“ Stories succeed stories, just as one human succeeds another, time succeeds time, and no death has ever commenced with birth, and no being has ever been the continuation of non-being.”

This book was an absolutely spectacular read. Having read a few books with the backdrop of Tehran and then 1979 revolution, I truly felt like this book encapsulated much of the knowledge I had previously learned while also teaching me so many new things about life in Tehran pre and post revolution. The author does a beautiful job weaving the storyline with historical events while also adding a beautiful backdrop to the characters, their families, and love overall.

I would highly, highly recommend you add this book to your TBR because it is well worth the time and emotion this book evokes. Thank you again NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!

“The Gowkaran Tree in the Middle of Our Kitchen” is the latest novel by Shokoofeh Azar, an Iranian author and a finalist for both the International Booker Prize and the National Book Award, currently living as a political refugee in Australia.

In "The Gowkaran Tree," we follow the lives of a family and a group of children as they face the upheaval brought by the start of the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The novel is narrated through a lens of magical realism that highlights Persian and Arabic culture, as well as Zoroastrianism, Mithraism, and Islam. It also weaves in historical facts that provide context to help readers understand the origins of these events and the costs borne by the citizens. Moreover, it serves as a cautionary tale about the rise of religious extremism, the war on women, and the persecution of political dissidents in today's world.

Azar explores the bonds of family, including connections between the living and the dead, and how individuals survive and find joy amidst tragedy. It is a visceral and cinematic story of love, revolution, and loss.

I advise readers to review content warnings before diving into this novel. Like real life, the book contains both wonderful elements—such as imaginative delight, warmth, and love—but it also showcases humanity's darker aspects. I highly recommend this book and believe that fans of Kaveh Akbar’s “Martyr,” Marjan Kamali’s “The Lion Women of Tehran,” and Simon Jimenez’s “The Spear Cuts through Water” will appreciate this read. Thank you to Europa and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this very emotional and compelling book.