欧宝娱乐

I completely agree. I wasn't able to finish the book either, because I was so irked by Nafisi's smug tone. I'm not saying that the circumstances in which the book takes place weren't sympathetic, but I feel like Nafisi was milking it for what it was worth to write a sob story about how horrible her life abroad was and how glad she is to be in the West. Basically, what Western readers would want to hear. And judging from the stellar reviews, they ate it up.

Happy to feel validated by your review. I thought it was terribly written as well...repetitive and erratic. I don't think I read more than 100 pages. Bleh. :P

I also gave up on this book, though I waded through nearly half because it was a book group choice.

Like you, I found the writing style pompous and removed. There were a few emotional moments describing what it was actually like living in Iran at the time of the Revolution, but they were too rare. Most of the time the author came off as a pseudo-intellecutal. When she began to relate how she instructed her students in the correct way to interpret the books they were reading, I gave up.

For those interested in this topic, I highly recommend Marjane Satrapi's graphic novel, PERSEPOLIS, which is a compelling, quick read

Ugh, I completely agree. I had to give up on it.

I'm also quitting halfway through.

I was riveted by this book.Cant believe I'm the only one who loved this book

get the audio

5 stars from me!

I agree I definitely decided not finish this book

Agreed. Not sure why it was so lauded unless it was just the idea of doing something against social norms in Iran. Taking it off my shelf.

If the topic that you wanted to read about was that of Iranian culture, and specifically, an empathetic eye to the region, I can see how this book would be a failure. This book came off for me as something much more personal than that; it was Nafisi's own way of processing her life through the lens of literature. The book was her defense of the need for such safe and secure places to process complex questions (when even classrooms, and our own homes, are unsafe). It just so happens that she focuses on Western literature, and it just so happens that she lives through the Iranian revolution. However, the message that she brings is more timeless, and less rooted in politics and place. As she says in her book, political battles interest her little, compared to existential ones. The book is actually an interesting challenge for Western readers; many I'm sure would read this book, and use it as a defense for Western culture and political actions. In doing so, however, such readers would be committing precisely the same mistake as the students in her classroom--looking for right and wrong and self-vindication, rather than self-discovery and exploration.

"Super othering"? LOL what kind of millennial bullshit is that?

It's interesting in that it reflects Iran's social and political values, and although I agree that it is slow and somewhat preachy in some parts, I think that the take-away and knowledge that I've gained from reading this book, makes it worth reading.

Agreed! I'm struggling through it, waiting for it to get better...

I have just gotten in about 60 pages and I already feel the same way you do, Emma. Poorly written so far and I don't expect that to change. Not sure how far I'll get, but I'll try to finish.

I agree w lots of your points but I have a habit of not giving up on a book, and I have completed books that were much worse and after I would say to myself 鈥渉ow was that published?鈥�

I am glad that I finished this book though. There were lots of little things about it that made it hard to keep my attention but I knew the premise was great and I grew to really care about the characters and the author. I knew that this book was a unique window into a world that I know little about, but now I feel I can understand more.

It took me a long time to read this, I had to force myself to finish but am glad I did.

I have to disagree about the authors 鈥渟elf important鈥� stance. I mean, she could only tell the story from her point of view and those closest to her. And reading is about developing empathy for others; she was not selfish to share her struggles and all the ways that it affected her life and pulled her in different directions. If she is being 鈥渟elf-important鈥� then I suppose so is every other author who writes an autobiographical piece and has struggles in the story.

this book was definitely poorly written. But I've gained interesting points about Iran's social and political values. That's why I kept reading.

I completely agree with your review. I read this for a book club and struggled to finish.

Ugh, just returned the book to the library unfinished. I agree on all the points! What finally did it for me is that looong chapter - a review of Nabokov's Lolita.... which while interesting, is not the reason why I picked this book in the first place.

I just gave up on it too...only 126 pages or so in

Looks like there鈥檚 lots of people that had a similar experience and I鈥檓 glad you found each other. I am just here to say that there are people who love this book (I鈥檝e read it at least 3 times) and it鈥檚 not because we鈥檙e *told* it鈥檚 supposed to be good. I read it years after it was a book of the year or whatever bullshit and I read it every time I want to read something that speaks straight to my soul. You don鈥檛 have to love it, and you also don鈥檛 have to make snide remarks about the people that do.

This exactly.. Its so freaking dry I read a few pages and now it sits on my bookshelf collecting dust. It's frustrating because iIwant to read it and it seems interesting but the way its written is recipe for a brain hemorrhage , negative stars on this one loool

It says on Emma鈥檚 post she 鈥渇inished the book鈥� by tapping on finished book on goodreads even though she posted she got bored and never really finished the book. Did you finish or not? Also, if you鈥檙e bored with the synopsis why did you start in the first place?

I'm so glad to see this review. I thought I was the only one!

I'm reading the book right now and I'll be done with it in a day or two. And honestly I just have to say that this is one of the top five books I've read in the last couple of years or maybe more (i read around 50 books per year). I almost gave up on reading it after I saw all the reviews saying how boring the book is. I'm so glad I didn't give up though, there wasn't a page in the book that I thought was boring. It made me really curious about how our life experience shapes our perspective of books and stories in general. My idea is that, I feel really close to the writer, for many reason, but one of them is me also being from a country with a history (and reality) of a number totalitarian regimes. My personal experience isn't as awful, but the collective experience of my country makes me feel every word. I'm surprised to see that people found it dry - I personally couldn't help from crying a few times. Needless to say, I also love books and I love when people talk about books they love, and when they talk books from their personal and historical perspective, it's just a 100% match for me. I can say a lot more about why I'm loving this book so much, but I'll probably write my own review when I finish. Obviously it's fine to dislike the book or think that it's boring, I just wanted to present a different opinion.

P.S. to all the people from the West in the comment section saying that the author is "milking" her circumstances for a "sob story" because that's what Western readers want to hear apparently - I sincerely ask you to get over yourselves. Shocking as it may be, not everything is about you

"Self important" is a funny phrase to use when describing a PhD in lit. Especially when a percentage of your 5 star reviews are cook books.

Omg white people is soooo blind.