The Stationery Shop Of Tehran

Marjan Kamali has magnificently scripted a fresh and pure teenage love, which started in a stationery shop and bloomed in the streets, cinema halls, and youngsters' parties in Trehan. Roya, a girl from a middle-class background, gets captivated by an upper-class, wealthy, nationalist boy, Bahman. But the fate is eternally engraved on the forehead when we are born. The author has blended the political journey of Iran since the early 1950s to 2013, from the fall of the Shah in 1953, the emergence of democracy under Prime Minister Mossadegh, the coup to dethrone Mossadegh and the revival of the Shah. And finally, it was taken over in 1979 by a religious leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, who made it the Islamic Republic of Iran. The language and prose are sweet and flawless, moving like an incense stick, gentle with a soft fragrance. Ms Kamali has beautifully incorporated the downward shift of the open American culture of Shah's time of the fifties to the recent rigid and dogmatic chauvinistic regime. The writing transports us to the roadside vendors, small shops, ancient bazars, streets, backlanes, squares, mosques, cafes, festivals, celebrations and parties, unrest, demonstrations, pro and anti-government, arrests, shootings, coups, and countercoups in Trehan. The description of the cuisines is so vivid that the reader can whiff and savour the delicacies. Lastly, the cover page picture of the raw, teenage girl in a long green frock also left a mark. Overall, my first refreshing read from an Iranian author. Dr Brij Mohan Author -Second Innings. Five stars.

I just love being left with the feeling of awe and sentimentality and this book hits hard with both. This tale is a depiction of having loved and then lost paired with beautiful writing. The story is so gorgeous yet so sad and leaves you overwhelmed with multiple emotions in the end. The political-historical setting is very straightforward and clear and helps in the portrayal of the culture. There is also the depiction of how time heals all but the scars are always there. It is unpredictable and unfurls the tiniest of secrets or twists all of a sudden. It also talks about the love of books, poetry and stationery shops. The love stories in the story are very passionate and at times very practical as well. I also loved the sister dynamic of Roya and Zari. The whole arc of “Why didn't you reply to my letters?” to “What letters??!!!” was as traumatizing as ever. And the ending is sad yet satisfactory.

The stationary shop of Tehran is a historical romance fiction set in Tehran, Iran. The book follows a girl named Roya who loved spending her time in the stationary shop of Tehran which is also a book store where she meets a political activist Bahman Aslan. Amidst the political turmoil in Tehran, Roya and Bahman fall in love but destiny has different plans for them. The book is written so beautifully and amazingly. I just couldn't put the book down. The book is unpredictable yet it unfolds many tiny secrets from time to time. It's a story about loss and grief; regrets and guilt; political turmoil ; acceptance and forgiveness. This book made me cry so much. This book was sad and heartbreaking yet beautiful. I still feel a lump in my throat! Especially the final pages -they're so hard to get through! But it's all worth it. And to my fellow Indian readers, you guys must be familiar with the ending of Veer Zara, this book has a similar kind of ending.

After *Rooftops of Tehran* by Mahbod Seraji, I didn’t think I could find a better book, being a fiction reader only. But Kamali’s novel proved me wrong in the most wonderful way. *The Stationery Shop of Tehran* has the rare ability to transport the reader to the streets of Iran — so vivid are the descriptions, so heartfelt are the emotions. I was captivated by the story of Roya and Bahman — their love, their struggles, their dreams, and the bittersweet turns their lives take. Kamali masterfully captures both the personal and the political, set against a backdrop of historical upheaval. It was hard for me to put the book down for even a moment. The story of Roya and Bahman is one that stays with you long after you close the book. Their innocent, youthful romance unfolds in the cozy warmth of Mr. Fakhri’s stationery shop, which becomes a symbol of hope and refuge. One of the lines that touched me deeply was: “A good bookstore is like an anchor in a storm.” This simple yet powerful metaphor reflects how that little shop sheltered not just books, but dreams and promises of a better tomorrow. Kamali’s writing shines in the way it captures moments both tender and tragic. She doesn’t glamorize love or suffering — instead, she paints them in honest, often heartbreaking strokes. As Roya reflects on her life, we are reminded: “Love is not about what you feel. It’s about what you do.” It is a fantastic novel that draws its power from authenticity, subtlety, and emotional depth. A must-read for anyone who enjoys fiction that touches the soul and lingers long after the final page.

This one right here has left a strange sense of longing in my heart; the kind that makes me want to send a prayer into the universe for all those who share a love so profound, it can withstand the tests of time, distance...and maybe even fate. Roya and Bahman: young, beautiful, passionate, and so in love. They remind you of the teenage love — full of stolen glances, innocent gestures, and hopeful promises — that you perhaps once shared with someone. The summer of 1953 brought them together, under the watch of an unassuming but affable Mr. Fakhri, in a warm and welcoming stationery shop in Tehran. The summer that showered them with the kind of love that comes across once in a lifetime, the kind that stays with them through unrest, decades of separation, complex relationships, and grief. Despite knowing of their evident separation at the very beginning of the book, I couldn’t help but root for them. I soaked in the warmth of their love, enjoyed their romance and courtship. I wished that by some stroke of luck, they would end up together. Maybe this is the beauty of young, innocent love. It makes you want to dream and want the impossible. The story is as much of Ali and Badri as it is of Roya and Bahman, for the lives of these four are so interconnected that the fate of one relationship eventually shapes the fate of the other. Then there are Roya and Walter, who make you see that love can never be one-dimensional. There can be as many kinds of love as there are humans on the earth. The calm and modest love that Roya shares with Walter is in complete contrast to the passionate and intense love she experienced with Bahman...but it is love nonetheless. The story makes you go through a myriad of emotions — love, hope, loss, heartbreak, misunderstandings, betrayal. But most importantly, it is a story of closure — one of the most essential things that a person needs to let go, forgive and finally move on. The closure comes sixty years too late for Roya and Bahman but it comes anyhow. And with closure comes the satisfaction that the love that kept the fire burning in their hearts for six decades was, after all, as loyal as they knew it to be when they were two young 17-year olds, who had committed themselves to each other in the small stationery shop of Tehran.

The Stationery Shop of Tehran had the potential to be a deeply moving and layered story, but it ultimately fell short for me. The plot felt somewhat predictable, which lessened the emotional impact of the narrative. I also found the characters lacking depth; they never quite developed the complexity or nuance needed to make their journeys fully engaging. While the book carries moments of charm, it misses the richness and resonance that define a truly compelling novel. Overall, it was an enjoyable read, but it could have been much stronger with more intricate character development and a less foreseeable storyline.

This book is a beautiful amalgamation of love, loss and tragedy. The story revolves around two teenagers who fell in love on summer in 1953 in the stationary shop of Tehran. The country was in turmoil and their love was on peak, they were meant for each other, they were about to get married. But destiny had different plans, as they say, it's all written on your forehead. Their lives have changed and they were separated as they say evil's eye caught them. What would happen when they would meet after six decades? Does the essence of love would still remain? I realised that there's so much common in Iranian and Indian cultures. The way we treat our guests and ask them enormous time for snacks and try to make them feel comfortable. The way we keep our shoes outside the house. And obviously the way we love our scrumptious food. I got to knew about various delicious Persian dishes and will try them someday🤭😋. I got to knew that back in 1953, women were progressive, families were supportive. But then there was political turmoil which had changed their lives. I got to knew that sometimes the bitterness of the past could ruin our future probably our loved one's future, maybe because the past never leaves us, it stays with us and haunts us. Sometimes young love could fill our veins with bitterness and that bitterness is passed onto generations to come. Do status and class are everything? Coming to the book, writing style and narration is beautiful. The book cover is stupendous. Language is pellucid. The plot twist is remarkable. Though at times, the storyline was a bit predictable. Overall it was satisfactory and I enjoyed the read.

Of friendship,of Love, Of Life. - A Review of the Stationery Shop of Tehran by John Green in the Fault of Stars quite accurately wrote that - “Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.” The Stationery Shop of Tehran is one such book which I will recommend to every single person, weather a bibliophile or not. The story is set in 1953, Tehran, Iran which is at the helm of a political outrage. It is in this Tehran that a 17 year old Roya meets Bahman in a Stationery Shop. In the midst of the books they love, they fall in love, get engaged and are all set to get married in the summer that follows. But alas, all hope of a bright future is darkened by the disappearance of Batman and the simultaneous coup in Iran. Roya, heartbroken moves to the US with her sister and meets Walter and starts a new life with him with the void created by Bahman’s absence carried deep within her heart. This story spans for over 60 years and is a story of Roya, Bahman, Walter, Zara, Ali, Badri. It is a story of Iran, its food, its people, its hospitality. It’s a story of Roya, Bahman, Walter, Zara, Ali, Badri. It’s a story of a war torn nation which is finding its heart. It is a story of love, friendship, relationships, sisterhood, trauma, betrayal, happiness, grief, loss and closure. It is a story which signifies how you don’t meet anyone you love halfway at any place. They are within each other all along. The statement that I loved the novel is an understatement. I have cried non- stop and I have smiled non - stop. This novel is like a strong ginger tea on a rainy day, provides you with warmth while devouring it, but stays with you long after you have consumed it. Roya, Bahman, Walter. They made me believe in the positivity and non toxicity of true love. It is just so simple. The language is descriptive and the vocabulary is beautiful and the character building is wonderful. I learned so much about the Irani culture and the similarities in the Indian and Irani food and hospitality culture fascinated me the most. The author has done a commendable job and her passion, her integrity can be reflected through Roya and Bahman’s story. My dear friends, please do yourself a favour and read this book. You will not regret it.