Book of the Week
Book of the Week
The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani
This is the compelling story of the journey of a young girl and her mother set in 17th century Iran.
The journey starts in a rural village and takes the pair to Isfahan where they must try and make a new life for themselves. The two women with no family to protect them during these times faced some hard choices. As the story unfolds the descriptions of the bazaars, mosques, houses, with their sights, sounds, and smells transport you into the story.
Everyday life in Iran is described beautifully, from the ceremonial rituals, the clothing that must be worn by the women, and the social customs that must be obeyed. The consequences of doing something wrong are sometimes very severe, forgiveness is not given easily.
The young girl, and the relatives that they go and live with are carpet makers. This is a major source of income for people during these times. The process of the carpet making is fascinating, the dyes, the patterns, and how they are put together are described in great detail.
A brilliant read.
29 May 2008
