The Book
In a small town on the edge of the Caspian Sea, Edmond Lazarian and his best friend Tahereh pass their days playing together, drifting between the delights of beachcombing and the joys of the sherbet shop. Although Edmond is Armenian and Tahereh is the Muslim daughter of the school's janitor, they remain blissfully unaware of the disquiet that ripples the surface calm of their close-knit community. Yet years later, when Edmond's daughter chooses a Muslim to marry, tensions inevitably build. Unable to keep sidestepping the prejudices around him, Edmond is finally forced to make a choice, and one that will haunt him for years to come.
For fans of Anne Tyler, The Space Between Us is a poignant, wistful story about belonging and otherness, pride and prejudice, and the pressures and family expectations that inform our decisions. Brilliantly painting the landscape of intricate social conventions and private emotional conflict, Pirzad has produced an intimate portrait of ordinary Iranians living everyday lives.
For fans of Anne Tyler, The Space Between Us is a poignant, wistful story about belonging and otherness, pride and prejudice, and the pressures and family expectations that inform our decisions. Brilliantly painting the landscape of intricate social conventions and private emotional conflict, Pirzad has produced an intimate portrait of ordinary Iranians living everyday lives.
Additional Information
| Subject | Fiction, Translated Fiction |
|---|---|
| Pages | 160 |
| Imprint | Oneworld |
Reviews
‘Set in tension-filled Iran, Zoya Pirzad's novel explores the meaning of family and the consequences of choice through the life of Edmond, an Armenian man, and his daughter, who desires to marry a Muslim. Full of rich prose, this book tackles the deep questions of prejudice in the Middle East while showing the rich diversity of cultures in Iran.'
‘Rich in allusion and suggestion. The prize-winning Iranian-Armenian author is less concerned with a straightforward narrative as with the desire to encapsulate the important things which are left unsaid and undone. These are what haunt her story.'
'A rising star of Iranian literature, Zoya Pirzad transcends the everyday with her luminous writing.'
‘Moving.'
