Disoriental

Review

I really liked the way this novel investigated ideas of family and exile - I also learned quite a bit about Iranian history and culture which I enjoyed. I understand the motivation behind the stylistic choices but they still made it a little challenging for me to track the story, although once I got the hang of it I had a much easier time.

At eight years old, I couldn't possibly have imagined where Leïli's words would lead me one day. How could anyone believe, when your life stretches out in front of you as vast and endless as the world itself, that one simple word could sum up the whole thing?

I came out of that upstairs bedroom eventually, but I never really left it. Every room I have lived in was that room in Mazandaran. I realized some time ago, when the lines developing around my mouth made me look even more like Nour, that what we call the future is really just a variation of the past.