 1953 Tehran who, amidst the political upheaval of the time, finds a literary oasis in kindly Mr. Fakhri’s neighborhood book and stationery shop. She always feels safe in his dusty store, overflowing with fountain pens, shiny ink bottles, and thick pads of soft writing paper.
When Mr. Fakhri, with a keen instinct for a budding romance, introduces Roya to his other favorite customer—handsome Bahman, who has a burning passion for justice and a love for Rumi’s poetry—she loses her heart at once. And, as their romance blossoms, the modest little stationery shop remains their favorite place in all of Tehran.
A few short months later, on the eve of their marriage, Roya agrees to meet Bahman at the town square, but suddenly, violence erupts—a result of the coup d’etat that forever changes their country’s future. In the chaos, Bahman never shows. For weeks, Roya tries desperately to contact him, but her efforts are fruitless. With a sorrowful heart, she resigns herself to never seeing him again.
Until, more than sixty years later, an accident of fate leads her back to Bahman and offers her a chance to ask him the questions that have haunted her for more than half a century: Why did he leave? Where did he go? How was he able to forget her?
The Stationery Shop is a beautiful and timely exploration of devastating loss, unbreakable family bonds, and the overwhelming power of love.Enter Iran 1953, we meet Roya, full of hope and dreams for the future. Roya’s family is very modern and believe in education for women. This is not the Iran of today, this Iran is like the west, no covering of the women’s hair, women are educated and free. Roya is a frequent visitor of Mr. Fakhri’s neighborhood book and stationery shop and this is where she will meet Bahram, a young boy full of idealistic and political dreams for Iran that go against the current regime.
This is not only a wonderful love story with some heartbreak, but a glimpse into the past as far back as 1916 that I found fascinating. I loved that the author took us that far back and centered on Iran of the 1950’s, an era that we rarely hear about.
This book also brings us to the USA where Roya and her sister end up building a life for themselves.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was a love story and a wonderful glimpse into the Iran of yesteryear.
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This story sounds like it delivered a sweet romance ands an. interesting glimpse in to the past.