#the stationery shop

Rating: ★★★★★

I have so many feelings about this book, but they are all important. Coming from someone who isn’t that enamored with most romance novels, this was a beautiful love story.

The book tells the story of two seventeen-year-olds in 1953 Iran who fall in love over the summer through a stationery shop and their bookish love. The romance builds in a shy, slow, realistic pace. Kamali does a good job of writing the way that Roya is consumed slowly by her love of Bahman. With many supporting characters, many very supportive while a few are completely against their relationship, they love each other regardless of the opinions of others. One very important factor incorporated into this book is the political climate of Iran in the 50’s. Bahman is an activist and this plays a large role in some of the hurdles in the first half of the book.

When Bahman and his parents suddenly disappear and no one can find them, they carry on through only their letters to one another. Until they write making plans of eloping and Bahman never shows up. Confused and concerned, Roya can only wait for word on her fiance- until she finally gets it from the future mother-in-law that never liked her and always wanted better for her son. This is the pivotal point where everything changes and their course is set to not cross paths again for sixty years.

Right from the beginning, there is an amazing incorporation of Iranian customs and culture, especially those that involve food, sprinkled throughout the story-line. While many romance novels tend to exclude political climates while writing about an all-consuming romance, this one highlights the effect that it can have on the normal lives of people. This was a romance novel that felt realistic. It never felt rushed or thrown together, and the emotions were there. When Roya’s heart was breaking over Bahman’s engagement to someone else, so was mine.

Without spoiling the ending, this was the most heartbreaking part of the novel. We find out the real reason behind everything that happened sixty years ago and we discover everything that’s happened since then. The book features a multitude of themes, love, culture, family, undiagnosed mental health problems, heartbreak and moving forward, and so many other things can be picked from this book. I put this book off for so long because it didn’t sound like something I would enjoy, and I ended up loving it. I would highly recommend this.

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Saylor Rains

Find me and this review on Goodreads.