Medusa of the Roses is a lyrical exploration of queerness and identity in modern Iran, steeped in myth and noir elements. The poetic prose is striking but occasionally overshadows the plot, making it feel more like a meditation than a narrative. Despite this, the emotional depth and vivid imagery leave a lasting impression.

DNF @ 15%

Not the book I thought it would be from the synopsis. Hard to read in every way. i
Thanks to RBmedia and NetGalley for the ALC.

dnf at 25%

The embodiment of what people who hate literary fiction think is so stereotypical about the genre. Congrats to the author for making everything about this read as uncomfortable as possible. I don't usually mind being confronted with ugly realism in books, but Sinaki definitely tried a little too hard to give the reither the ick.

Medusa of the Roses is a beautiful literary novel about queerness in modern day Iran. It very lyrical, reading like poetry for a good portion of the book. This unfortunately did not work for me personally. I wish there was more plot and less musing. However I know this will work for many. I highly recommend for fans of Ocean Vuong and Sean Hewitt.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

Quick read that had a lot in it despite that. The writing was very vivid but sometimes lost my attention. The ending wasn't what I was expecting but it definitely worked. The narrator did a good job.

Medusa of the Roses by Navid Sinaki
Narrated by Michael Crouch

Book rating : 4 stars
Audiobook rating : 4.5 stars

Seldom this happens that a book feels better to read than listening to audiobook and it in no way reflects that audiobook was bad or narrator did not do the justice to the book. This was the prime example of the situation I'm explaining over here. This book I wish to read, holding a copy in my hand, keeping annotations tabs alongside. I'm sure this book is going to be full of annotation tabs coz what a book. What a prose.

The prose is so lyrical, so gorgeous and so poetic that I'm sure Navid Sinaki gonna make his mark in the world soon enough. Also he is going to be my instant buy author in the future.

As you can see , I have actually rated audiobook higher than the book and yet I want to read it with my eyes coz I know it will be an unforgettable experience when I could engage my other senses.

The narration is perfect and Michael Crouch's voice was perfectly fitting to the prize, it had a melancholic tone which suited the book well. The pace , the voice and intonations are done so well.

Now coming to the book, I would have rated it more, even perfect 5, had it not been for some lines that bothered me. The sexual scenes felt rather raw and overdone but I feel they could have been subtler. Second person narration never worked for me, but here in Navid Sinaki's narration it worked quite well, rather I will say that nothing else would have worked as wonderfully as it did in second narration. It felt tender, raw and beautiful to the core.

Ajir and zal's relationship was nothing like I have ever read in any book so far. This book is set in a country where lot of things are taboo so it felt even more heartbreaking that they might never end up together and never find a way back to each other. I won't give any spoilers here because the ending was what made me raise the stars to 4 if I had not considered some parts which made me go a bit of ughhh.

The parts which bothered me can be easily digested by other readers, so I highly recommend this book to everyone who is into lyrical prose. Coz this book is definitely a treat for prose lovers.

Thank you so much Netgalley and RB media and Navid Sinaki and Michael Crouch of course for this amazing audiobook which I will always cherish.

A very interesting read for sure. For one, it's great to read about queer people outside of Europe because it highlights different experiences, and Iran on that regard specifically is quite a strange case. I don't especially mind mentions of sex but even here it was maybe a tad bit too much, even in just 6h, it started to get a little old around half of the story. I did find it very beautifully written, the prose was so poetic. I do recommend it, it deals with interesting themes.

Loved this one. It was a faster read but without being too topical. But don't forget to mix in a little *crush your heart*. I do wonder if I would have enjoyed it as much as I did if I had not done the audio. I say that because the audio was just that good; really added a beautiful layer to it.

First off, Sinaki is such a talented writer. The prose is beautiful. The story dives into the love between 2 men in Tehran, and the story goes in depth on sexuality, gender and violence.

It was a quick read for me, but a lot to dissect. I didn’t like how in detail Sinaki went into detail about sex and body fluids. Overall i would give this book 3.5 rounding up.

content/trigger warnings:
abuse
bury your gays trope
drug addiction
homophobia
transphobia


Overall though this was beautifully written yet emotionally challenging. Something I'm unsure about is if the MC is meant to be a realistic example of hypersexuality, if it's an over-sexualization of traumatized gay men, or if it's meant to shed light on those tropes.

An intriguing, raw novel that should be more prosaic and could be less sexually explicit.

Despite the captivating premise of hypocritical homosexuality and gender laws in Iran, the book’s sensory aspects are far more prominent than its plot. The second-person narrative is, in my experience, rarely successful but Sinaki’s prose lends itself perfectly to its use - I think because it reads more like poetry than a novel. That, along with a beautiful narration from Michale Crouch, kept me listening to this audiobook longer than I may otherwise have. Still, I didn’t feel motivated to go back to this after about 50%, which is usually as long as I give ARCs to capture my attention.

I could see myself picking this up again in the right setting; I feel like it would lend itself well to a languid, stickily hot summer’s day. But that’s the main appeal of such a literary novel as Medusa of the Roses: it’s a mood read. I am not currently in the mood to listen to more descriptions of come. But maybe some of you are.

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I am grateful, whatever my personal views expressed, for the opportunity provided to me by NetGalley and RB Media to read this ARC.

The prose of this book was stunning and beautiful, covering dark themes and intense situations. The inspiration from mythology was beautifully done. Lyrical and lovely, the writing style drew me in so much.

By the end of the final chapter of Medusa of the Roses, my mouth hung open.

Drew on mythology, literature and cinema to build Anjir into a multi-dimensional character who is a sensitive empath with an artist's soul.

Navid Sinaki's language is lyrical and evocative - in so many parts I felt like I was listening to poetry.

Anjir and Zal's relationship is raw, tender, and sometimes brutal. I was mesmerized by the gradual exposition of their history together, the tension of their present, and the uncertainty of their future. This tension between friendship and lust, loyalty and betrayal is mirrored in the story's backdrop: Iran, where homosexuality is criminalized.

The audiobook's narrator had the perfect voice for this story. It was soft, mournful, and earnest.

This is a moving story with dark undertones and a world of difficult decisions. It is a quick read and the prose is so nice that at times it reads like poetry.

3.5 rounded up. All at once beautiful and strange, at times lovely and also hard to follow.

‘I bleed geography out of my nose: Ecuador, Albania, Noirobi. All the places we can go, once I find you.’

Some of the writing and quotes in this will stay with me forever. Time bends, unsure of the months that pass while we follow love and violence as it transforms our main character. I wish some of the elements had been more through the whole novel. While early on Greek myths are mentioned and woven in, they fall off and I missed them!

The narrator of this audiobook does a splendid job! I would recommend listening to this and would pick up another book by this author as well. Thank you to Netgally for providing me with the arc.

I found this book riveting. It is dark and intense with a scattering of lighter moments. I felt so deeply for Anjir and couldn't help but be deeply moved witnessing his struggles to care for the person he loves despite his betrayal. The characters felt well written and relatable. The writing has a poetic feel that was beautiful to listen to.

I knew next to nothing about Iran before reading this book- only where it was on a globe. I was shocked by the attitudes towards queer couples and the way binary trans people were socially preferred over same-sex couples. And I felt so connected to Anjir despite how different I am from them that it prompted me to want to know more about trans life in Iran. When I finished the book I got inspired to do my own research on the country's history from a queer perspective and seek out more queer voices from Iran. I plan to reread the book and see if my reading experience changes now that I learned a bit more!

Novel Concept: 5/5
Execution of Novel Concept: 5/5

Title: 5/5
Characterization: 5/5
Dialogue: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Atmosphere: 5/5
Theme: 5/5
Prose: 5/5

**Title**
It both references the themes of Medusa and womanhood, and also the themes of roses and the garden and it's growth. It's such an eye catching title and it's why I picked the book up.

**Characterization**
Anjir is a complicated person who's fairly honest about his sexuality to the reader whilst hiding it from the world around him. He is deeply entrenched in his identity, and you can feel the frustrations and the yearning Anjir feels to reach a place where he can be in love without there being any punishment.

All of the characters are fairly complicated with interesting traits and flaws--all which violently clash with each other in interesting ways. I think Anjir's brother is the most frustrating but undeniably interesting of the more minor characters.

**Dialogue**
The dialogue felt natural and I never felt like I was getting lore dumped at. The interior monologue is entrenched in sex and desire, the way that Anjir is fully captivated by Zal, and their relationship both in an emotional and physical way. I really like the fearlessness of talking about sex.

**Plot**
This is a character driven plot. We see Anjir seeking out Zal both in the present and the past, following like a shadow. As Anjir is trying to figure out where Zal is, he is seized by the past. The flaws and struggles of characters clash which naturally causing an engaging tension.

**Atmosphere**
This book is deeply entrenched in Tehran and the dangers of being queer in Iran. Every moment is a unsteady breath--a true terror of being found out and persecuted for it.

**Themes**
This book is about queer persecution and the lengths people go in order to be able to live freely without the risk of death for things out of their control. Anjir is desperate to be with Zal and will pay whatever it costs--even if it means transitioning into a woman. There is also a sort of sadness of Anjir's isolation and inability to find the underground queer communities despite these communities finding him. He is solely focused on Zal and getting to him.

**Prose**
The prose is a poem--filled with interesting quotation and magic. The interesting thing that's done in the prose is that Zal is given the second person pronoun (you) the entire time in the interior monologue. It is as if we are Zal listening to this story like a lost love letter.

This was a strikingly lyrical experience, with Michael Crouch’s narration elevating the prose to something more like poetry. The writing is undeniably beautiful, full of rich, evocative imagery that really immerses you in the mood of the story.

That being said, I did find myself occasionally lost in the narrative, especially in keeping track of certain characters, likely because of how many male characters were referenced in similar ways. I suspect this was exacerbated by the audio format, where it's easier to miss those subtle distinctions.

Despite that, the novel’s ability to balance such raw, intimate moments with larger themes like gender, identity, and forbidden love was quite powerful. The mythology woven throughout added a fascinating depth, making this feel like a literary journey that blends the modern with the mythical.

It’s not without its challenges, though. The intense focus on physicality—particularly the many mentions of sex—sometimes detracted from the emotional weight of the story for me. But overall, this was a unique and rewarding listen, even if a bit heavy-handed at times. Definitely worth it for those who appreciate poetic, challenging prose.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the audiobook ARC.

Interesting concept and well-written, but it couldn’t capture my interest enough. I’d love to find out what else this author does in the future, however. Sounds like a promising new voice!

This book is a beautifully crafted tale, brimming with lyrical prose and memorable quotes that linger long after the last page. As someone with a deep appreciation for ancient myths and mythology, I particularly enjoyed the author's skillful incorporation of these references. Initially, I was concerned because I had previously struggled with a similar-themed book, despite its exquisite writing. However, this story captivated me from the very beginning and held my interest throughout. Listening to the audiobook version might have contributed to my engagement, and I'm now eager to revisit the other book in audio format to see if my perception changes. A heartfelt thank you to the publishers for providing this book through NetGalley.