The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree

Having very little knowledge of Iran, especially the revolution, I can't say how much of this is based on real atrocities and how much is exaggerated. I've read a few reviews written by people much more intelligent than I and it seems to go either way.

But I can say, for me, the book kept my interest. I loved the folk tales woven into the story and the glimpse into a culture I know little about. I'm not sure if things were awkward in translation or if that was the fault of the author, but I felt like it was clunky in some areas, confusing in others. Still, I was unable to put the book down!

New all-time favorite book. It could not be more timely and I experienced a disconcerting catharsis while reading it. It employs magical realism, which I know is not for everyone, but if you are willing to suspend disbelief to surrender to the storytelling, and nods to Persian folklore and mythology, while allowing it to symbolically tell you an otherwise brutal (but very necessary) story of the consequences of political oppression and religious zealotry and its all too often accompanying indifference, you may even shed a few tears when you reach its final pages and recognize its devastating beauty.