Anahita's Woven Riddle [Hardcover]

Meghan Nuttall Sayres (Author)

Book Description

Grade Level: 5 and up

A richly detailed and enchanting novel, set in 20th-century Persia

Anahita, a nomad, learns that her father has promised her hand in marriage to a man she dislikes. Determined to have a say in her own fate, Anahita convinces her father to let her hold a contest, in which potential suitors must correctly answer the riddle she has woven into her wedding carpet. A diplomat, a schoolteacher, a shepherd, and a prince compete in Anahita’s battle of wits, for the heart of this extraordinary girl.

Meghan Nuttall Sayres explores the art of weaving, the rhythms of nomadic life, and the beauty of the Muslim faith in this fascinating debut novel.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up—Teenager Anahita, a nomad living in early-20th-century Persia, has been promised to the khan, or chief, of her tribe. This man, whose three previous wives have mysteriously died, is considerably older than she is, and she wants nothing to do with him. She convinces her father to let her choose her own husband by having potential mates solve a riddle that she has woven into her wedding carpet. Doing so goes against Muslim principles and causes controversy within the tribe, and trouble for them, as the khan exacts his revenge by taking away their migratory and water rights. Despite these circumstances, Anahita's father agrees to continue with the competition. The main contenders-the khan, a schoolteacher, a shepherd, and a prince-all play an important role in Anahita's life. She finds it difficult to go through with the contest, only knowing whom she does not want to marry, but an unexpected twist forces her to choose. This is an engrossing story that weaves in Persian culture, history, and surroundings, and portrays the life of a unique young woman and her quest for love. A Farsi glossary and a brief history of the time period are included.—Shannon Seglin, Chantilly Regional Library, Fairfax County, VA
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Review

"'Richly textured, carefully researched... romantic, delightful, and educational too' - Kirkus; 'A satisfying read' - VOYA." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (November 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810954818
• ISBN-13: 978-0810954816
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #894,251 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Meghan Nuttall Sayres is a writer and tapestry weaver living in Spokane, WA. She is author of a novel set in Iran Anahita's Woven Riddle, an ALA Top Ten Best Books YA and an Indie Pick 2007, which has been translated into Italian and Hebrew; Weaving Tapestry in Rural Ireland; The Shape of Betts Meadow: A Wetlands Story; and co-author of Daughters of the Desert: Tales of Remarkable Women from the Christian, Jewish and Muslim Traditions. Meghan has given writing workshops in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. She holds a graduate degree in international rural development from the University of Utah. In 2005 she was invited to speak at Iran's First International Children's Book Festival. April 2009 she traveled back to Iran as the first American to weave on Iran's World Peace Carpet. She has studied the Turkish language through the University of Ankara's Tomer program in Istanbul and travels to Turkey whenever she can. She is presently at work on a novel set in Ireland and Turkey, and is editing an anthology on Iran. Visit her at www.meghannuttallsayres.com, facebook and storyforce blog.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Anahita's Woven Riddle, September 20, 2007

By 

Brian H. Appleton "persophile" (San Jose, Ca USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Anahita's Woven Riddle (Hardcover)

I had the privilege of living in Iran for five years in the 1970's and I fell in love with the people and the culture. This book was researched for 10 years before it was written and the details are highly accurate but it is much more than that. It is a beautiful loving story which could have only have been written by someone who knows and loves Iran. For this reason the author was invited to present her book at the First International Children's Book Festival in Kerman.

Her work speaks to the qualities we identify as goodness that transcend all cultures and boundaries; it describes what we recognize as the qualities of compassion that we humans share, as well as the generosity, good naturedness and kindness that so predominate the common culture of the Iranian people at a time that a propoganda war has been mounted against Iran in a run up to another possible war.

A book that puts Iranians in such a positive light and speaks of their past struggle for a constitutional monarchy in 1906 to curb the excessive power of tyranical monarchs and empower the elected parliament, their struggle against Tzarist Russian expansionism, their struggle between traditional ways and modern change, between nomadic life style versus settled, their struggle between material and spiritual values, all helps those ignorant of Iran to better understand the Iranian experience and to put a human face on Iran.

Most of all this book makes the characters very believable...the struggles of a young girl against the social pressure to be married off in an arranged political union to someone she cannot love, which would benefit everyone in her tribe except her own chance at happiness, her struggles with the inevitable transition from childhood to adulthood, her first encounters with legitimate feelings of romantic love, her rivalry with her girl cousin, the humorous aspects of human existence, the admirable leadership qualities of her father, his fairness and courage to stand up against corruption, the self sacrificing loyalty of her childhood friend Daryioush, the noble qualities of the prince and the mystery of love at first sight which will always remain a mystery...

In the end this book leaves you with a heart warming glow and it becomes a friend you want to spend time with and not put down until it is read. It is not a Polly Anna fairy tale but rather quite realistic and yet the good guys win and the bad guys are brought to justice in a comic rather than cruel way...and the theme of weaving the carpet from sheep to work of art runs through the whole story, dying it, tying it together and leaving no loose ends until they tie the knot...and by the way, it is a suspenseful tale and full of surprises which will keep you riveted to it until the very end...

I highly recommend this book for the young and the young of heart,

Brian H. Appleton

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!, October 17, 2006

By 

webshred (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Anahita's Woven Riddle (Hardcover)

An intriguing, romantic story about a young Persian woman's attempt to choose the man she will marry. Sounds like a reasonable goal, right? Not if the man who plans to marry you is the powerful khan. Not if the khan can shut off the town's water with a single command, or revoke the nomadic tribe's age-old right to traverse certain lands, or have your father arrested.

Ms. Nuttal has found a rich and wonderful character in Anahita, and the story of how Anahita decides her own fate by weaving a riddle into her wedding carpet is as moving as it is illuminating. A terrific read for most YA girls--and maybe a few boys, too!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Anahita's Woven Riddle, August 10, 2007

By 

leogal "leogal" (new york) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Anahita's Woven Riddle (Hardcover)

Picked this book up in the library and enjoyed the story enough to want to own the hardcover for my collection. A nice, clear, well told story.
Highly recommend it!