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Here are comments from our group of Readers about Anita Amirrezvani's THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS.
April from Leicester, MA
What authors do you usually read?
I read a wide variety of both authors and genres. Authors I have read and really enjoyed over the past couple of months include Jodi Picoult, Karen Brichoux, John Katzenbach, Laura Lippman, Elizabeth Berg, Lisa Lutz, and Jennifer Crusie.
What did you think of THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS?
I rarely read historical fiction, but a friend of mine read this book and raved about it. The prologue reeled me in immediately, and I was captivated throughout the whole story. Initially, I was disappointed because it didn't have a traditional happy ending (I would have liked another chapter or two of what happened next!), but then I realized that that is part of the book's charm. For that character, it was a happy ending, even if she didn't have the marriage or the seven sons.
Would you ever read a future book by Anita Amirrezvani?
I would, despite the fact that historical fiction is not a genre that usually interests me. I thought her characters were extremely well developed, and the setting really came alive for me.
Carol from Bear, DE
What authors do you usually read?
I read many fiction and nonfiction books, but some of my favorite fiction authors are Elizabeth Berg, Adriana Trigiani and Jeanne Ray.
What did you think of THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS?
This was a wonderful read, with gorgeous, lyrical writing. It captured me, drawing me into the narrator’s world; I felt her pain, ached for her success to come, feared it would never happen. The use of the tales was a clever way to weave the story together. I loved the strong women characters (good and bad), characters who continue to haunt my mind, making me wonder about their welfare (until I remember they aren’t real). I was sorry to see the book end.
Would you ever read a future book by Anita Amirrezvani?
Absolutely! When is she planning her next book?
Ginny from Dixon, IL
What authors do you usually read?
I was very excited to discover that I'd been chosen to read THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS.
I normally read mysteries or thrillers by authors like Morrell, Coben, and Connelly; but lately, I've been reading a number of novels about women's lives in other countries, including Lisa See, Yasmin Crowther, and Ellis Avery. Though most reflect women in societies of the past, the common condition of their lives as subservient figures, and their dependent place in their societies, is sobering. We have so much here in the United States and it's good to recognize that!
What did you think of THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS?
I had trouble putting this book down. Anita Amirrezvani created a beautiful and troubling tale. While the challenging story of the young narrator's hard life was gripping, the understory of a society [completely dived by class] and the beautiful fairy tales of courage make this book a treasure.
Would you ever read a future book by Anita Amirrezvani?
Yes, I would love to read more from her.
Jeanine from Carlsbad, CA
What authors do you usually read?
Authors I read consistently:
Anna Quindlen
Elizabeth Berg
Jodi Picoult
Barbara Kingsolver
Sandra Benitez
Adriana Trigiani
John Grisham
Michael Connelly
I am always anxious to find new authors, and I very willingly try fist novels.
What did you think of THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS?
I enjoyed this book greatly and read it in just a few days. I am interested in Iran and the Middle East by virtue of world issues. A peak into the past was great fun for me, and I learned quite a bit. Fiction always has some basis in fact. [The ultimate freedoms that being born and raised in America afford] can sometimes be taken for granted. Through reading, I have learned to appreciate the world I live in and understand parts of the world I have not been able to travel to.
Would you ever read a future book by Anita Amirrezvani?
Yes, I would read this author again, and I appreciate the fact that Bookreporter.com gave me this opportunity to read a fine story.
Mary from Carmel, IN
What authors do you usually read?
I am a retired High School Principal and I belong to two book clubs. I like established authors --- Jodi Picoult, Sue Grafton, Carol Goodman --- but I also watch for debut novels, so I especially enjoyed the opportunity to read THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS by Anita Amirrezvani.
What did you think of THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS?
This book is as luxuriant and colorful as a Persian rug. Ms. Amirrezvani uses language like a rug maker uses dyes and yarn. This is a book with a strong story, and has undertones of THE ARABIAN NIGHTS. I enjoyed the tales by the poet and also the ones she made up herself. I would become so immersed in the story that I didn't want the tales to come, and then I would fall into the tales and not want them to be interrupted by the story. I liked the way the author used real historical events, like the comet, to make the story more realistic.
The unnamed main character starts the story as an innocent child and ends it as a strong, independent woman in a country and a time when women had few rights or even independent thoughts. As Homa tells her, "...you are no longer troubled. You have made yourself valuable."
Would you ever read a future book by Anita Amirrezvani?
I would definitely read another book by Anita Amirrezvani. I hope one comes out soon.
Rebecca from Temple Terrace, FL
What authors do you usually read?
Randy Wayne White, Lisa Scottoline, John Grisham, Michael Crichton, both Pattersons, both Kellermans, anything by Clive Cussler, J. D. Robb (Nora Roberts), John Lescroart, Robert K. Tanenbaum, Alexander McCall Smith, Mary Kay Andrews, J. K. Rowling, Erik Larson, and anyone else who someone recommends to, or loans, me. I always have to have a book. If I don't, I get twitchy. Since I am not a big cereal eater, I can't fall back on cereal boxes.
What did you think of THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS?
Well, it took no time at all to get captured by THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS and to get absolutely nothing else done for a couple of days while reading it.
The book reads like Shaherezade listens. The old and new Persian parables are as entrancing as Fairy Tales. I didn't realize (maybe because I was turning the pages as quickly as I could) the truth of the very last sentence in the book, at the end of the author's notes. No peeking, but I even went back to check.
Back in the early 1970s, there was a tour that left London by bus and drove all the way to Katmandu, following the Silk Road. It went to Baghdad, Isfahan, Tehran, Kabul and many other places no longer accessible due to war and strife. The "tourists" camped in tents and sleeping bags or in youth hostels, and it all sounded like a glorious adventure. I always regretted not having made that trip. The Mid-East went to hell and it was never safe (or available) again. The sister of a friend of mine just completed a six-week motorcycle trip, which began in Istanbul and ended in China, that also followed the Silk Road. She was the only woman among twenty men. Their adventures can be read at www.globeriders.com. Parts of the world have not changed materially since the 17th century in which this book was set.
Would you ever read a future book by Anita Amirrezvani?
I would happily read another of Anita Amirrezvani's books. This one covered an interesting topic in an exotic location, with a sympathetic cast of characters, and additionally, some dastardly villains. The story had a nice flow, so nice that I didn't get to bed until 5 a.m. this morning. I am going to look for pictures of Isfahan on the Internet, as well as some information on Persian carpets.
Thank you for the gift of a great book. I'll be sure to share it with friends.
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