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In the Time of Our History
In the Time of Our History | Susanne Pari
6 posts | 4 read | 5 to read
This sweeping, multigenerational saga transports readers into the world of the Jahani family, Iranian immigrants grappling with the future of their traditions as an American-born daughter steps outside her expected role, shaking loose their foundations—and their secrets—in a novel that poses larger questions about the meaning of marriage, motherhood, and starting anew even as we long for the place we once called home . . . Twelve months after her younger sister Anahita’s death, Mitra Jahani reluctantly returns to her parents’ home in suburban New Jersey to observe the Iranian custom of the One Year. Ana is always in Mitra’s heart, though they chose very different paths. While Ana, sweet and dutiful, bowed to their domineering father’s demands and married, Mitra rebelled, and was banished. Caught in the middle is their mother, Shireen, torn between her fierce love for her surviving daughter and her loyalty to her husband. Yet his callousness even amid shattering loss has compelled her to rethink her own decades of submission. And when Mitra is suddenly forced to confront hard truths about her sister’s life, and the secrets each of them hid to protect others, mother and daughter reach a new understanding—and forge an unexpected path forward. Alive with the tensions, sacrifices, and joys that thrum within the heart of every family, In the Time of Our History is also laced with the richness of ancient and modern Persian culture and politics, in a tale that is both timeless and profoundly relevant. “Beautifully written. . . . I’m still thinking about the women who inhabited these pages, the choices they made, and the love between them.” --Lisa See, New York Times bestselling author of The Island of Sea Women “I fell in love with this jewel of a novel from the first page.” --Amy Tan, New York Times bestselling author of The Joy Luck Club
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review
TracyReadsBooks
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Mehso-so

I really wanted to love this book but in the end I mostly liked it. Mitra Jahani travels to her parents home to observe the one year anniversary of her sister‘s death she discovers she‘s not the only one with secrets. The story that follows delves into heritage, culture, the immigrant experience, patriarchy, motherhood, misogyny, and family. Unfortunately, while interesting & occasionally compelling, the story never quite came together for me.

Hooked_on_books That description sounds so promising I could see why you would want to read it! At least you can still admire that pretty cover. 11mo
TracyReadsBooks @Hooked_on_books Yeah, all the elements are there and the writing is often gorgeous and yet by the end, I just didn‘t love some of the author‘s choices or, ultimately, how she decided to tell the story. Because of that, even though I did really enjoy parts of it, I just couldn‘t make it a pick. You‘re right though, its a gorgeous cover! 11mo
27 likes2 comments
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TracyReadsBooks
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BookNAround
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Such a lovely cover on my latest read with Gatsby and Ozzie.

62 likes1 stack add
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Erynecki
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Pickpick

Just some 60 or so pages left for me to finish up In the Time of Our History. It‘s a multigenerational story of love, loss, what it means to be part of an immigrant family, and the ways in which traditions both pull us together and wedge us apart.

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Bookwormjillk
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Bought myself a few new books with my Christmas money today.

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Sara_Planz
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Pickpick

A powerful story about family, tradition, and loss. Each character's story is woven into the next, highlighting the connections that families create. What I found most compelling was the stories about the women in this family. Characters like Mitra, Olga and Sali portray the power that women truly have when they are supported by each other, often in the face of domineering men. This book will be at the top of all "must read" lists next year.

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