Sky of Red Poppies by Zohreh Ghahremani

You've heard me mention our friend Ron before. He often will send me a text - the only thing it will say is a title and author. But in Ron-speak, I know he's suggesting another book for me! So far Ron and I have a love/hate relationship with books... He loves them (that may be too strong of a  word) he likes 'em, I don't!! My theory is that it's fiction - do they have to end so badly??? Give me a happy ending, already.

Last week the text said: sky of red poppies by zohreh ghahremani.

I had just finished a book so I got this on my Kindle. Let me say - Ron redeemed himself as a suggester of books for me!! I really liked this one. "YAY, Ron"

"Sky of Red Poppies begins with a casual friendship between two schoolgirls coming of age in a politically divided 1960's Iran under rule of the Shah. Roya, the daughter of a prominent family, is envious of the fierce independence of her religious classmate Shireen. But Shireen has secrets of her own. Together, Roya and Shireen contend with becoming the women they want to be, and in doing so, make decisions that will cause their tragic undoing. In the unraveling of family secrets, Roya begins to question how she was raised and how to become the person she wishes to be. Set against the backdrop of a nation forced to mute its profound identity, Sky of Red Poppies is a novel about culture, politics and the redeeming power of friendships."

I thought the author did a good job of describing the lifestyle in this '60's Iran without totally depressing the reader. I have read other books written about suppressed countries that weighs heavy on my being while I'm reading them. This one was very well written and rather than totally depressing me, it caused me to think.

"Other countries are putting a man on the moon and we are dreaming of paved roads for our donkeys." 

Living here, in the United States, we often cannot comprehend the difference in lifestyles of suppressed countries. - Oh, we notice - from the news - when people are martyred - we are often aware of "their" politics - "their" governments - sometimes. But it's the everyday living we sometimes don't comprehend. Paved roads for donkeys? As a teen I would get irritated when I had to slow down to 35 (actually 45 - but my Dad taught me to go 35) on the dirt roads we lived on - in the car....

"My favorite teacher had stamped his name on all the good poems I was to read in the years to come and his voice would echo in many expressive words I might come across..."

I would hope each of us have a teacher that we think fondly of - one that really spoke to our hearts. No matter what country we live in.

"No one - and I mean no one - is worthy of your tears, because those who are worth it, will never make you cry."

No, I didn't agree with this statement at all. But it was something the main character, Roya, often thought of once it was said to her. - but I believe with caring - with loving - often comes tears.

From the end of the book is a note about poetry:

"Iranians' love of poetry develops throughout childhood: it begins with the poetic lullabies and verses sung to us in our youth and evolves in the classroom, where memorizing poems is mandatory. Therefore, poetry is a common denominator for us, and integral part of our culture. In conversation, all Iranians make poetic references, even the illiterate."

Their use of poetry in everyday life is apparent in this book.

I highly recommend this book.