Veil of Roses (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: pink bikini, Maman Joon, Tami Joon, Persian Girl (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this pat but sweet attempt at FOB (fresh off the boat) chick lit, Tamila Soroush, a 27-year-old Iranian woman, flies to Tucson, Ariz., to stay with her older sister, Maryam (whom she hasn't seen in 15 years), and Maryam's orthopedic surgeon husband, Ardishir. Tami is there for a three-month stay, courtesy of a visa arranged by her loving parents, who want her to marry an Iranian with American citizenship and stay in the States. Tami concurs with this plan: "being married is a small price to pay if I can stay in the land of Opportunity." But on her way to her ESL class, Tami meets Ike, an affable American working at Starbucks while he raises money to open his own chain of coffee shops. Potential Iranian fiancé setups move forward while Tami and Ike's mutual feelings deepen. As she nears the end of her visa, Tami faces some tough choices. The plot is disposable and the agenda transparent, but watching Tami find her voice through such small comforts as being able to sit alone in a house, walk to school unescorted or buy lingerie with her sister will leave readers rooting for her. (Jan.)
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From Booklist

Fitzgerald's unique take on the increasingly popular immigrant saga juxtaposes an introspective look into the repressive lifestyle experienced by Tamila Soroush, 27, in Iran with the nearly unreal freedom she finds while in Tucson on a three-month visa. Sent by her parents in the hope that she can "wake up her luck" and stay in America like her older sister, Tami has three months to find a husband and avoid returning to Iran. One of the Iranian suitors her sister and brother-in-law have lined up turns out to be obsessive-compulsive; the second is a gay control freak. Beyond these awkward matchmaking scenes, Tami forges her own strong friendships with the students in her ESL class, including Nadia, a Russian refugee abused by her bigoted husband, and the outrageously provocative Eva, who introduces Tami to country line dancing. Tami also captures the heart of Ike, a Starbucks server who encourages her pursuit of photography and sends her flowers, despite her sister's objections. A fun, romantic, and thought-provoking debut novel from a promising author. Deborah Donovan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (December 26, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553383884
• ISBN-13: 978-0553383881
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #186,650 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars an Unreal and unfair depiction of Iranian culture and Iranian women, October 15, 2007

By	Sam "Sam" (CA) - See all my reviews

This is such a stereotype of Iranian culture and Iranian women. Apparently the author has not done her research right and doesn't know what she's talking about. I was in Iran 4 years ago and what she's saying is not true. Women there wear more makeup, do more plastic surgery, are more up to date with latest European fashion, date, have outside marriage sex, get divorce and are very strong and educated than most women in U.S. Not that I consider most of these as praising attributes, but this is what's happening in Iran. Also, another thing is the author has such discrepancy in her story. First she mentions Tami was in U.S. till age of two and then when she arrives to U.S. as a 27 year old woman she's looking for a husband so she can get her residency?? Wasn't she born in U.S.?? This book is irritating and is truly a fiction with no sense of reality.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting insight!, February 12, 2007

By	L. Bentley (Tucson, AZ United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This author has a genuine voice that helps her characters be felt and understood. It takes a real talent for an author to allow her characters to be deep and fully formed. I appreciated reading a book with depth! The romance was an unexpected and fun twist. The details on the lifestyle and thinking of an Iranian woman was very enlightening to me as an American woman. I read this book quickly as it captured my attention and I needed to know what was going to happen with the characters. :)

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a must read!, December 28, 2006

By	Elizabeth Coonan - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought this book because it looked interesting. I had no idea what a powerful read it would be. I bought it and finished it in one day. It makes us as women really look at all the freedoms we have and how easy it is to take it all for granted. It is written in a way that just grabs you and wraps you into the story, you can feel Tami's emotions her terror, her excitement and her sadness. I would recomend this book to anyone who wants a better understanding of a cultrue that most americans know nothing about. It sheds light on some traditions that we would find horrible and opressive and helps us better understand why these women deal with them and how. This book was great!