The choice to write this as a novel instead of a biography allows Darznik to really delve into the inner turmoil of Forugh throughout her life of crazy twists and turns, with the harsh backdrop of male dominated Iran, and the rise of the Islamic laws in the country after the Iranian coup of 1953. I really enjoyed the historical fiction feel to it. I would say the writing style was not unlike Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt, which is to say it is an incredibly hard story to read, but it's told in a much softened tone so as to feel almost dreamlike through the trying times our protagonist struggles through.
The slow, almost meandering pace of the book allows these very real events to set a solid timeline. Forugh, however, seems almost overwhelmed by the passage of time, and totally unprepared for each next step that meets her because of it. Darznik by no means models Forugh as a fiery, passionate leader- instead she's portrayed as a woman who jumps into things without thinking, and by dealing with the consequences she is propelled into a celebrity status she never truly asked for. This realism of her lack of choice, of a woman whose works became a black market commodity across Iran for a long time without her meaning them to be, is probably my favorite part about how the book is written.
Darznik's research into the life of Farrokhzad was based on interviews, her works, and various things written about her (slanderous or no). Farrokhzad was a fascinating figure, and probably the first to manage to break out the mold of a 'poetess' and into a poet.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel from start to finish, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys learning a bit more about art history, Iran, 1950s style Persian feminism, or just about a woman's struggle to be seen as a person, instead of a commodity.
Thanks for reading my first post, Check back next Saturday for another.
-Bekah
I like it.
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