Great message

Good

This story spans the 1950s through the 70s and 80s to the present day and follows Elaheh "Ellie" Soltani and Homa Roozbeh - girls from completely different backgrounds who meet in Tehran as seven-year-olds who become fast friends but drift apart - a cycle that continues as their lives intersect time and time again and their fates intertwine against the volatile backdrop of the Iranian Revolution and the decades that follow. The narrative is presented predominantly from Ellie's perspective, though we do get a few segments from Homa's perspective. Both main characters are well fleshed out and their dynamic as it evolves over decades is realistically depicted. The author's portrayal of the changing socio-political landscape of Iran during the Iranian revolution and its aftermath with emphasis on women's rights will inspire reflection. We can't help but ponder over the fact that many of us have been afforded freedoms that others do not enjoy - freedoms that we often take for granted and rights that women all over the world have fought for in their own time and continue to do so today. This story dealt with friendship, grief, love, power, and freedom. I learned a great deal about the culture of Iran, but not in a textbook sort of way. I loved the friendship between the girls/women. So well done and relatable! I highly recommend reading this book as it's a memorable read that you will be thinking about long after you turn the last page.

??

Liked it

Love this book !

1948, Shandong, China. The civil war rages. The communists have arrived to kill off landowners and claim the land. Women, especially young girls, are worthless as they cannot be heirs. Under the threat of the communists, the Ang family flees leaving the daughter in law and her 3 young girls to protect their land. Their perilous journey takes us from North China to Hong Kong in the hopes of locating and reuniting with their family. This was the epitome of a misogynistic & patriarchal country. Yet, these females survived the hardships of starvation, disease, homelessness and exhaustion; contrasting with their strength, bravery and resilience. Overall, a fascinating read and interesting perspective of the sexism that existed in China. I appreciate that this was written based on Chung's family history.

Fun!!

Great

Not my genre and a bit predictable. Easy beach read to complete in middle of winter.