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Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated Rooftops of Tehran in Books

Jun 18, 2018

<a href="https://awindowintobooks.wordpress.com">Full Review</a>
I received, Rooftops of Tehran by Mahbod Seraji, for free in exchange for a review. The synopsis of the book immediately caught my attention. From the beginning I was excited to read this novel. The story takes place in Iran. The story shows how American involvement affects everyone and not always in a good way. The characters are well developed. The story has twists, that I never expected but kept the story going.

Pasha, Ahmed, Zari and Faheemah are the main characters. Pasha and Ahmed spend many hours on his rooftop talking, joking, dreaming of the love of their lives and contemplating life. Pasha fantasized being with Zari but she was to married off to a childhood friend. While Ahmed wanted to be with Faheemah and ended up dating with the approval of her parents. Pasha and his friends live in Iran in the 1970's where they are skeptical of religion, arrange marriage and the government of their country. The US is viewed as a place of opportunity but as a place that causes problems.

By reading this book I was able to gain insight to middle class life in Iran during the 1970's until the rule of the Shah. This is a coming of age book that appears simple in the beginning but as the story progresses life gets complicated due to arranged marriage customs, and modern ideas from western culture. School is a place that is run by petty tyrants and when rules are not obeyed punishment is what follows. At the core, is the fundamentalism of Iran's future.

The SAVAK is present everywhere and people of all ages feel their impact. SAVAK have an impact on Iranian culture and not in a good way. They cause confusion, heartbreak and even death.

This story is written in a fast paced narrative perspective. The author has developed the characters well. At the end of the story I felt like I was sitting on the rooftop with Pasha experiencing his life, the twists, the secrets and all that effected his life with him.