Customer Reviews

Rooftops of Tehran: A Novel

5 star:		(53)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This was a lovely lovely book. I will say right off that I think that the pinkish cover featuring a red rose (though thematically appropriate) might turn off some men, and I do think that it's the kind of novel that would appeal equally to men and women.

The story follows two teenage boys through a year of their lives in Iran in the 70's. The characterization of adolescence is perfect -- first loves, first independent stands, hellos, goodbyes.

The language is beautiful, and the suspense comes in because parts of the story are told in flashbacks as the reader is brought closer and closer to the crisis event. What happened and why?

When that crisis is revealed, the end of the novel continues in a suspenseful vein, as the reader yearns to find out what is going to happen.

The comparisons to The Kite Runner are inevitable -- although they are set in different countries, they both deal with events that precipitate a coming of age, set in the backdrop of a totalitarian regime. The Kite Runner is a wonderful book, but I think that Rooftops of Tehran has more heart, more range (since in addition to being touched, I laughed aloud a time or two), and is overall a better story.

A wonderful literary page-turner -- my favorite kind of read.

4.5 stars

I tried to write my review for this novel as soon as I finished reading; however, I was unable to do so. Whether it was from writer's block or from fear of writing an inadequate review, I do not know. I am leaning toward the latter. I considered stringing together a set of adjectives: brilliant, funny, original, haunting. Although they could all be used to describe this novel, it would not have been enough. Instead, I started off with the following: "Rooftops of Tehran", a debut novel by Mahbod Seraji, is a wonderfully written coming of age story of young love. After that I just stared at the page for quite some time and gave up. How could I do justice to Mr. Seraji's masterful prose?

From the rooftop of his home, Pasha and his friends talk about life - sharing their dreams, hopes, and fears. They spend an innocent summer falling in love and becoming good friends. Their innocence comes to an end when Pasha unwittingly betrays a friend and leads one friend to a self-destructive decision. But where are the rooftops? New York, London, Paris. Could be but, no, they are in Iran. Not a place nor a people that most Westerners know much about. Through his vivid characterizations and descriptions, Mr. Seraji is able to transport us to Iran and give us a glimpse into this ancient world. I could clearly picture the homes, alleyways, streets and rooftops. He breathed so much life into these characters that they will not be forgotten. I laughed when Pasha's father was unwittingly the perpetrator in ding dong ditch. I felt compassion for Grandma and was awed that the entire neighborhood looked after her - not something that is commonplace here in America. I felt for the characters when tragedy struck and I rooted for them in their moments of rebellion. In short, his characters had That - they had honor, treasured friendship, prized love, had courage and strength to stand up for what they believed in.

"Rooftops of Tehran" is much more than a love story. It is a an affirmation of shared human experiences. We all dream, love, laugh and cry. We have fears and and want good things for our children. Mr. Seraji has given us a glimpse into the unknown and it is up to us to recognize that regardless of religion or culture we are more alike than some would like us to believe.

At times, this novel is funny and at other times tragic. It is certainly unforgettable. I highly recommend to those wishing to broaden their horizons and learn more about the Persian people and culture. Mahbod Seraji is an author to watch. I know I will be looking and waiting for his next novel.

I finished Rooftops of Tehran, but I can't get this book and its incredible characters out of my mind. It's like the Kite Runner, but even better: a tale about Iran, but a coming-of-age story that is universal. Mahbod Seraji has a rare combination: major writing talent, deep knowledge of the culture of Iran, and yet an understanding of the American perspective and sense of humor. It made me laugh out loud, and at the book's climax, I cried too. When you read it (or, if you have a good book club, when they read it), you will find yourself wanting to go slowly -- not wanting it to end.

"Rooftops in Tehran" follows Pasha, a 17 year old boy living in Tehran through one summer that will forever change his life. Pasha lives in a middle class alleyway in Tehran, and is surrounded by friends. When he falls for Zari, the fiance of his idol, Doctor, Pasha begins to question some of the traditions of the Persian people. After Doctor is arrested and killed for subversive activities, Pasha and Zari become closer, until one fateful day when Zari makes a decision that will change their lives forever. Will Pasha recover enought to pursue his longtime dreams in America? Or will the Iranian state drag him down too?

"Rooftops in Tehran" is a hearwrenching story, different from some other novels about Iranian oppression because it is set during the rein of the Shah, rather than after the Iranian revolution. The novel is vehemently anit-American at points, which is historically accurate, but still interesting and brave in a novel marketed in the US. Although overall I enjoyed the book, I did have a couple of major problems, including the ending (which I found extremely unrealistic) and the narrative voice, which was simply too choppy for me to get really comfortable with. There is a lot of time jumping in the first part of the novel which really threw me off, as well as the very stacatto voice of our first person narrator Pasha.

I would recommend this book to others who are interested in Iran during the period before the revolution. The book does not shy away from some of the more brutal parts of the regime, so it really does provide an interesting look.

I read books all the time, lots of them in great variety, so I can say from experience that there is no bigger treat than to cocoon oneself around a read like Rooftops of Tehran. The experience, for me, was akin to drifting on open water. Stunningly apt, yet subtle descriptions rocked my mind gently, even as the storm built, so that by the time I was in the crashing center of it, I felt completely immersed. It's been a long time since I've fallen so deeply in like with a fictional character as I did after just a few pages with Ahmed. If I had the funds, I would buy a hundred copies of this book and leave them all over the place just so more people could experience the delight that I did while reading it.

After reading many books about Iran, mostly written about the post-revolution period, Rooftops of Tehran was a delightful coming-of-age story that depicted the time of the Shah.

Pasha is a young man in his high school years, with a best friend named Ahmed. He looks up to a slightly older man called Doctor, who is an intellectual and is eventually jailed by the regime. He is also secretly in love with Doctor's fiancee, but as a good friend, he can hardly admit it, even to himself. Meanwhile, Ahmed has fallen in love with a girl from another neighborhood. Pasha's father and his life stories also play a role in the book. Ever present is the regime of the Shah and the SAVAK - the secret police - who try to keep down any kind of resistance or revolutionary thoughts. Pasha, Ahmed and their friends end up having run-ins with the SAVAK, which is what makes this book more than a coming-of-age and love story, but also a political story and a tale of bravery and strength.

There is a point in the book where the author could have ended it. The story was unfolding with the dreams of an amnesiac, and at the same time, telling Pasha's tale. There is an explosive point in the middle of the book where everything ties together. If the author had chosen to end it there, it would have been satisfactory - but disappointing. Luckily, the author chose to continue the story past that, which took a lot of strength to push through the difficult issues in the aftermath! To my surprise, the book still wrapped up nicely, with another dramatic revelation.

This book provided me with a better understanding of the Shah time period, and why the US government was disliked by Iranians due to their support of him. Although the book did not go into the revolutionary period, it certainly set the stage.

This book also showed how girls and boys interact in Tehran, at least prior to the revolution. Although young women were protected by their families, it was not impossible for a boy and a girl to meet and get to know each other well before getting engaged.

This book would be a great gift to a teenage boy or girl, as well as an adult. There is a love story here, a very sweet one, and there are some great characters and experiences that anyone who has experienced adolescence will relate to.

...you're going to adore Rooftops Of Tehran. It's a fascinating debut novel -- full of originality, humor, and poignancy -- that takes place during the final days of the Shah's rule in Iran.

Here, in Iran's largest city, 17 year old Pasha Shahed and his wisecracking best friend Ahmed fall head over heels in love with two soon-to-be friends: Zari and Faheemeh. But one problem stands in the way: Pasha's loved one, Zari, is already betrothed from birth to a good-hearted and well-liked man who is called Doctor.

This would be a happily-ever-after story were it not for the dreaded SAVAK -- the secret police -- who end up smashing the lovers' dreams. There are unexpected twists and turns in this story (no spoilers!) -- some improbable...but if the reader can suspend belief for a few hours, the story is a strong testimony to the power of love, friendship, and hope over pain and evil.

The author sets out to shake up the jingoistic American feelings, and he resoundingly succeeds. The pages devoted to the propping up and support by the CIA of the Shah are downright unsettling, but need to be read and understood. Instead of discovering caricatures, we see these Iranian characters close up: with a grim, fatalistic view on life based on years of tyranny, offset by resiliency, generosity, hospitality, and a "we'll survive anything" attitude. It's not our media portrayal, but then again, we Americans are not the same as the cartoon-figures that are portrayed in Iran.

The underlying theme is that we are all united in our humanness. We all have our dreams, our hopes, our loves...and often, our difficult choices. Bravo to Mr. Seraji! This is a book I won't soon forget.

A powerful story of the cost and the reward of rising above the evils, injustices and limits of society. While "Rooftops of Tehran" centers on the relationships of four young Iranians during the reign of the Shah, this is also about the resilience,humor humanity and hope of a nation in the face of adversity. Other reviewers have compared Mahbod Seraji's well written debut novel to "Kite Runner" and I would agree that this is a fair comparison. The book offers a good insight into the culture and practices of Iran as well as the challenges of maintaining core values in changing times. Americans too often believe that they have little in common with our neighbors in the Middle East, holding a narrow view of the people and their beliefs. This book is a reminder that such a belief is far from accurate. Kudos....

Mahbod Khan,

my hat is off to you. I am halfway through your book after staying up all night reading it til the sunrise. You are an amazing writer. I am particularly impressed with the way you capture the essence of best friends, of youth, of love and of boys and girls. We all had a first love, we all slept on the roof and hung out in the bagh by the hose in summer nights with the smell of jasmine in the air and the distant song of the nightingale and spied on the neighbor girl we had a crush on... I had a best friend like Ahmed with the same wickedly intelligent sense of humor and spiritedness. Your descriptions of Zari and Faheemeh are exquisite in their empathy and accuracy of what is the very best in girls and women, especially Iranian ones, which is challenging for most male writers without resorting to stereotype. Also the way you capture a couple's growing together in love...your character building and dialogue are superb.

I truely appreciate the subtle way you bring in politics through the voices of your characters. In these times many ex monarchists and others feel nostalgia for the Shah's times because of the brutality of the IRI but they forget the brutality of the Shah's regime leading up to the revolution. I have several friends who experienced arrest by SAVAK by breaking and entry with no warrant, then the period of total disappearance, imprisonment with no communication with the outside world for years and torture so your story hits home. Also, I like the way your characters talk matter of factly about the US involvement and the CIA which many American readers are oblivious to and even the "Doctor's" remarks about the purposeful dumbing down of the consumer and the superficiality of American culture along with the gym teachers remarks about the discipline and law abiding nature of American society which of course is ironic when you consider our crime rates and prison population but is relative contrasted with a society like Iran's where it is considered normal and good to express extreme emotion and grief and where everyone is in charge and no one is a follower except of course for the Nokars...your description of the servile mentality of many Iranian heirs of feudalism is right on target. All in all you do a very impressive job of comparing and contrasting US and Iranian culture in an unpedantic way through the course of the story.

Your film background shows with the set and scenario building which at first I found somewhat mechanistic but then it grew on me. The interspersement of the psychiatric ward seemed a bit theatrical and contrived at first but then I realized how much talent it took to go ever other chapter from present to past like that with two tracks running at the same time about the same person both in his voice and also that device contributes greatly to the suspense. I have nothing but praise for your first novel and I will promote it in my own humble way...[...]

yours,

Brian H. Appleton

Gently grabs you and doesn't let go until the end, even then, you will not want it to end. More than a `coming of age' novel, it is an introspective into lives filled with differences. A glimpse of a culture many of us do not understand on an elemental level. Young love, beliefs interrupted, passion, betrayal, joy, sadness are all encompassed within, and very well done, by author Mahbod Seraji in `Rooftops of Theran: A Novel'. To me it is always interesting to learn about the misconceptions other cultures have in regards to the `Americans' and this novel truly points it out as a way of hope and something to `reach' for, even though it is only a dream...not even really an attainable possibility. The ignorance of a people due to the actions of a leader and the ignorance of youth collide in this story and drive the story though out the book. The characters Pasha, Ahmed, Faheemeh, and Zari are the youth in which a nation's hands will pass caught in between old beliefs and future hopes. The death of their friend, the Doctor, is a great catalyst in opening their eyes to see beyond the walls of their humble homes and experience the evils of the current government, taking strength in their love of each other and those around them. Though the philosophy regarding life differs between cultures young love is the same across the board and rules though out keeping passions high. And what of the `Masked Angel' and Pasha...do they share the same star? `Rooftops of Tehran: A Novel' is a marvelous beginning effort by Mahobod Seraji. I hope to meet Pasha once again down the road.