The Septembers of Shiraz

This is an incredibly powerful debut novel from Dalia Sofer. I had high expectations for this book after reading a very positive review by Claire Messud in the New York Times. Needless to say, "The Septembers of Shiraz" lived up to its advance praise and I highly recommend it. The story centers on a Iranian Jewish family living in post-revolutionary Iran (1981). Isaac, the father, is a gemologist with a successful business. His life and that of his family is turned upside down when he unexpectedly arrested by the Revolutionary Guard and taken to prison. There Amin is physically, mentally and emotionally tortured for a confession about being a traitor and his connection to the deposed regime of the former Shah. Meanwhile, Isaac's family, Farnaz (wife), Shirin (9 year old daughter) and Parviz (college student living in Brookly) struggle to cope with the imprisonment of Isaac. Sofer wonderfully captures the hopes, fears and challenges each of them face through their distinctively different perspectives and situations. Sofer does a wonderful job going far beyond the expected stereotypes to paint the complex nature of human relationships -- how these relationships exist in times of "peace" and how they exist in times of turmoil. Especially powerful is Sofer's exploration of Farnaz's relationship with their housekeeper Habibeh. Her son used to work for Amin and is now part of the Revolutionary Guard. "Septembers of Shiraz" causes us to reflect on several sweeping themes -- how complicitous is an individual who benefits from a situation without directly supporting that underlying situation? Is it possible for power not to corrupt those when they go from ruled to ruler? What is one's connection to country vs. religion? Sofer's writing is truly captivating. She writes with a simplicity and sense of confidence that is quite unique for a first time novelist. While she creates well rounded portraits of her characters, she really excels when dealing with the inter-relationships of those characters. Also, with very few exceptions, she does not cross over into the predictable. Overall, this is one of the most compelling and satisfying books that I have read this year. I certainly hope that more people discover this book and get to enjoy a promising new literary voice.

I purchased this book after seeing positive reviews in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. This is one of the best books I've read, with tight yet lyrical language that enabled me, someone who's never been to Iran or been in a situation akin to that the Amin family faced, to enter their world and understand their changing feelings and actions. The characters were powerfully drawn, and the reader feels empathy for the dilemmas faced by Isaac, the imprisoned father, Farnaz, his somewhat estranged wife, Shirin, the daughter, and Parviz, the son so far away. And despite the tragic events, we see growth in how the characters see themselves and relate to each other. This book richly deserves the positive reviews it has received, and I wish Ms. Sofer a long and productive career!

I tore through The Septembers of Shiraz in two days. It is gripping, moving, and perceptive. Although firmly based in the details and culture of Iran, the story is universal in showing how an apolitical but privileged family gets caught in the gears of a horrific totalitarian regime. A lot of books about political repression focus on a person who has been imprisoned and tortured. Sofer writes about such a prisoner, but she gives equal attention to the wife, son and daughter of the man who has been imprisoned -- showing how they too suffer and cope. I really recommend this. I

This new novel has a tone of rare refinement throughout. The characters speak carefully, the descriptions are painterly, and the story is poignant. When so many new novels are snarky, hard boiled and vulgar, it is a relief to read a book obviously written by a refined person and very talented novelist. Dalia Sofer gave me insight into the life Iranian Jews must have led before they turned up overnight in my community in the early 1980s. In this beautifully rendered novel, feelings spring from the page: the work-obsessed husband falsely imprisoned, the vain but loving wife, the bewildered and innocent 9 year old daughter, and the 18 year old son, an architecture student cast adrift in Hasidic Brooklyn of all places. The scenes in Brooklyn are well rendered and the Hasidim accurately pictured. I can only assume that the Iranian scenes are equally true to life. There were certain scenes that did not ring true, though. How is it possible on a teeming Hasidic street, where small children watch from front porches and elderly women peer through windows, that a young couple could feel free enough to walk together before they were engaged? Unrealistic! And a pivotal plot device turns on a Hasidic emissary having a forbidden romance while abroad. Again, unrealistic for the very reason that Lubavitch emissaries are always married couples, never single men. [I stand corrected on this point - see comment] An absorbing story, and an inspiring one.

Isaac Amin is a rare gem dealer, who is mistakenly accused of being a spy following the Iranian revolution. His family is panicked by his disappearance, while Isaac himself must survive the horrors of an Iranian prison. This novel explores human alienation from home and family, and how we are interconnected as family. Beautifully written and highly recommended!