I’m all for exploratory literary fiction, but I’m honestly not sure how to feel about this one!

Anjir and Zal are childhood friends turned lovers who live in Iran. It’s illegal to be gay. Zal is jumped and beat up after being caught with another young man. The story unfolds through Anjir putting the pieces together, living his life, searching for Zal, and forming an escape plan to get the future that he desired: to be with Zal, he will undergo a transition to female. The entire story is seeped in persian and greek mythology, which I really enjoyed. However, I wanted to know more about Anjir’s family. I wanted to see Zal and Anjir interact - or rather, have confirmation that Zal was onboard and Anjir wasn’t delusional. I wanted to hear less about c*m. I wished that Anjir wanted to change for themself rather than for Zal - on this note, seems strange to keep reiterating “I couldn’t love you as a man, though I didn’t mind being one”. I wish this book didn’t try to become a thriller in the third act, or rather, to have a cohesive plot in general.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing an advanced copy through Netgalley.

Medusa of the Roses is gritty, raw, and unapologetic. Telling the story of gay lovers in Tehran, this love story navigates the nuances of long-term relationships, identity, and what it truly looks like when your choice of lover could mean absolute death. My heart broke over and over and over again, and not in the ways that you may think by reading the synopsis. Finding out that this author is also a visual artist added further clarity as to why their writing style is the way it is. It can sometimes be rambling and messy (which is not necessarily a criticism). There are twists and turns and more twists, but the ending came really quickly and could have been more robust. 3.5 stars

I very sadly ended up dnf-ing this at about 30%. I think the concept is very interesting and the writing was good but it was difficult for me to settle in and become invested. Part of this may have been due to reading it on my kindle because there didn’t seem to be chapters or a great way to mark an end of one portion (which became confusing due to time jumps). Overall just a bit too vibey for me.

Medusa of the Roses by Navid Sinaki is a story of Anjir and Zal, childhood best friends whose relationship evolved into lovers/boyfriends as they grew into adults. The setting is modern-day Iran where being gay is illegal but the government seemingly accepts trans people (it was implied that this isn't a true acceptance). Anjir is planning on transitioning to a woman even though he's not trans just so he can be together with Zal and the two can get married. Their plans are ruined when Zal is brutally attacked on the streets and ends up in a hospital.

This is just the premise but so much happens in this novel! In the official blurb, it's described as queer literary noir and it's a quite accurate way to describe the book. As Anjir tries to unravel the mystery of who attacked Zal, he meets all kinds of eccentric characters and we get a glimpse into the sceneries of gay life in Tehran. There are also lots of twists and unexpected reveals!

The language is quite poetic; it took a little bit of getting used to but I found it very beautiful. There were a few times where I wasn't 100% sure what was going on but I went with the flow and the puzzle pieces always fell to their places.

I really loved the incorporation of ancient Greek and Persian mythology. One example would be Tiresias, whose name came up quite often. He was turned into a woman according to myth so Anjir identifies with him throughout the story.

I really enjoyed this book and would wholeheartedly recommend it but I want to warn everyone that it's extremely violent at certain points and violence against queer people is told in graphic detail. That's the reality of gay people in Iran though so I tried not to 'look away' but it was borderline triggering. The book is definitely worth reading but be careful if this is something you find hard to read.

Thank you, NetGalley, Grove Atlantic, and the author for graciously providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review! 💜

This would’ve been an absolute banger of a novella if the first 100 pages had been condensed and clarified.

It was hard to understand what was happening in parts of the story, like I didn’t know where we were or why we were there. Some kind of page breaks may have helped. We were just kinda smash-cutting between scenes without giving time to absorb or react to what just happened.

It feels like there were so many good ideas that just didn’t get cleaned up.

Overall, my takeaway from this being literary fiction is that Anjir’s transition into becoming a woman felt more like becoming the kind of person that a man would let down rather than the actual desire to become a woman. Mostly due to lines like “I couldn’t love you as a man, even though I didn’t mind being one.” Like Anjir was bending to become anything Zal wanted, only to be let down every time.

I wanted to like it far more than I did, the first half was just sporadic and wildly horny. The second half felt like a great short story and the kind of thing that would make a great short film.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Medusa of the Roses is a heartbreaking portrait of the difficulties and risks of being gay in the fundamentalist Muslim world - in this case Tehran. Men go to extreme lengths to be with other men, including even getting sexual reassignment surgery in order to appear to be hetero women. The relationships, jealousies, beatings, and estrangement that permeate their lives makes for a difficult but important read. No people should be persecuted like this or have their abilities to be fulfilled and contribute to society be so restricted. The numerous mythological and serpentine references, including the snakes that bite their own owner's head is much like the self-destructive nature of the extremists.

*2.5

This is an interesting book to review. Medusa of the Roses is told from the point of Anjir, a man whose mother has a severe brain injury, has a brother with a drug addiction, and is in a tortured relationship with his childhood love. The two are men—and in Iran—so you don't need me to spell out the trouble looming.

The story is laced with Persian and Greco-mythology and utilizes the wonderfully sensual set-dressing of Persian culture and classic Hollywood films to create a sultry, dangerous mood that is quite intoxicating. Sinaki is an artist and poet, and it's evident that his disconnected, sparse language comes from this background.

The novel's strength is in this mood, which makes it pleasant, lazy reading. It's a good text to let wash over you, which is also the main criticism of this novel. Sinaki is an artist first, not necessarily an author. He has an incredible control of mood that suffers when attempting to create a larger novel: not every metaphor is used with precision, and the story teetered between a suffocatingly beautiful tone poem and a confusing thriller. This latter aspect is due, I think, to the novel not willing to engage with the larger literary tools needed to create a plot that makes (more) sense. I understand that those tools make a novel... more ordinary and less artistic, but it's just one of those trade-offs when one wants to write a novel.

Perhaps it's more ambitious than I can appreciate. Sinaki is a talented creator, and I think he could create something great with more practice with the novel form.

2.5 ⭐️. I swear if I had to read another sentence about c*m again, I was going to scream. This book was doing ~too much~.

ty to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic Press for the advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

I know this book is for someone out there, it just wasn't for me.
It took me a while to adjust to the writing style, with its very short sentences, but then it really flowed.
Anjir was not a protagonist whose head I wanted to be in, his thoughts would veer toward sex ALL THE TIME (not an exaggeration) - I understand that he's very sexual, it was just too much for me.
The story also dragged for a bit, before everything happened all at once - it took quite a chunk of the book before Zal disappeared, even though it's in the summary. Only then could I be somewhat invested in the story.
There are a lot of references to myths and movies and such, which is nice if you're interested in that stuff - I think though that it would have been nice to have like one or two myths that are referenced throughout the book as a throughline, but that's just my preference.
This review is quite negative, but this is by no means a bad book, I know others would enjoy it a lot more than I did.

I'm not sure how i feel about this one, the subject matter/themes of this book are important to discuss and raise awareness (with homosexuality being illegal etc) and the writing style is very poetic and modern but it was jarring with descriptions of crude or unpleasant scenes.

The main character, Anjir, constantly said he loved Zal but i was left wondering why? I felt the relationship was quite toxic. He constantly refers to sex yet even the times with Zal (as neither were faithful to each other), were never described sensual or loving.

All the characters were unlikable and i didn't want any of them to "win". I think i only kept reading to see how it panned out in the end.

Thank you, NetGalley for an advanced ALC of this book

Sex, vengeance, and betrayal in modern-day Tehran—Navid Sinaki’s bold and cinematic debut is a queer literary noir following Anjir, a morbid romantic and petty thief whose boyfriend disappears just as they’re planning to leave their hometown for good

Anjir and Zal are childhood best friends turned adults in love. The only problem is they live in Iran, where being openly gay is criminalized, and the government’s apparent acceptance of trans people requires them to surgically transition and pass as cis straight people.

Review

I devoured this book in one sitting and was taken in by how raw this was in both the writing and the main character Anji who is discovering that he is not only criminalized but feeling trapped by his emotions for just existing as a queer man having to process and live within the only world he's ever known and hiding out of fear.

In this book, we see the beautifully woven story of how bad persecution is for gays and transgender people in Iran 🇮🇷. Gives a deep look also into the different cultural aspects of a land that's run by old beliefs ( being gay or trans in Iran can get you killed by the government they have). This story does have some lines that hit me hard with the poetic way it was put

"Click I hear the sound it's unmistakable behind me a gun is cocked it's genius, I see ur blue shape in the mirror, you close the door your outline leans in the window. from this angle, your gun would shoot me through my back but wouldn't be dramatic enough for us, I positioned myself so it would shatter the mirror and end my reflection "

There are so many times in this book where I am hit by the writing and not just the story that's so important to be told giving us more of a look into the life of love with an incredible somber tone ( which makes this a book not suited for everyone and to go in with knowing your comfort level when reading because this book will take you on a journey of heartbreak, self-discovery and much more ).

Also, the parallels the author has brought in mythology between explaining the main character 👌 bringing in so much depth was a glorious read.

A book I recommend highly

I requested Medusa of the Roses because its themes resonated with a conversation I had at a queer open mic in 2020. Two Iranian women were present and told us about their experiences with gender identity in a society where such expressions are heavily policed. The older one said that if she had stayed in Iran, she probably would’ve “just gotten the surgery” even though she identified as a woman, since she didn’t care so much what gender she presented as. The younger one had actually gotten a ‘star’ on some sort of official paper (maybe her passport?) because she got outed and refused to transition. That star hindered her from some opportunities like attending university. Their stories stayed with me, and as I read Medusa of the Roses, I found myself reflecting on these conversations.

One aspect that was really intruiging to me was the novel’s refusal to present a romanticized, idealized love story. Instead, Sinaki delves into the complexities and imperfections of the central relationship. The novel doesn’t shy away from portraying a bond that is as toxic as it is tender. When one character asks, “You guys have something special?” Anjir, one of the protagonists, responds truthfully with “something especially rotten.” This exchange encapsulates the novel’s exploration of a love that has been twisted over time—a childhood connection that has become a source of both comfort and pain. It’s clear that Anjir still sees the child in Zal who was tormented by his own fears and insecurities: “You carried me along because I understood you. I knew you were too afraid to own anything feminine, so you pretended spoons were dolls and tore off your shirt buttons just to have an excuse to sew.”

The “literary noir” aspect of the story was less compelling for me. Anjir’s quest to uncover what happened to Zal seemed secondary to the more pressing realization that this relationship is harmful to him and that there’s still so much love, platonic or romantic, to be felt for other people.
Upon a second reading, I did notice subtle clues throughout the book that hinted at the final twist, which I appreciae, but ultimately, the big reveal felt a bit melodramatic.

Stylistically, Medusa of the Roses lives up to its evocative title, brimming with poetic language and rich, aesthetic imagery. The narrator, Anjir, finds poetry in everything around him, projecting his emotions onto flowers, vines, stray cats, mythological figures, and the moon. This lyrical style extends to the characters’ speech as well, with lines like, “You look like a riddle that’s half-finished,” showcasing Sinaki’s talent for crafting memorable, poetic dialogue. The novel is also filled with literary references and musings.

Overall, Medusa of the Roses is a thought-provoking novel that explores the complexities of love and self-discovery. While it couldn’t wow me as a literary noir, the novel’s poetic style and nuanced portrayal of a deeply flawed relationship made it a memorable read.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC :)

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a free review.

2.5 stars

Anjir and Zal's relationship is constantly endangered due to being queer in Iran. When Zal is assaulted by a group of man after being seen with a younger man, Anjir must cope with the trauma of the assault and his partner's infidelity. And Anjir will do anything to ensure he is with Zal.

I was really into this one during the first 50 pages. Neither of these characters are particularly good people. Zal is abrasive, unfaithful and uncommunicative. Anjir is manipulative, cunning and only cares about survival (and his toxic relationship with Zal).

After a while Anjir's dependence on Zal became grating. This is also one of the most unsexy books about sex I've ever encountered. Everything for Anjir leads back to sex and its written in a rather grotesque way.

I'd like to read a trans perspective on this book as I was unsure about how Anjir's transition was handled. The author writes about Anjir's connection to Tiresias but that is dropped pretty quickly and not further fleshed out, rather transitioning seemed to be a means to an end to be with Zal, but it seemed like the author didn't want to commit to Anjir being trans or him just wanting to be with Zal in whatever way he could. Even an indication that it was a little of both would have been helpful but there was no clear motive. It was just like pasta being thrown at the wall and then the author shrugging being like "I don't know, I'm sure it's one of those."

I liked the unlikeable narrators and learning about being part of the LGBTQIA+ community in Iran however, there were parts that were overwritten and parts that needed further work. Towards the end it became more of a duty to finish.

Sinaki’s writing is so lyrical but it ultimately slows down what is actually a fast-paced story. It distracts from the rawness of the story, making the characters and their feelings so abstract as to be nonexistent. While I did devour the story, I am left with a taste for something *more*

Medusa of the Roses by Navid Sinaki is a gritty, noirish cinematic novel that delves into the complexity of queer lives in modern Tehran. It combines a romantic story with the allure of ancient mythos in an almost surrealist narrative. The protagonists are complex, with questionable motives. Still, the secret longings and tension surrounding plot twists make the story come alive in a poignant tale of love and danger under homophobic social regimes. The characters reflect a multitude of hidden lives, an amalgamation of many stories to tell one of longing and solitude, an echoed feeling throughout our queer community. I loved how unique and spellbinding the language of the story was, and how the characters and their secrets kept you on your toes throughout. The aesthetic atmosphere of the story, the surrealist touches, and the fever-dream scenes make for a contemplative read that also opens the door to unheard stories—a work of visibility and the many ways we can exist in this world.

Happy Publication day to Medusa of the Roses !

The story follows childhood friends Anjir and Zal, who fall in love as adults. In a society unforgiving of their love, Zal is attacked, prompting Anjir to pursue their plan for Zal to transition, allowing them to live together as husband and wife in another city.

Medusa of the Roses delves into the pervasive homophobia in Iran and its impact on those who defy heteronormative standards. Written in a lyrical, Siken-esque style with references to Greek and Persian myths, the book blends literary noir fiction with themes of violence, addiction, obsession, and mystery.

The author’s poetic language vividly brings the story to life, creating a world that feels both magical and real. However, while the prose is undeniably great, the heavy use of symbolism became overwhelming for me, and many of the references to Greek myths went over my head.




Thank you to Netgalley and Grove Press for an advanced reader's copy of Medusa of the Roses.

Hauntingly beautiful story that explores gender and love in a setting completely new to me. This book is beautiful and I hope that people will consider the complexity of the characters while engaging with this book. the intrigue and melancholy run deep in the veins of this work, and I know it will stick with me for a long time.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and Grove Atlantic for the ARC in exchange for this review

This was one of the first literary novels I read and it was a journey.

To make clear from the start, I did enjoy this book. But I am a complete newbie to literary novels which will be the perspective this review will be written from. It took me a very long time to get into it. I was not used to the way the words flowed. They were written beautifully with a lot of words giving strong images, but it was new to me. When I got used to it eventually though I really started enjoying it. They gave a lot of beautiful feelings to the story and added a lot to what was happening.

The story itself was really interesting. It started intense immediately for the story to calm down a bit afterwards. The start of the main characters partner being attacked was a lot and made me feel for both men from the start. When it's then revealed the partner was attacked because he was with another man things changed with how I felt about him, but at the same time I kept hoping he would be okay.

There is a big part of the book where the main character meets a trans woman. I liked it how she was a character with her own background and personality. Her stress around bottom surgery was relatable to me as I am in my own process of working towards that as a trans man and it was interesting to see this included in the book.

<spoiler>The part where the main character starts transitioning to be with his love interest had me hold my breath a little bit as a trans person. I was worried about it being handled with sensitivity but it ended up being quite okay. I can imagine that if transitioning is the only way to legally be with your partner, it is something someone wants to try out. I was hoping to see any type of dysphoria mentioned, that being dysphoric over looking feminine, or dysphoria over still looking too masculine but that didn't happen in the story. Such things were not included and it made me feel a bit disconnected from this part of the story. But at the same time I thought it was decently okay.</spoiler>

The ending was quite open and vague for me. I do want to acknowledge this might be because of my autism and new venture into literary fiction, as it often happened I wouldn't exactly know what was going on. But it had some style about the ending I still quite liked.

Concluding this is an interesting story to read about a gay life in Tehran where the main character is trying to grasp what happened to their partner in an attack.

Steeped in human complexity, Medusa and the Roses is a devastating but gripping look into what it is to love in a society that will see you dead for it.

Strikingly honest, this book reads like a love letter to an idea of a life, rather than that life itself. It’s smart, and insightful, and makes no apologies about its protagonist being deeply flawed and unlikeable at times.

There were lines throughout that felt somewhat disconnected from the rest of the text, and it felt decidedly as though very little happened until suddenly it all happened at once. I would have liked for things to have a slightly more consistent pacing. You can build intrigue and suspense without being jarring.

Overall though, it was an interesting read that urged an emotional response.

Medusa of the Roses is briming with intrigue, melancholy, and Eastern promises and lies. Anjir is on a journey searching for the love of his life and is constantly met with obstacles both real and imagined. I enjoyed this book and the writer's expressive use of color and mythology.

Thank you to Grove Press and Net Galley for the ARC.