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Summary
Summary
Already a bestseller in Europe, this is an extraordinary novel about the making of modern Iran.
Author Notes
Kader Abdolah (a pen name created in memoriam to friends who died under persecution by the current Iranian regime) was born in Iran in 1954. While a student of physics in Tehran, he joined a secret leftist party that fought against the dictatorship of the shah and the subsequent dictatorship of the ayatollahs. Abdolah wrote for an illegal journal and clandestinely published two books in Iran. In 1988, he arrived in the Netherlands as a political refugee. Kader Abdolah is the author of several books, including the novels My Father's Notebook, The House of the Mosque and most recently The King which has been longlisted for the 2016 International DUBLIN Literary Award. He has received several awards, including the Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres decoration in 2008. Nancy Forest-Flier is an American-born translator who has made her home in the Netherlands with her husband, the writer Jim Forest.
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
The third novel from Iranian-born Dutch writer Abdolah to be published in English (after My Father's Notebook) offers a gripping account of 19th-century Persia and the enigmatic king Shah Naser. Abdolah paints the shah's 48-year reign, from 1848 to 1896, as a period of brutal repression, stubborn resistance to modernization, and luxury amid squalor. Cruel but weak Shah Naser is torn between the dueling influences of his reform-minded grand vizier and conniving traditionalist mother, Mahdolia. Forever anxious about any challenge to his authority, he executes his seven brothers after they rebel against him. However, even these external struggles for the throne cannot compare to the petty power games which constantly rage in the shah's harem. Over the years, Persia tries to defend itself against invading Russians in the north, British forces in the south, and religious zealots and powerful political opponents like Jamal Khan. But while the police and army carry out ruthless reprisals against dissenters, the shah himself worries more about his daughter's wedding and finding a suitable heir. The strength of this book lies in its vivid picture of a beleaguered society that refuses to look to the future, clings futilely to the past, and ignores modern innovations. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
This new novel from Iranian Dutch author Abdolah is written as an extended parable, and important moral lessons will be found within. That said, they are presented smoothly and not without compassion for the many characters. The king of the title is Shah Naser, a nineteenth-century Persian monarch torn between his power-hungry mother, who encourages him to emulate his dictatorial forebears, and his forward-thinking vizier, who has ambitious plans for modernizing the country's technological infrastructure, education, and health care, among other things. Although the shah is fascinated by newfangled inventions like the telegraph, he remains woefully distanced from his impoverished populace, preferring to spend time with his cat and large harem and increase his personal wealth. This leaves Persia susceptible to foreign interests British, French, and Russian seeking control of its land and natural resources. The direct, unadorned style makes for a fast-paced, entertaining tale about Iran's internal and external power struggles during an era of significant change. In addition, the novel provides instructive background on the growing political influence of the country's ayatollahs.--Johnson, Sarah Copyright 2014 Booklist
Library Journal Review
In the tradition of Persian storytelling, -Iranian political exile Abdolah chronicles the life of Shah Naser, drawing on the real-life Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar, king of Persia, and his grand vizier, Amir Kabir. Nineteenth-century Persia is at a turning point, with the grand vizier arguing that the country must modernize and improve conditions for its people. The shah's mother, who wants no such thing, fears that the vizier has too much influence on her weak son and will fight to retain power at all costs. Pressured from the inside by his court and from the outside by Russia, France, and England, the young king struggles to keep his throne. Tellingly, he wants contemporary conveniences such as photography and electric lights in the harem quarters, but he cannot accept ideas such as democracy and the education of women. VERDICT -Abdolah's novel is rich in Persian history and culture, with lavish descriptions of palace life, but the narrative style itself is unadorned, at times appearing naive and then sliding in something sinister. Especially satisfying for readers of historical fiction about foreign lands.-Gwen -Vredevoogd, Marymount Univ. Libs., Arlington, VA (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.