The Lion Women of Tehran is being translated into 6 languages: Arabic, French, Hebrew, Italian, Romanian, and Turkish as of March 2024!
About the Book
From the nationally bestselling author of the “powerful, heartbreaking” (Shelf Awareness) The Stationery Shop, a heartfelt, epic new novel of friendship, betrayal, and redemption set against three transformative decades in Tehran, Iran.
In 1950s Tehran, seven-year-old Ellie lives in grand comfort until the untimely death of her father, forcing Ellie and her mother to move to a tiny home downtown. Lonely and bearing the brunt of her mother’s endless grievances, Ellie dreams of a friend to alleviate her isolation.
Luckily, on the first day of school, she meets Homa, a kind, passionate girl with a brave and irrepressible spirit. Together, the two girls play games, learn to cook in the stone kitchen of Homa’s warm home, wander through the colorful stalls of the Grand Bazaar, and share their ambitions for becoming “lion women.”
But their happiness is disrupted when Ellie and her mother are afforded the opportunity to return to their previous bourgeois life. Now a popular student at the best girls’ high school in Iran, Ellie’s memories of Homa begin to fade. Years later, however, her sudden reappearance in Ellie’s privileged world alters the course of both of their lives.
Together, the two young women come of age and pursue their own goals for meaningful futures. But as the political turmoil in Iran builds to a breaking point, one earth-shattering betrayal will have enormous consequences.
Written with Marjan Kamali’s signature “evocative, devastating, and hauntingly beautiful” (Whitney Scharer, author of The Age of Light) prose, The Lion Women of Tehran is a sweeping exploration of how profoundly we are shaped by those we meet when we are young, and the way love and courage transforms our lives.
INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER
USA TODAY BESTSELLER
AN INDIE NEXT SELECTION
AMAZON PICK FOR JULY
APPLE BEST BOOK OF THE MONTH PICK
A BOOK OF THE MONTH CLUB MAIN SELECTION
“An evocative read and a powerful portrait of friendship, feminism, and political activism.” —People
“The Lion Women of Tehran deserves a place on anyone’s shelf who is looking for a compelling historical read that is at its heart about friendship. Marjan Kamali weaves an emotional tale about the power of friendship and resilience during a time of political unrest and I’m sure it will leave you as mesmerized as it left me.” —Book of the Month Club (Main Selection)
“My love for historical fiction stems from my ability to learn something new while being taken on a journey through story—and this beautifully told tale checks those boxes for me . . . The many lessons about friendship and the power of time make this an emotional and compelling read.” —Amazon Book Review (Best Books of July)
“Powerful . . Kamali [overlays] a tale of love, betrayal, and world-altering politics with rich descriptions of mouthwatering Persian foods like refreshing shirazi salad and aromatic ghormeh sabzi. We loved the way the novel explores the lives of women in this world, and how some were able to subtly (or not so subtly) break the mold. This is a highly evocative pageturner.” —Apple Books (Best Books of July)
“Mozhan Navabi performs this audiobook with the right tone and tempo. She narrates crisply and captures the guilt-ridden Ellie . . . Ellie’s best friend, political activist Homa, is voiced with a younger sound and tone (by Nikki Massoud). Her voice is fitting for the youthful Iranian revolutionary who champions women’s rights and democracy and is jailed and abused for her beliefs.” – AudioFile Magazine
“Elegant…A tender, beautifully written examination of two women—and their choices—over more than 30 years.” —Oprah Daily
“A moving story about the transformative power of childhood friendships.” – Real Simple
“Marjan Kamali’s latest novel is as fierce and epic as its name suggests . . . A beautifully written story of friendship, feminism and forgiveness.” —Ms. Magazine
“[A] story about major historical events, yes, but also the everyday strife of girlhood, love, and friendship . . . Today, as the Woman, Life, Freedom movement wages on in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini, The Lion Women of Tehran feels especially significant.” —Conde Nast Traveler
“Insightful . . . will resonate with fans of women’s fiction.” —Publishers Weekly
“Kamali laces food center stage with vivid descriptions, from the perfect New York pizza slice to traditional savory Iranian dishes, immersing readers in the culinary delights of Iranian cuisine especially—readers will virtually taste the food on the page.” —Booklist
“A touching portrait of courage and friendship.” —Kirkus
“Gorgeous, gripping…insightful, compassionate, and grounded in historical detail, The Lion Women of Tehran is an evocation of a country upended and a tribute to the ways deep friendships shape our lives.” —Shelf Awareness
“Riveting . . . Reminiscent of The Kite Runner and My Brilliant Friend, The Lion Women of Tehran is a mesmerizing tale featuring endearing characters who will linger in readers’ hearts.” —Bookpage
“More than a tale of friendship or a coming-of-age story, it’s a beautifully crafted and subtle exploration of love, family, friendship, ambition, betrayal and redemption in a socio-political powder keg . . . This finely written novel emphasizes the human experience in the face of turmoil.”—Bookreporter
“Breathtaking, remarkable . . . a beautiful story of mothers and daughters and the unbreakable ties of friendship.” – Montecito Journal
“[An] astonishing work of historical fiction.” – Pasadena Weekly
“Marjan Kamali captures an intimate portrait of how our families and circumstances shape our worldview, and what other relationships and outside forces might change your perspective.” – WBUR
“If you want a really wonderful friendship novel, this is it.” – Wisconsin Public Radio
“A stunning portrayal of broken countries and friendships brought together by courage and loyalty. Just beautiful.” – Women Writers, Women’s Books
“In beautiful prose, Kamali sketches her characters with nuanced strokes even while depicting traumatic topics with sensitivity . . . Though this is a story set in Iran, it could also be very well the story of women in different corners of the world.” – The New Arab
“This story made me proud to be a woman. To be amongst the brave, the courageous, the vulnerable, the intelligent, the lions. This book will move you, inspire you, educate you, and is one I highly, highly recommend. It will definitely be a favorite of the year.” – Chick Lit Central
“I just loved this story about friendship, and politics, and what we choose to fight for, and what we choose to forgive.” – Book Talk, Etc.
“Excellent historic fiction . . . We really care about the power of friendship between these two women.”– Cheryl McKeon, The Book House in Albany, for WAMC’s The Roundtable
“Good politics, coming of age, women’s friendship novel.” – @ParnassusBooks (Instagram)
“A beautiful but heartbreaking story , , , It held my attention from the start and Kamali’s The Stationery Shop is now added to my books to read later list.” – Sara Tieman, WGN Radio
“I am forecasting bestseller list for this one. She takes literary things – friendship, and conflict, and forgiveness – and turns them into absolute poetry.” – Thoughts from a Page
“Read if you liked: The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi.” – Yahoo! Entertainment
“This poignant tale by a nationally best-selling author explores the lasting impact of childhood friendships. Kamali’s The Stationery Shop is also not to be missed.” – Covey Club
“My most-anticipated book of the year lived up to the hype!” – Olivia’s Book Talk (Substack)
“I adore Kamali’s writing; this is a powerful, lushly described, heart-tugging depiction of female friendship, cultural shifts and second chances. Fabulous.” – Cakes, Tea and Dreams
“I rooted for Ellie and Homa as individuals, as well as best friends from different backgrounds and with different dreams for their futures. This is an emotional and thought-provoking novel with strong female characters. So glad I picked it up!” – Lori, R.J. Julia Booksellers, for Zip06
“This beautiful book takes you on an emotional journey, following a profound friendship during the Iranian revolution. The plot is rich and the characters are captivating. Your heart will break in the best way.” —Sarah Dupriest, Rainy Day Books, Fairway, KS (July Indie Next)
“A touching coming-of-age novel about friendship, courage, and the lengths to which we go to preserve both. Through lyrical, illuminating writing, Marjan Kamali brings to life the sights, smells, tastes, and sounds of Tehran . . . an exceptional book.” —Historical Novels Review
A deeply nuanced story of family, sacrifice, and the unbreakable bond of true friendship. It is as heart wrenching as it is achingly beautiful.” – Sadeqa Johnson, New York Times bestselling author of The House of Eve
“Kamali is a gifted storyteller at the height of her powers, who manages to connect [Iran’s] complicated history with its present and sing the praises of Iranian women who, even today, are fighting for the most basic of freedoms.” – Rachel Beanland, author of Florence Adler Swims Forever and The House is On Fire
“A must-read for every book club. Deeply emotional, insightful, and engrossing. You won’t forget these women for a very long time. I loved it.” – Susan Elizabeth Phillips, New York Times bestselling author
“A moving tale of friendship, betrayal, and forgiveness, unfolding into a deep and powerful exploration of feminist protest in Iran.” – Erica Bauermeister, New York Times bestselling author of No Two Persons
“Marjan Kamali captures an intimate portrait of how our families and circumstances shape our worldview, and what other relationships and outside forces might change your perspective.” – WBUR
“If you want a really wonderful friendship novel, this is it.” — Wisconsin Public Radio
“A stunning portrayal of broken countries and friendships brought together by courage and loyalty. Just beautiful.” — Women Writers, Women’s Books
“In beautiful prose, Kamali sketches her characters with nuanced strokes even while depicting traumatic topics with sensitivity . . . Though this is a story set in Iran, it could also be very well the story of women in different corners of the world.” — The New Arab
“This story made me proud to be a woman. To be amongst the brave, the courageous, the vulnerable, the intelligent, the lions. This book will move you, inspire you, educate you, and is one I highly, highly recommend. It will definitely be a favorite of the year.” — Chick Lit Central
“I just loved this story about friendship, and politics, and what we choose to fight for, and what we choose to forgive.” — Book Talk, Etc.
“Breathtaking, remarkable . . . a beautiful story of mothers and daughters and the unbreakable ties of friendship.” — Montecito Journal
“[An] astonishing work of historical fiction.” — Pasadena Weekly
“Excellent historic fiction . . . We really care about the power of friendship between these two women.” — Cheryl McKeon, The Book House in Albany, for WAMC’s The Roundtable
“I rooted for Ellie and Homa as individuals, as well as best friends from different backgrounds and with different dreams for their futures. This is an emotional and thought-provoking novel with strong female characters. So glad I picked it up!” — Lori, R.J. Julia Booksellers, for Zip06
“Good politics, coming of age, women’s friendship novel.” — @ParnassusBooks (Instagram)
“A beautiful but heartbreaking story , , , It held my attention from the start and Kamali’s The Stationery Shop is now added to my books to read later list.” — Sara Tieman, WGN Radio
“I am forecasting bestseller list for this one. She takes literary things – friendship, and conflict, and forgiveness – and turns them into absolute poetry.” — Thoughts from a Page
“Read if you liked: The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi.” — Yahoo! Entertainment
“Mozhan Navabi performs this audiobook with the right tone and tempo. She narrates crisply and captures the guilt-ridden Ellie . . . Ellie’s best friend, political activist Homa, is voiced with a younger sound and tone (by Nikki Massoud). Her voice is fitting for the youthful Iranian revolutionary who champions women’s rights and democracy and is jailed and abused for her beliefs.” —AudioFile Magazine
“This poignant tale by a nationally best-selling author explores the lasting impact of childhood friendships. Kamali’s The Stationery Shop is also not to be missed.” — Covey Club
“My most-anticipated book of the year lived up to the hype!” — Olivia’s Book Talk (Substack)
“I adore Kamali’s writing; this is a powerful, lushly described, heart-tugging depiction of female friendship, cultural shifts and second chances. Fabulous.” — Cakes, Tea and Dreams
“Fierce women fill the pages of Marjan Kamali’s engrossing tale of friendship, class, betrayal, and politics in Iran.” —Christian Science Monitor
“In The Lion Women of Tehran, Marjan Kamali brings to life the beauty and tragedy of Iran in the 1960s. From the delicious scent of spices simmering, to the colors of the bazaar, to the snowflakes landing on a certain character’s hair, this story came brilliantly alive to me from the very first page. Courage, friendship, loyalty, hardship, love—this novel has everything.”
—Mary Beth Keane, New York Times bestselling author of Ask Again, Yes
“Simultaneously heartbreaking and life affirming, it’s a book that you won’t be able to put down until you’ve read every word.” – Adrienne Brodeur, New York Times bestselling author of Little Monsters
“A moving tale of friendship, betrayal, and forgiveness, unfolding into a deep and powerful exploration of feminist protest in Iran. The contrast between Ellie and Homa’s voices is a narrative all of its own, and Homa deserves a place as one of the true heroines of literature.”
—Erica Bauermeister, New York Times bestselling author of No Two Persons
“A deeply nuanced story of family, sacrifice, and the unbreakable bond of true friendship. It is as heart wrenching as it is achingly beautiful.” —Sadeqa Johnson, New York Times bestselling author of The House of Eve
“Kamali is a gifted storyteller at the height of her powers, who manages to connect [Iran’s] complicated history with its present and sing the praises of Iranian women who, even today, are fighting for the most basic of freedoms.” — Rachel Beanland, author of Florence Adler Swims Forever and The House is On Fire
“A must-read for every book club. Deeply emotional, insightful, and engrossing. You won’t forget these women for a very long time. I loved it.” —Susan Elizabeth Phillips, New York Times bestselling author
In 1950s Tehran, seven-year-old Ellie lives in grand comfort until the untimely death of her father, forcing Ellie and her mother to move to a tiny home downtown, far removed from their privileged past. Lonely and bearing the brunt of her mother’s endless grievances, Ellie dreams of a friend to alleviate her isolation.
Luckily, on the first day of school, she meets Homa, a kind, passionate girl with a brave and irrepressible spirit. Together, the two girls play games, learn to cook in the stone kitchen of Homa’s warm home, wander through the colorful stalls of the Grand Bazaar, and share their ambitions for becoming “lion women.”
But their happiness is disrupted when Ellie and her mother are afforded the opportunity to return to their previous bourgeois life. Now a popular student at the best girls’ high school in Iran, Ellie’s memories of Homa begin to fade. Until Homa reappears in Ellie’s privileged world unexpectantly, years later, altering the course of both of their lives.
Together, the two young women come of age and pursue their own goals for meaningful futures. But as the political turmoil in Iran builds to a breaking point, one earth-shattering betrayal will have enormous consequences.
Topics and Questions for Discussion
1. The book opens from Ellie’s point of view in 1980s New York City. What are some observations she has about the city? What does this tell you about how she sees herself there? Discuss how she describes New York in the first chapter and in Part Five compared to how she describes Tehran. What are the differences?
2. How would you describe the city of Tehran during Ellie and Homa’s childhoods? What feelings does it invoke? How was Tehran different for both girls before they lived in the same neighborhood?
3. Ellie’s mother has an obsession with the evil eye. Where do you believe this originates? What effect do you think this has on Ellie’s mother’s outlook on life, and how might it affect Ellie as she grows up?
4. Ellie spends much of her childhood mourning her father’s death. How does her image of him compare to the man Ellie’s mother reveals him to be later in the book? How does Ellie’s relationship with her mother change once she finds out? How does this help explain Ellie’s mother’s actions throughout the book?
5. How would you describe how Ellie’s mother thinks of Homa? Why do you think she feels this way? How does this foreshadow what happens later in the book?
6. Seven years pass between Part One and Part Two, and we find Ellie at an upscale school in a nice neighborhood with a new group of friends. How has her life changed, and how have her relationships changed, or stayed the same?
7. Describe the role politics in Iran plays throughout the book. How does it propel the plot forward? Does is function as a main character? How do the characters interact with politics, and how does it shape their futures?
8. Two themes of the book are betrayal and jealousy. How was this explored throughout the book (i.e. between characters, through the setting, between social classes, in politics, etc.)? Were there instances of betrayal that surprised you?
9. Homa’s experience in prison devastated her plans and set her on a new trajectory for the rest of her life. What might have happened if she was not imprisoned and raped? How might her life have turned out differently? Would Homa and Ellie have remained friends?
10. Part Four opens from Homa’s point of view. How are her and Ellie’s voices different? Discuss how the author uses shifting points of view as a plot device and what it adds to the narrative.
11. Homa talks about growing up to be “lion women” throughout the book. How would you describe “lion women,” and how do Homa and Ellie understand the idea? How might it apply to women in general?
12. Discuss the romantic relationships throughout the book. Mehrdad and Ellie, Homa and Abdol, Ellie’s mother and Ellie’s baba, Ellie’s mother and Uncle Massoud, Sousan and the Colonel, and so on. How do these relationships demonstrate gender and societal norms in Iran from the 1950s to the 1980s? Do any of them subvert traditional gender roles? How?
13. The author explores the bonds between mother and daughter throughout the book. Discuss the mother-daughter relationships for each character and what they have in common.
14. In the final chapter and epilogue, we fast forward to 2022 and find out that Homa remained in Iran to fight for women’s freedoms, and Ellie followed her dream of opening an Iranian cafe in America. How do these two women embody what it means to be Lion Women? How do they reflect on their pasts, and what do you think their hopes are for their futures?
Enhance Your Book Club
1. Before the Islamic Revolution, women in Iran enjoyed many liberal freedoms that Western women are familiar with. What did you know about Iran before reading this book, and how have these characters and their stories changed your understanding? Now, Mahsa Amini has inspired another generation of Iranian women to protest and fight against oppression. What role do women play in political movements around the world? How much has changed since Ellie and Homa’s childhoods in Iran, and what has remained the same?
2. This book is propelled by relationships between women. Describe those relationships and compare them to each other. Do you see relationships like these in your own life? What makes relationships between women special?