Title: The Lion Women of Tehran
Author: Marjan Kamali
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication date: July 2, 2024
Length: 352 pages
Genre: Historical fiction
Source: Purchased
Rating:
In 1950s Tehran, seven-year-old Ellie lives in grand comfort until the untimely death of her father, forcing Ellie and her mother to move to a tiny home downtown. Lonely and bearing the brunt of her mother’s endless grievances, Ellie dreams for a friend to alleviate her isolation.
Luckily, on the first day of school, she meets Homa, a kind girl with a brave and irrepressible spirit. Together, the two girls play games, learn to cook in the stone kitchen of Homa’s warm home, wander through the colorful stalls of the Grand Bazaar, and share their ambitions of becoming “lion women.”
But their happiness is disrupted when Ellie and her mother are afforded the opportunity to return to their previous bourgeois life. Now a popular student at the best girls’ high school in Iran, Ellie’s memories of Homa begin to fade. Years later, however, her sudden reappearance in Ellie’s privileged world alters the course of both of their lives.
Together, the two young women come of age and pursue their own goals for meaningful futures. But as the political turmoil in Iran builds to a breaking point, one earth-shattering betrayal will have enormous consequences.
The Lion Women of Tehran is a powerful, moving look at the lifelong friendship between two remarkable women, set against the political upheavals of 20th century Iran.
“You know what we’ll both become when we grow up?”
“I do not,” I said.
“Shir zan. Lionesses. Us. Can’t you just see it, Ellie? Someday, you and me—we’ll do great things. We’ll live life for ourselves. And we will help others. We are cubs now, maybe. But we will grow to be lionesses. Strong women who make things happen.”
Ellie and Homa meet at age seven, as Ellie attends her first day of school after moving “downtown” — to a poor neighborhood of Tehran — after her father’s death. It’s 1950, the Shah is in power, and Ellie’s station in life has changed dramatically, something her aristocratic mother seems unable to accept. Homa, from a lower class family, is full of life and energy, and immediately befriends Ellie. While Ellie’s mother bans Homa from their home, Ellie is welcomed by Homa’s warm, loving family.
But three years later, Ellie’s life shifts again when her mother remarries and they return to the privileged life they’d once enjoyed, leaving the downtown neighborhood — and Homa — behind. The girls may be best friends, but at age ten, their ability to stay connected is limited, and over time they drift apart and lose touch. Years later, they’re reunited when Homa transfers to Ellie’s elite high school, and their bond is soon reestablished.
Ellie’s mother wants what she considers a good life for her daughter — marriage, children, and high standing in Tehran’s upper class society. But Homa encourages Ellie to think differently. They both excel in school; why not pursue a university education and careers? Homa dreams of attending law school, becoming Iran’s first woman judge, and making a true difference in achieving a fair and equitable society. As the friends move into their college years, they remain tightly bonded even as their goals diverge, but Homa’s political activism becomes dangerous, and leads to an unimaginable consequence.
As Ellie and Homa become estranged in their adult lives, neither can forget their friendship and what they once meant to one another. When revolution and war devastate Iran in the 1980s, Homa reaches out to Ellie once again, and the two must fight to reclaim what they once had and find a way to safeguard the people they love.
The overarching theme of life-long friendship adds sweetness and sorrow to this emotional story, even as Iran’s political and religious upheavals threaten the characters’ lives. We may all know the headlines from this time period; The Lion Women of Tehran provides an opportunity to learn about the lives of people who lived through these events. By focusing on Ellie and Homa, who represent two very different walks of life, readers are allowed into the day-to-day experiences of life in Tehran under the Shah and during the early years of the revolution. Their journeys — together and apart — provide a personal lens through which to view these events and understand the impact on individuals within the larger society.
Despite the seriousness, the story includes lovely moments of joy as well. The tastes and smells of the food the girls share add texture to the narrative. Their adventures as girls and young women also show the more beautiful aspects of life in Tehran, helping readers understand the yearning for home and love of their country even when life there becomes extremely dangerous.
Overall, I was incredibly moved by the richly described friendship between Ellie and Homa, and profoundly affected by the upheavals and tragedies in their lives. The Lion Women of Tehran is a beautifully written book. Once again, I find myself grateful that my book group led me to such a wonderful reading experience. Highly recommended.
The author’s website (https://marjankamali.com/) includes a link to download of recipes from the book. They all look amazing!
I’m eager to check out the author’s previous novel, The Stationery Shop. Learn more about it, here.
Purchase links: Amazon – Audible audiobook – Bookshop.org – Libro.fm
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