Over the past holiday season, Marjan Kamali’s third novel, “The Lion Women of Tehran,” made its rounds through three generations of my family.
My grandmother read the novel in December for her book club and was delighted with the read. During our yearly Holiday celebration, she praised the novel and loaned it to my mother.
As an adoring fan of Kamali’s writing, I had already ordered a copy of my own prior to finding out that my grandmother had it. By January, all three of us had read “The Lion Women of Tehran.” We gushed over the textured prose and loveably human female characters.
My point in telling my family’s narrative with this story is to highlight Kamali’s ability to win the hearts and minds of three women with vastly different ages, worldviews and literary tastes. Now, let’s get into exactly how the magnificent author managed to do so.
Right away, “The Lion Women of Tehran” strikes readers with its title. Prior to cracking the spine of this novel, I wondered what exactly a “Lion Woman” implied.
While I read through the school days of Elaleh (Ellie) and Homa, the leading characters in this story, it quickly became apparent that Homa ferociously defends her loved ones and ideals and bravely fights for what’s right. Despite being a bit more reserved in her efforts, Ellie carries the same virtuous spirit. According to a review by Yasi Agah from Feminist Book Club, “Lion Women” or shir-zan is a phrase used informally in Iran to refer to a “fierce, courageous and brave woman.” Homa and Ellie undoubtedly suit this description, hence the gloriously-fitting title.
Set in 1950s Tehran, Iran, the social and political context of the time and place drive and inform the narrative and central conflict in this story: friendship.
Without revealing too much of the plot, I’ll note that the contrasting lifestyles and desires of Ellie and Homa, as well as the state of Iranian politics and society, place tension on their once-effortless friendship and try its strength repeatedly.
The climax in “The Lion Women of Tehran” bubbles up through small disconnects between Homa and Ellie and overflows with a heart-wrenching betrayal that happens amidst the Iranian revolution.
The emotional consequences of this mistake spur the latter half of the book and raise meaningful questions about friendship, loyalty, connection and womanhood.
Aside from Homa and Ellie, the characters Kamali crafts in this novel are deliciously complex and real, and the intertwined connections between all of them keep the entire story intriguing and lively.
In addition to creating a compelling narrative and fascinating characters, Kamali depicts life in Tehran from the modest “slums” to the luminous Grand Bazaar, to the luxurious, yet rigorous academic life of Ellie, who is supposedly descended from royalty.
Iranian-American author Yasi Agah resonated with this novel because of the September 2022 riots in Iran that occurred following the murder of Mahsa Amini. According to Agah, the Kurdish-Iranian woman’s murder was a tipping point for Iranian women.
Agah called the protesting women, who removed their mandatory headscarves and sang and danced in public in spite of likely punishment and imprisonment, “truly the definition of shir-zan.”
The presence of these powerful riots in “The Lion Women of Tehran” happened to be the first I had heard of them, which feels unacceptable to me.
Kamali’s thoughtful depiction and contextualization of important historical events through the lens of historical fiction demonstrates the necessity of so-called “World Literature” appearing in the United States’s literary canon.
There exists a massive (partially manufactured) disconnect between the United States and the conflicts in other nations, and bringing books like “The Lion Women of Tehran” to the forefront of literary spaces is one productive way to erode this barrier.
If you are intrigued by this wonderful read, treat yourself by ordering a copy from ThriftBooks, the best book supplier out there in my humble, earth-loving and frugal opinion.
Finally, if the mouthwatering dishes described in the book intrigue you and you enjoy cooking, download the recipe booklet Kamali put together. This booklet features dishes discussed in the book and recipes passed down from her mother’s kitchen.
O’Brien can be reached at obrienml0364@uwec.edu.
