The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree: SHORTLISTED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL BOOKER PRIZE 2020
Shokoofeh Azar author Anonymous translator
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Europa Editions (UK) Ltd
Published:11th Mar '21
Should be back in stock very soon
*SHORTLISTED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL BOOKER PRIZE 2020*
*LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD 2020*
“If ever there was a book that needs to be read more than once, this is it.”—ArtsHub
“A book that keeps on giving.”—Brona’s Books
“Extraordinary.”—The Irish Times
“Compelling, delightful and powerful.”—David’s Book World
A family story about the unbreakable connection between the living and the dead
Set in Iran in the decade following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, this moving, richly imagined novel is narrated by the ghost of Bahar, a thirteen-year-old girl, whose family is compelled to flee their home in Tehran for a new life in a small village, hoping in this way to preserve both their intellectual freedom and their lives. But they soon find themselves caught up in the post-revolutionary chaos that sweeps across their ancient land and its people. Bahar’s mother, after a tragic loss, will embark on a long, eventful journey in search of meaning.
The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree speaks of the power of imagination when confronted with cruelty, and of our human need to make sense of trauma through the ritual of storytelling itself. Through her unforgettable characters, Azar weaves a timely and timeless story that juxtaposes the beauty of an ancient, vibrant culture with the brutality of an oppressive political regime.
"Not only richly imaginative but also emotionally powerful." - 1st Reading's Blog
“Her novel ... embodies Iranian life in a state of constant “oscillation”, bringing into play “opposing poles” — like life and death, religion and politics ... — to evoke the extent of damage by an oppressive political regime.” - The Indian Express
“A fiercely clever book.” * The New Statesman *
“A Farsi Isabel Allende.” * The Guardian *
“It takes a special writer – and Azar is one such – to avoid faltering when the harshest experiences are interlaced with scenes of fantastical interventions in the routine experiences of the characters. The lives created within this novel and the conditions to which they must adapt, lead to extraordinary scenes.” * The Irish Times *
“A sumptuous meditation on the practice of interpretation.” * Asymptote Journal *
“A mesmerizing and richly textured novel about Iranian history post Islamic Revolution. A sublime tale about how a nation’s past defines its national and personal narratives, written by one of Iran’s rising literary talents.” * BookRiot *
“If ever there was a book that needs to be read more than once, this is it.” * ArtsHub *
“[Azar’s] book is a great journey. It moves places and it moves us as readers, in an emotional and intellectual sense.” * The Los Angeles Review of Books *
“The plot is intricate…the writing is ravishing: shimmeringly poetic…so mesmerizing is the storytelling.” * The Weekend Australian *
“Azar delves deep into the mythological spirit realm and pre-Islamic Zoroastrian religion of ancient Persia . . . [taking] us into breathtaking worlds of imagination and allegory . . . Astonishing.” * Backstory *
- Short-listed for Stella Prize 2018 (Australia)
- Short-listed for Queensland University Fiction Award 2018 (Australia)
ISBN: 9781787703100
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
272 pages