Anita Amirrezvani Books

"In rural Iran, a spirited village girl approaches the age of marriage, only to find her destiny shattered after a fiery comet blazes ominously across the desert sky. On the death of her beloved father, the young woman and her distraught mother are forced into a difficult new life in the fabled city of Isfahan. Taken in as house servants by her uncle Gostaham, a well-to-do carpet designer, and his demanding wife, the two women confront an unforgiving world." "When the heroine blossoms as a brilliant maker of carpets under her uncle's tutelage, the future brightens. But disaster strikes again when an impetuous act results in the heroine's disgrace, forcing her into a secret marriage. If she is to thrive, she must risk the family's reputation and rely on her artistic genius, and her extraordinary will, to save herself and her mother." "Seventeenth-century Iran comes alive in all its splendour and cultural nuance in this luminous novel. The bustle of bazaars overflowing with rosewater and saffron; the breathtakingly beautiful silk and gold rugs of the Shah's carpet workshop; and Isfahan's incomparable bridges, gardens, teahouses, and hammams: all are captured here."--BOOK JACKET.

From the author of the internationally bestselling The Blood of Flowers comes a compelling tale of power, loyalty, intrigue, and love set in the royal court of sixteenth-century Iran. While legendary women like Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I are well-known for their influence in England, the powerful women of the Muslim world often remain overlooked. In this richly crafted narrative, Anita Amirrezvani brings to life Princess Pari Khan Khanoom Safavi, a key figure in the tumultuous court of Iran in 1576. Following the Shah's death without an heir, the court descends into chaos. As the Shah’s daughter and protégé, Princess Pari possesses deep knowledge of state affairs, yet her attempts to restore order spark resentment among the nobility. Alongside her closest adviser, Javaher, a eunuch adept at navigating both the harem and the broader political landscape, she holds a tapestry of secrets that unveils a monumental power struggle. Loosely based on the life of Princess Pari Khan Khanoom, this riveting story explores political intrigue and the unique bond between a princess and a eunuch. Amirrezvani's masterful storytelling immerses readers in a vivid world filled with passionate characters who navigate a Machiavellian game of power, revealing the lengths to which individuals will go to seize their destiny.

Het indrukwekkende verhaal van een jong meisje op weg naar volwassenheid in het Iran van de 17de eeuw. Ze woont met haar ouders in een afgelegen dorp en is daar heel gelukkig. Van haar ouders leert ze tapijtknopen en al snel is ze de beste van het dorp. Maar als haar vader overlijdt, zijn haar moeder en zij gedwongen om naar Isfahan te verhuizen, waar hun enige familieleden wonen. Oom en tante nemen de twee met tegenzin op. Het leven is zwaar, maar ze leert er alles van het vak dat haar toekomst zal bepalen. Niet alleen knopen, maar ook ontwerpen, kleuren uitzoeken en - voor haar moeder en haarzelf van levensbelang - haar eigen creaties verkopen. Tegelijkertijd komt ze terecht in een avontuur dat haar seksualiteit doet ontwaken, maar haar ook blootstelt aan afwijzing en verraad, voor ze haar weg vindt naar geluk en ze beseft dat er eigenlijk maar één grote liefde is: de bruisende en inspirerende stad Isfahan.