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From the Stonewall Honor–winning author of Like a Love Story comes a sweeping story of three generations of boys in the same Iranian family. Perfect for fans of Last Night at the Telegraph Club and Darius the Great Is Not Okay. 2019. Moud is an out gay teen living in Los Angeles with his distant father, Saeed. When Moud gets the news that his grandfather in Iran is dying, he accompanies his dad to Tehran, where the revelation of family secrets will force Moud into a new understanding of his history, his culture, and himself. 1978. Saeed is an engineering student with a promising future ahead of him in Tehran. But when his parents discover his involvement in the country’s burgeoning revolution, they send him to safety in America, a country Saeed despises. And even worse—he’s forced to live with the American grandmother he never knew existed. 1939. Bobby, the son of a calculating Hollywood stage mother, lands a coveted MGM studio contract. But the fairy-tale world of glamour he’s thrust into has a dark side. Set against the backdrop of Tehran and Los Angeles, this tale of intergenerational trauma and love is an ode to the fragile bonds of family, the hidden secrets of history, and all the beautiful moments that make us who we are today.
Publication Year: 2023
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0 02023 reads: 134/350
this novel follows three different iranian teenagers from the same family, but different times.
moud, in 2019, is traveling to iran for the first time because his grandfather is ill. his mother died when he was four and he’s never felt close to his father, but maybe this trip will change that.
saeed, in 1978, is a student in iran with a promising future. but then, he gets caught up in the riots, and is forced to leave his parents and his country. not too long after getting to the u.s., though, he learns something about his parents that he has trouble wrapping his mind around.
bobby, in 1939, could lose everything if his sexuality is found out. after landing a contract with MGM, even where and with whom he hangs out is strictly monitored. but all he wants is a life where he can be more free.
i LOVE family stories, especially ones spanning generations, so i had to request this as soon as i saw it. (also, i loved nazemian’s like a love story, so i figured this one would be just as great.)
despite the novel being split between the three teens, it never felt like one story was more important than another. they each had their own journeys which we got to see.
i loved how this story ended. it didn’t feel like their stories were done, which is what i loved. i feel like not having every single knot tied made these characters, and this story, feel so much more real, and i know that they’re going to stick with me more because of this.
i highly recommend this book!
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