In the Time of Our History: A Novel of Riveting and Evocative Fiction

I really enjoyed this book! At first I kind of kept my distance from the characters, but the intense story really drew me in and by the time it was over I felt like a member of the family and hated to see it end. It really opened my eyes to the Persian culture and their customs. Very interesting perspective to try to understand.

Too many themes to relate, but they all revolve around place, family ties and the secrets individuals keep. Very well done.

This is an amazing novel about a second generation Iranian immigrant (coming to America in the late 70's as a two year old) and the cultural conflicts with her parents, growing up in America. The basic premise is that our protagonist comes back to NY for the 1st anniversary of her younger sister's unexpected death, to visit family she has not seen since leaving for SF well over a decade before, to pursue her career in architecture. I really liked everything about this book - the emotional intensity, the various interwoven plot lines, and especially all the characters. And while we all wish for all books to have a fairytale ending, I liked the way the author ended this book, with ambiguity, but wrapped in an overall upward trajectory for all the characters we come to care about. A big thumbs up for this author's second novel (first was in '97).If you want to read the funny version of this basic plotline, check out Funny in Farsi https://www.amazon.com/Funny-Farsi-Growing-Iranian-America/dp/0812968379, by Firooseh Dumas.

After reading this book, I have developed an even greater appreciation for the place & time of my birth, for the freedoms I have previously taken for granted, and for the dignity and patience of women in other cultures. This is a book I will read again, and I will read anything the author chooses to publish in the future.

Written with love, a story of loss, pain, and the suffering that is a part of life. Also, the strength that comes from understanding those things.

Every once in a long time we are allowed a glimpse into another world, a different life. This was written with such insight that I reread sections just for the sheer pleasure of hearing someone describe the indescribable.

I really enjoyed the relationships and cultural insights.I learned a lot about the Iranian culture and history. I related to the main character missing her sister and felt a new understanding about the universal feelings of loss of a dearly loved sibling

This gave a look at Iranian families who emigrated to America. Loved the idiosyncratic individuals in the family and how different they were from each other. Loved Shireen after she went to California.

Beautiful, painful, exhilarating and thought-provoking story exploring the complex ties of an Iranian-American family and how they shape the dynamics of one’s life. It is a nuanced and rich tale of love, loss and the path to together again.