The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali, acclaimed author of The Stationery Shop, is a gripping and emotionally rich novel set against the backdrop of pre- and post-revolutionary Iran. This deeply moving story explores the bonds of female friendship, the brutal cost of defiance, and the unshakable will to survive under oppression.
At the heart of the novel are two childhood friends—Yasamin and Shirin—raised in a changing Tehran that soon becomes engulfed by the tides of revolution and repression. As they grow, so do their dreams and their awareness of a society determined to silence women’s voices. When political unrest explodes, their lives are pulled in opposite directions—one chooses rebellion, the other family duty—but both face the question: how far will you go for truth, for love, for freedom?
Through rich prose and emotionally vivid storytelling, Kamali paints a portrait of a generation of Iranian women who refused to stay quiet. It’s a novel about heartbreak, resistance, and what it means to live authentically in the face of fear.
For fans of Khaled Hosseini, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Elif Shafak, The Lion Women of Tehran is a stunning testament to the power of the human spirit and the roar of women who refuse to be caged.
