In this historical fiction, Marjan Kamali brings to life two friends growing up in Tehran in The Lion Women of Tehran.
Seven-year-old Ellie lives in grand comfort in 1950s Tehran. When her father dies, she and her mother must move to a tiny home in the poor part of the city. Lonely and bearing the brunt of her mother’s endless grievances, Ellie dreams of a friend to alleviate her isolation. On the first day of school, she meets Homa, a kind, enthusiastic girl with a brave and irrepressible spirit. The two girls bond and share ambitions of becoming “lion women.” But the two are separated when Ellie’s mother marries, and they are transported back to the land of the rich. This is just the first separation for the girls as they come of age in a politically torn Tehran. When one of the girls makes a terrible mistake, will they be their final separation?
The story begins from Ellie’s perspective, and it seems like Ellie is all we get (which would be fine) but then we are surprised by Homa’s point of view. I loved this as it adds another layer to the story. These two girls are very different, but they pair well as they make each other better people. That is what endures the most through all the changes in Tehran: a loving relationship between women even when women are being pushed down.
And that is where we get an inside look at Tehran and its revolution. We see how girls’ lives were changed in only a moment. Through the girls, we see what rights women had before the revolution and just how much was taken from them. From these changes comes the discussion about revolution and how they can backfire. As Homa pushes for revolution for better treatment of women she ends up being more oppressed. But through Homa we learn that doing what is right is not worth giving up. Ellie shows the kind of life that the few women who were able to leave lived and how generosity is given back to her homeland in ways different from Homa’s.
The Lion Women of Tehran is a beautiful story of friendship trapped in tragedy. Marjan Kamali creates women you like, women you root for, women you want to be.

“Freedom has no musts.”

This story was deeply moving.

I teared up reading about the lives and friendship of Ellie and Homa, about the turmoil in Tehran, and about women’s rights.

This story is about the bravery, resiliency, courage, and deep love of women and I will think about this story for some time to come.

Here I am again thinking that I don’t want to give away too much to you, dear reader. I often think about what I would want to know prior to reading a book, and there is so much that I could potentially ruin and take from your experience if I share too much. I really don’t love knowing too much going into a story because I love the entire experience of a favorite read. I love meeting the characters, learning about them and feeling what they are feeling, and just getting to read a beautiful and impactful story and remembering where I was and what I felt when that happens. This story was that for me and I think it will be for you too, so these few things I will share.

Know that this book made me think of my childhood friends and what would have happened if one choice or situation were different? Would we be different people leading different lives? Would we still be in touch? I am so thankful for my friendships especially the women that have taught me things about myself, have been a mirror to my light and darkness, have picked me up. Women are fierce and I could not stop thinking about so many of the most meaningful women in my life including my mom, my wife, and my best friends.

Also, this story made me realize I kind of stick my head in the sand when it comes to political upheaval and struggles in other countries. I turn on the news and lately it always seems so sad and defeating and it makes me want to immediately turn away. What this story exposed me to made me want to learn more about the women of Iran, about women and their struggles and their courage everywhere. It made me want to be more educated and aware and more present in what is going on in the world and to be a part of doing something, of being a part of the solution.

Lastly, this story made me proud to be a woman. To be amongst the brave, the courageous, the vulnerable, the intelligent, the lions.

This book will move you, inspire you, educate you, and is one I highly, highly recommend. It will definitely be a favorite of the year.

I absolutely adored the newest book by Marjan Kamali, The Lion Women of Tehran. This book follows the lives of two women, Ellie and Homa, who grow up as little girls in Tehran, Iran. The book shares their lives from childhood to adulthood, and though the girls' relationship is not strong at all times due to truly painful circumstances alongside difficult bits of Iranian history, they are loyal to each other. This book is a beautiful story of friendship, love, family, and survival... and how to cope through tragedy and pain. As children, both girls have to cope with the loss of at least one parent due to political issues, death, or family dynamics and that really unites them.

I really liked how the book was written - some chapters focused on Ellie, others on Homa, and the time periods changed from the 1950s to the 1980s and into the present day. The girls' story of friendship is sad, but also hopeful - they are estranged for many years and each deal with guilt and shame for their actions/inactions due to those circumstances. This book is hopeful, yet also painful and raw at times. The ending was a little too sweet at times but overall, this was a wonderful book!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

The Lion Women of Tehran follows four Iranian women as they deal with the ups and downs of life in modern Iran. Their stories highlight the strength of their friendships and their fight for freedom and independence. Highly recommend this story.

What a unique book! I love the topic and time period of this book. I feel like I didn’t know much about Iran in the 50s and 60s and this book immersed me in this time period.

This was such a FANTASTIC, sweeping historical fiction novel that traces the friendship between two women from Tehran over the course of decades as they grow up and their lives converge and diverge in heartbreaking ways. Great on audio and HIGHLY recommended. I was a huge fan of Marjan Kamali's debut, The stationery shop and I think I loved this one even more!! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

CW: infertility, miscarriage, rape

Marjan Kamali has followed The Stationery Shop with another winner. Spanning the years between 1950 and 1922, The Lion Women of Tehran tells a page-turning story of modern Iranian history focused on two captivating fictional women--Elaheh (“Ellie”) and Homa, two women who grow up in Tehran.

The book opens in December 1981 as Ellie and her husband now live in New York City. The previous night, Ellie had opened a letter from Homa, an estranged childhood friend sending her phone number, begging Ellie to call, and declaring the situation urgent. Rather than picking up the phone, Ellie goes into a tailspin. Readers quickly realize that guilt and regret have plagued Ellie for many years, but only slowly will they come to understand the cause.

The second chapter is set in the summer of 1950 Tehran. Seven-year-old Ellie’s beloved father has died, and she and her critical, aloof mother leave their upper-class home for a small apartment in central Tehran, a neighborhood populated by people Ellie’s mom looks down upon, not allowing her lonely only child to play with the neighborhood watched with envy through the window. With no money for an elite school in the fall, Ellie enters the neighborhood public school and is befriended by classmate Homa, who introduces her to hopscotch, freedom of the streets, and Homa’s loving family, including two parents and a baby sister--a perfect family in Ellie’s eyes. Secure and confident, Homa opens a new world to insecure, shy Ellie, but that world doesn’t last.

Ellie’s mother’s remarriage changes Ellie’s life again, taking her away from Homa, whom she desperately misses, but soon making her one of the most popular girls in her elite new school. Homa is soon forgotten. Yet Homa is destined not only to cross Ellie’s path again, but to become part of her life until the night that results in Ellie’s long-term, crippling guilt and the girls’ estrangement.
Divided into five parts, the book’s forty-seven chapters are labeled by time span, some focusing on Ellie, some on Homa, and some on both, thus enabling Kamali to develop their relationship, highlight their differences, and bring their individual stories to life during years of separation.
Seeing the impact of Iran’s changing political landscape on characters Kamali made me care about has made political and social history more memorable than any newspaper or news network ever could. Although I admit to disliking Ellie and her mother through much of the book, people change and facts and human motives once unknown gradually come to light. The Lion Women of Tehran will teach, touch readers’ hearts, and perhaps inspire.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster for an advance reader egalley of this highly recommended new novel by Marjan Kamali.

Shared on GoodReads and Amazon.

5+Stars!

This will be on my favorites of the year for sure! This is the second book by this author that will make my favorites list. I think it's incredible how Marjan Kamali can write such an important and emotional historical fiction book with layered and flawed characters and still make me care so much about everything that is going on in less than 350 pages. Truly, I love her books.

This book follows the friendship between Ellie and Homa from the 1950's to present day. The story starts off by introducing the two girls who are growing up in Iran. We follow them through grade school, high school, university, romantic relationships, family drama, and jobs and heartache that take them to different parts of the world. We see how they lived when the Shah was in power until the Iranian Revolution divided the country.

Through it all, they remain friends. This book is about forgiveness. This book is about being fierce. This book is about sacrifice. I thought this was stunning. Thank you to Netgalley for providing an e-arc copy of this in return of a honest review. I already purchased my own copy of this.

Loved this one! Great and fun read. Highly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for my ARC.

Thank you #partner Gallery Books for my #gifted copies of The Lion Women of Tehran!

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐞𝐡𝐫𝐚𝐧
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐣𝐚𝐧 𝐊𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐢
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟐, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

★★★★★

This book took me a long time to read. Not because I did not love it, but because I wanted to savor this one for as long as I could. This is one of those books that will stick with me a very long time. Marjan Kamali has written such a beautiful book about family, friendship, and women’s rights. The writing is absolutely brilliant. I cannot wait to read the other two books written by Kamali because I know I have just discovered a new favorite author. This is one of those books that is just so thought-provoking. I found myself thinking about it so much when I wasn’t reading it and I love books that stick with you like that.

🖤Coming of Age
🖤A Story About Friendship
🖤Women’s Rights
🖤Heartbreaking
🖤Beautifully Written
🖤A Must Read

If you are looking for a book club pick, I think this book would be a great choice!

Posted on Goodreads on July 2, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around July 2, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on July 2, 2024
**-will post on designated date

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

The Stationery Shop is still one of my all time favorite books, I recommend it to people all the time. When I saw Marjan was releasing another book I knew I had to get my hands on it! It was definitely one of my most anticipated books of 2024. The Lion Women of Tehran was emotional, heartbreaking, inspiring, and all the things we’ve come to expect from her writing. I loved the weaving of the story between Ellie and Homa and the ebbs and flows in their lifelong friendship. Sometimes I wanted a little more from Homa’s perspective early on, but the unraveling of her side flowed beautifully. Detailing the struggles of women in Tehran, it’s certainly not a a light fluffy read, but it was captivating and I didn’t want to put it down! I was already a Marjan Kamali fan, and this just solidified my love.

Beautiful, heartbreaking, gut wrenching, inspiring.

I believe fans of Kristin Hannah would really enjoy this.

We meet Ellie and Homa, two friends who couldn’t be more different. Throughout the book we read about their dreams of becoming “lion women” and their journey on the path of discovery.
Similar to her book, The Stationery Shop, there is time-hoping (which I love) between the 1950s-1980s up to 2022.
The Lion Women of Tehran also covers important topics like women’s rights and women’s activism in Iran.

At this point, I will read anything Marjan Kamali writes. Her writing is beautiful and her stories are phenomenal.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books.

This story is just beautiful! I feel like I was right there living this story with the characters. I can't wait to go and buy a copy of this book to have for myself. It was so wonderful!

An exceptional book about Iranian history and women in this closeted society.
She draws you in to their world and causes you to become invested in their story . An easy 5 star read .
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for review copy

Thank you to Gallery Books for the gifted copy. All opinions below are my own.

This is the story of two women and their friendship throughout the decades, set a time of political and religious turmoil in Iran. Ellie is the descendent of royalty, her mother reminds her so frequently, but her life circumstances fall apart after her father death. She and her mother must move to a lower class neighborhood. She adjusts and makes friends with a girl named Homa. They are soul sisters, despite the fact that Ellie’s mother does not approve of the friendship. Until one day, something happens and their friendship is no more. Changes in life and political troubles change the circumstances for these two over and over until fate brings them back together again.

I loved everything about the story. I loved both women independently and how different they were. I love seeing how women can be both naïve and passionate and independent and craving security as well as change. I also loved how the story was told, the changes through time and POV filled in the story richly. Just as you thought you knew where it was headed. It took quite the turn. This should be on every historical fiction lovers TBR this year.

Absolutely phenomenal. I don’t know how Marjan does it. She takes me through a door and opens my mind to a whole different experience in a whole different world that I’m so unfamiliar with. This story is important, it’s powerful, it’s empowering. An easy 5⭐️

The Lion Women of Tehran tells the story of Iranian women, from the 1950s to the present. The vehicle for the story is the friendship between two little girls, and how their love gets tested over the years as political regimes change. Under the Shah, women had some freedoms, and campaigning for more was a dangerous endeavor, given the brutalities of the secret police. But when the Shah was overthrown and a fundamentalist theocracy was established under Khomeini, women’s lives became immeasurably worse.
Kamari's story is one of the redemptive power of love—for country, for family, and for precious friends.

The Lion Women of Tehran, by Marjan Kamali is a book that will stay with me for a longtime. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read this soon to be classic.

Until 1953 Ellie lived with her mother and father in a beautiful home, located in an upscale part of Tehran. Self described as a descendent of royalty, Ellie’s mother was obsessed with their image and status. That all disappeared when Ellie’s father unexpectedly dies. They are left under the watchful eye of his brother who moves them to a small apartment on the wrong side of town. Innocently enough at seven years old, Ellie’s only dream is to meet one girl she can truly call a friend. When school begins she is introduced to Homa, an outspoken classmate who takes her under her wing. The girls become inseparable and Ellie takes great pleasure from Homa’s large bustling family and striking confidence. Later, when their circumstances dramatically change Ellie and Homa are separated and she is returned to the bourgeoisie society of her earlier days. When the friends reunite Ellie is mostly concerned with clothing, hairstyles and “netting” a husband. Homa, an outstanding and earnest student wants to study law and become a judge. As the two navigate the Shah’s regime from contrasting perspectives their friendship is not as simple as it once was. While Ellie has fallen in love and envisions a family, Homa’s involvement in a student communist group on campus endangers them all. This magnificent, beautifully written story of friendship, family and history is both heartbreaking and hopeful. All these years later the brutal struggle for women in pursuit of their rights for freedom in Tehran is ongoing. But they have not given up.

Another 5-star read from Marjan Kamali! This was such a tender, informative, inspiring and heartful novel. I really enjoyed reading the two trajectories and perspectives of women who stayed vs. left during the Islamic revolution and the conflicting emotions both of them experienced. My fiance is Iranian American and his mom moved here when she was in high school. This book gave me such empathy for the difficult decisions his family had to make.

This engaging, well-researched historical fiction features Iran in the 1950s-80s, during a time of major social and political change. We follow the perspectives of two best friends, one of whom is politically active, as their relationship to each other, their families, and their country evolve over time. Very accessible and well written story featuring an easy to follow timeline, and interjections of the Farsi language of Iran, which are immediately interpreted for us in the text without footnotes.

This is the fresh, feminist historical fiction novel we all needed this summer. 5 brilliant stars!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review