In the Time of Our History is a thought-provoking book that delves into family ties, alliances within families, subjugation and independence. Mitra Jahani is an Iranian-American woman who has moved to San Francisco after being disowned by her father. A year earlier, Anahita, Mitra’s younger sister, niece, and nephew are killed in an automobile accident. Mitra returns to the family home in New Jersey for the “One Year” custom of reuniting to mourn the deaths. With her return, her family self-destructs.
Ana is the compliant daughter who chooses marriage and children in contrast to Mitra’s strident rebelliousness and choice of a career. The father is a stern man, a builder, trapped in the culture and norms of an older Iran, who becomes the patriarch of his family by means of his wealth and ability to bring his family from Iran during the collapse of the Shah’s regime. Shireen, the mother, has always been loyal to her spouse, allowing herself to be defined by his expectations, but her love for her daughter, Mitra, is unbounded.
Author Pari ties ancient traditions with more modern views of woman in a lovely way. There is enough political commentary to tie historical Iran with the contemporary America. The discordance between the two is the crux of the story. The novel reveals much about how we create alliances within our own families and how far we go to protect ourselves and them.
In the Time of Our History develops realistic family situations made more complex by cultural context and historical settings.
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In the Time of Our History (Kensington, January 3, 2023) is available through:
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