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The Lion Women of Tehran
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Historical Fiction (2024)NATIONAL BESTSELLER
An “evocative read and a powerful portrait of friendship, feminism, and political activism” (People) set against three transformative decades in Tehran, Iran—from nationally bestselling author Marjan Kamali.
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 for a friend to alleviate her isolation.
Luckily, on the first day of school, she meets Homa, a kind 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 of 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.
“Reminiscent of The Kite Runner and My Brilliant Friend, The Lion Women of Tehran is a mesmerizing tale” (BookPage) of love and courage, and a sweeping exploration of how profoundly we are shaped by those we meet when we are young.
An “evocative read and a powerful portrait of friendship, feminism, and political activism” (People) set against three transformative decades in Tehran, Iran—from nationally bestselling author Marjan Kamali.
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 for a friend to alleviate her isolation.
Luckily, on the first day of school, she meets Homa, a kind 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 of 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.
“Reminiscent of The Kite Runner and My Brilliant Friend, The Lion Women of Tehran is a mesmerizing tale” (BookPage) of love and courage, and a sweeping exploration of how profoundly we are shaped by those we meet when we are young.
327 pages, Hardcover
First published July 2, 2024
9809 people are currently reading
286723 people want to read
About the author
Marjan Kamali
5 books4,152 followersMarjan Kamali is the national and international bestselling author of The Lion Women of Tehran (Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster), The Stationery Shop (Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster), and Together Tea (EccoBooks/HarperCollins). She is a 2022 recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellowship. Kamali’s novels are published in translation in more than 25 languages. Her essays have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Literary Hub, and the Los Angeles Review of Books. Kamali holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from University of California, Berkeley, an MBA from Columbia University, and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from New York University. Born in Turkey to Iranian parents, Kamali spent her childhood in Turkey, Iran, Germany, Kenya, and the U.S. She now lives in the Boston area with her family.
The Lion Women of Tehran:
Instant national best-seller
USA Today best-seller
One of NPR's best books of the year
A Book of the Month Main Selection
Goodreads Choice Nominee for Historical Fiction
An Indie Next Selection
Amazon's Editor's Pick Best Literature & Fiction
Editor's Top Pick from Real Simple magazine
Apple Books Must-Listen pick
Apple Best Book of the Month Pick
The Stationery Shop:
National and international best-seller
Prix Attitude Award in France
Boston Globe best-seller
Publishers Weekly best-seller
Indie Next Pick
Amazon's Editor's Pick Best Literature & Fiction
Amazon Best Book of the Month
Editor's Top Pick from Real Simple magazine Newsweek's 30 Best Summer Books
Solstice Literary Magazine Pushcart Nomination
Together Tea:
Massachusetts Book Award Finalist
NPR WBUR Good Read
Target Emerging Author Selection
Adapted for the stage and performed in California.
The Lion Women of Tehran:
Instant national best-seller
USA Today best-seller
One of NPR's best books of the year
A Book of the Month Main Selection
Goodreads Choice Nominee for Historical Fiction
An Indie Next Selection
Amazon's Editor's Pick Best Literature & Fiction
Editor's Top Pick from Real Simple magazine
Apple Books Must-Listen pick
Apple Best Book of the Month Pick
The Stationery Shop:
National and international best-seller
Prix Attitude Award in France
Boston Globe best-seller
Publishers Weekly best-seller
Indie Next Pick
Amazon's Editor's Pick Best Literature & Fiction
Amazon Best Book of the Month
Editor's Top Pick from Real Simple magazine Newsweek's 30 Best Summer Books
Solstice Literary Magazine Pushcart Nomination
Together Tea:
Massachusetts Book Award Finalist
NPR WBUR Good Read
Target Emerging Author Selection
Adapted for the stage and performed in California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 13,085 reviews
July 29, 2024
4.5⭐️
The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 and I'm glad to say that I was not disappointed.
“Shir zan. Lionesses. Us. Can’t you just see it, Ellie? Someday, you and me—we’ll do great things. We’ll live life for ourselves. And we will help others. We are cubs now, maybe. But we will grow to be lionesses. Strong women who make things happen.”
Written in beautiful prose, this evocative story spans the 1950s through the 70s and 80s to the present day and follows Elaheh “Ellie” Soltani and Homa Roozbeh – girls from completely different backgrounds who meet in Tehran as seven-year-olds who become fast friends but drift apart - a cycle that continues as their lives intersect time and time again and their fates intertwine against the volatile backdrop of the Iranian Revolution and the decades that follow. The author addresses several important themes, including social class, feminism, women’s rights and political activism, and the immigrant experience, while also giving us a glimpse into Iranian life and culture. The story is set in Tehran for most of the 50s and 60s and both the United States and Tehran for the remainder of the novel.
The narrative is presented predominantly from Ellie’s perspective, though we do get a few segments from Homa’s perspective. Both main characters are well fleshed out and their dynamic as it evolves over decades is realistically depicted, but I wish we could have explored a few of the crucial secondary characters in more depth. I also wish Homa’s perspective had been in more detail and that her story had been told with less telling and more showing particularly toward the end of the novel.
The themes in Marjan Kamali’s latest novel are realistic, relatable and most importantly, timely and relevant. The author’s portrayal of the changing socio-political landscape of Iran during the Iranian revolution and its aftermath with emphasis on women’s rights will inspire reflection. We can’t help but ponder over the fact that many of us have been afforded freedoms that others do not enjoy - freedoms that we often take for granted and rights that women all over the world have fought for in their own time and continue to do so today.
“That’s how losses of rights build. They start small. And then soon, the rights are stripped in droves.”
Overall, I found this to be an immersive and thought-provoking story about friendship, courage, healing, empathy and acceptance, forgiveness and redemption, with characters who will stay with you long after you have turned the last page.
I paired my reading with the audiobook brilliantly narrated by Mozhan Navabi and Nikki Massoud.
“In my women’s organization and our activism, one thing that we're trying to uphold is that feminism comes in many shapes. We should not shame women who choose to take care of home and family. As long as it’s the woman’s choice. I don’t mean to imply that your job now, or even if you chose in the past or later choose to stay home, is in any way antifeminist. Because all of it has a place in true feminism. A woman has a right to live a life of intense career ambition or one of more mellow ambition or what have you. As I say, whatever she chooses.”
I couldn’t agree more. What could be more important to a woman than her right to choose?
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 and I'm glad to say that I was not disappointed.
“Shir zan. Lionesses. Us. Can’t you just see it, Ellie? Someday, you and me—we’ll do great things. We’ll live life for ourselves. And we will help others. We are cubs now, maybe. But we will grow to be lionesses. Strong women who make things happen.”
Written in beautiful prose, this evocative story spans the 1950s through the 70s and 80s to the present day and follows Elaheh “Ellie” Soltani and Homa Roozbeh – girls from completely different backgrounds who meet in Tehran as seven-year-olds who become fast friends but drift apart - a cycle that continues as their lives intersect time and time again and their fates intertwine against the volatile backdrop of the Iranian Revolution and the decades that follow. The author addresses several important themes, including social class, feminism, women’s rights and political activism, and the immigrant experience, while also giving us a glimpse into Iranian life and culture. The story is set in Tehran for most of the 50s and 60s and both the United States and Tehran for the remainder of the novel.
The narrative is presented predominantly from Ellie’s perspective, though we do get a few segments from Homa’s perspective. Both main characters are well fleshed out and their dynamic as it evolves over decades is realistically depicted, but I wish we could have explored a few of the crucial secondary characters in more depth. I also wish Homa’s perspective had been in more detail and that her story had been told with less telling and more showing particularly toward the end of the novel.
The themes in Marjan Kamali’s latest novel are realistic, relatable and most importantly, timely and relevant. The author’s portrayal of the changing socio-political landscape of Iran during the Iranian revolution and its aftermath with emphasis on women’s rights will inspire reflection. We can’t help but ponder over the fact that many of us have been afforded freedoms that others do not enjoy - freedoms that we often take for granted and rights that women all over the world have fought for in their own time and continue to do so today.
“That’s how losses of rights build. They start small. And then soon, the rights are stripped in droves.”
Overall, I found this to be an immersive and thought-provoking story about friendship, courage, healing, empathy and acceptance, forgiveness and redemption, with characters who will stay with you long after you have turned the last page.
I paired my reading with the audiobook brilliantly narrated by Mozhan Navabi and Nikki Massoud.
“In my women’s organization and our activism, one thing that we're trying to uphold is that feminism comes in many shapes. We should not shame women who choose to take care of home and family. As long as it’s the woman’s choice. I don’t mean to imply that your job now, or even if you chose in the past or later choose to stay home, is in any way antifeminist. Because all of it has a place in true feminism. A woman has a right to live a life of intense career ambition or one of more mellow ambition or what have you. As I say, whatever she chooses.”
I couldn’t agree more. What could be more important to a woman than her right to choose?
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
April 25, 2025
based on other readers reviews, i was wholly prepared for this story to emotionally overwhelm me. fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it), that wasnt the case.
while this novel didnt deliver the emotional punch i was expecting it to, it does fulfil its promise at providing a story filled with feminine courage and moral fortitude. ellie and homa are good examples of what women have always been fighting for and will continue to do so, especially in places where it is dangerous to do so.
so even though this book didnt quite tug at my heartstrings, i deeply admire the characters and appreciate reading their story.
↠ 3.5 stars
while this novel didnt deliver the emotional punch i was expecting it to, it does fulfil its promise at providing a story filled with feminine courage and moral fortitude. ellie and homa are good examples of what women have always been fighting for and will continue to do so, especially in places where it is dangerous to do so.
so even though this book didnt quite tug at my heartstrings, i deeply admire the characters and appreciate reading their story.
↠ 3.5 stars
July 28, 2024
I am woman, hear me roar.
2 girls become unlikely friends in Iran: one from the slums, the other from the upper class. A country on the verge of a revolution in 1979. Homa wants to be a judge. Fight for people who can’t fight for themselves. Ellie, privileged, has the goal of marrying and having a large family. 2 women with very different dreams but somehow the best of friends. Until Homa goes missing - In a country that suffocates women who have a voice. A patriarchal culture.
1979 was a horrific year when Khomeini came into power. The hijab mandatory. Morality police seeking out strands of hair; exposed flesh. Women who dared use their voice would be incarcerated- but that’s not the least of what could happen to them.
Women's roars are not heard in a country that does not value them; A country that continually perpetuates injustices and inequality. The power of friendship within these boundaries on the edge of a precipice along with democracy and women’s rights. And 50 years later, the country has still not evolved, yet, many women still fight.
4.25⭐️
2 girls become unlikely friends in Iran: one from the slums, the other from the upper class. A country on the verge of a revolution in 1979. Homa wants to be a judge. Fight for people who can’t fight for themselves. Ellie, privileged, has the goal of marrying and having a large family. 2 women with very different dreams but somehow the best of friends. Until Homa goes missing - In a country that suffocates women who have a voice. A patriarchal culture.
1979 was a horrific year when Khomeini came into power. The hijab mandatory. Morality police seeking out strands of hair; exposed flesh. Women who dared use their voice would be incarcerated- but that’s not the least of what could happen to them.
Women's roars are not heard in a country that does not value them; A country that continually perpetuates injustices and inequality. The power of friendship within these boundaries on the edge of a precipice along with democracy and women’s rights. And 50 years later, the country has still not evolved, yet, many women still fight.
4.25⭐️
February 4, 2025
“When I am surrounded by books, I feel most at peace.”
One of my top 10 reads of 2024 and a guaranteed 5 star read!! This is a must read but be prepared to have the tissues handy. I'll keep this to the point because this is a book you should go in blind and the story speaks for itself.
This is a beautiful story following the lives of two best friends, spanning across decades in Tehran. From early childhood Ellie and Homa had a deep bond, however, it is tested as life, social status, wealth and their families come between them. When Ellie first met Homa she was in desperate need of love and a good friend, but as the tide changes and Ellie has a newfound status she must learn to make space for Homa again. As the political conflict in Iran is increasing, due to the Iranian Revolution, they will need each other more than ever.
My heart broke for Ellie and everything she had to endure. You know a story has gripped you when side characters cause you so much visceral rage. No child deserves to be outcast from their family the way Ellie was. Homa is such a sweet soul and brought a light to the story and I enjoyed the glimpses told through her secondary perspective.
This was incredibly well written. I was gripped from the beginning and could picture the children playing, elaborate buildings and taste the exquisite Persian food. It's impossible not to love the characters and feel deeply connected to their experiences and culture. This sends a powerful message about women's rights, political activism and is highly relevant to the current climate.
This utterly heartbreaking and poignant story about friendship, family and culture and will stay with me for a long time.
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster (Australia) for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
One of my top 10 reads of 2024 and a guaranteed 5 star read!! This is a must read but be prepared to have the tissues handy. I'll keep this to the point because this is a book you should go in blind and the story speaks for itself.
This is a beautiful story following the lives of two best friends, spanning across decades in Tehran. From early childhood Ellie and Homa had a deep bond, however, it is tested as life, social status, wealth and their families come between them. When Ellie first met Homa she was in desperate need of love and a good friend, but as the tide changes and Ellie has a newfound status she must learn to make space for Homa again. As the political conflict in Iran is increasing, due to the Iranian Revolution, they will need each other more than ever.
My heart broke for Ellie and everything she had to endure. You know a story has gripped you when side characters cause you so much visceral rage. No child deserves to be outcast from their family the way Ellie was. Homa is such a sweet soul and brought a light to the story and I enjoyed the glimpses told through her secondary perspective.
This was incredibly well written. I was gripped from the beginning and could picture the children playing, elaborate buildings and taste the exquisite Persian food. It's impossible not to love the characters and feel deeply connected to their experiences and culture. This sends a powerful message about women's rights, political activism and is highly relevant to the current climate.
This utterly heartbreaking and poignant story about friendship, family and culture and will stay with me for a long time.
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster (Australia) for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 18, 2024
It hurts to rate this so poorly, but it’s 2024 and I can’t accept that the bar is on the floor for books about iran(+diaspora). This reads like a crash course on Iranian culture and history aimed at white women reading on floaties in the pools of their vacation homes. The dialogue was cringeworthy, as was the narration, and both seemed to assume the reader to be incapable of thought.
Maybe I’m being too harsh, as there were a few crumbs of political nuance. Also, I cried at the end, but I’m only human. Still, I said what I said. This is a story that needs to be told and I wish it had been told by and for someone else
Maybe I’m being too harsh, as there were a few crumbs of political nuance. Also, I cried at the end, but I’m only human. Still, I said what I said. This is a story that needs to be told and I wish it had been told by and for someone else
July 2, 2024
Available Now
I just loved “The Stationery Shop” by Marian Kamala. I couldn’t wait to read her next novel, The Lion Women of Tehran.
This is a different book than our previous one. This is a story of the friendship of two young girls growing up in the turbulence of Iran. The story takes place in the 1950s Tehran and continues and until present day. It is a coming of age story as Ellie and Homa make life changing decisions and the conflicts they encounter.
The book is beautifully written. It is a must read for all women.
Truly Lion Women. A compelling story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this advanced readers copy.
I just loved “The Stationery Shop” by Marian Kamala. I couldn’t wait to read her next novel, The Lion Women of Tehran.
This is a different book than our previous one. This is a story of the friendship of two young girls growing up in the turbulence of Iran. The story takes place in the 1950s Tehran and continues and until present day. It is a coming of age story as Ellie and Homa make life changing decisions and the conflicts they encounter.
The book is beautifully written. It is a must read for all women.
Truly Lion Women. A compelling story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this advanced readers copy.
August 18, 2025
Oh how I loved this book, as I tearfully finished and closed this book, I knew that I will never forget the story of Ellie and Homa!
They met in the 1950’s as two seven year olds in elementary school and became fast friends. They were from two different social classes, Ellie’s family of wealth and Homa from the slums.
The years of their friendship were lived against the backdrop of Iran’s political landscape.. brilliantly told of their personal lives and how they were changed by political shifts through the years.
There is a betrayal in there of the friendship..and they lose each other for several years..but are always in each other’s thoughts, hopes, and dreams.
This story is such a timely story and it follows the girls until 2022 ..
A story of friendship, courage, and resilience ..and insights into Iranian culture.
Short chapters, you will be taken in from the first pages.
I also read this author’s The Stationary Shop and loved it also.
They met in the 1950’s as two seven year olds in elementary school and became fast friends. They were from two different social classes, Ellie’s family of wealth and Homa from the slums.
The years of their friendship were lived against the backdrop of Iran’s political landscape.. brilliantly told of their personal lives and how they were changed by political shifts through the years.
There is a betrayal in there of the friendship..and they lose each other for several years..but are always in each other’s thoughts, hopes, and dreams.
This story is such a timely story and it follows the girls until 2022 ..
A story of friendship, courage, and resilience ..and insights into Iranian culture.
Short chapters, you will be taken in from the first pages.
I also read this author’s The Stationary Shop and loved it also.
August 10, 2025
Outstanding book!
I listened to it on audiobook. It started out a little slow for me, but there were foreboding pebbles strategically placed on the path that intrigued me. Then the journey took off and kept me wanting more.
Ellie and Homa become friends in Tehran in the 1950s. Homa is outspoken, ambitious, and dreams of becoming a lawyer. Ellie comes from a wealthier background but that changes when her father passes away when she is seven years old. Homa boasts when she and Ellie are in elementary school that they will become Tehran lionesses.
The Lion Women of Tehran covers three generations of women in Ellie and Homa's lives. This masterful story includes political turmoil, oppressive regimes, dreams, betrayal, class/socioeconomic status, feminism, choices women make and choices that are available to women, education, activism, careers, and friendship.
I recently read The Pearl That Broke Its Shell and it has similar themes and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I want to read The Stationary Shop by Marjan Kamali since I enjoyed The Lion Women of Tehran so much!
Highly recommend!
I listened to it on audiobook. It started out a little slow for me, but there were foreboding pebbles strategically placed on the path that intrigued me. Then the journey took off and kept me wanting more.
Ellie and Homa become friends in Tehran in the 1950s. Homa is outspoken, ambitious, and dreams of becoming a lawyer. Ellie comes from a wealthier background but that changes when her father passes away when she is seven years old. Homa boasts when she and Ellie are in elementary school that they will become Tehran lionesses.
The Lion Women of Tehran covers three generations of women in Ellie and Homa's lives. This masterful story includes political turmoil, oppressive regimes, dreams, betrayal, class/socioeconomic status, feminism, choices women make and choices that are available to women, education, activism, careers, and friendship.
I recently read The Pearl That Broke Its Shell and it has similar themes and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I want to read The Stationary Shop by Marjan Kamali since I enjoyed The Lion Women of Tehran so much!
Highly recommend!
January 24, 2025
homa deserved so much better and a better friend. (that ending tho...crying)
August 9, 2024
i’m between 4-4.5 stars - i devoured this book!!!! finished in 24 hours bc i couldn’t stop thinking about these two women and their story + friendship.
highly recommend the audiobook too—i’ve listened to both her novels on audio and they’re so well done!
this is much different than THE STATIONERY SHOP in that it really doesn’t focus on a love story at all. it’s all about a friendship and how that effects both women’s lives and the journey they go on. it was incredible and so emotional!!
if you like historical fiction that isn’t surrounded around a war or love story, this is perfect for you. while there are political / war elements and a side love story, the main focus is friendship and family. that said, i learned so much about Iranian culture and history in this book and that’s why HF will always be a fave genre for me—i love how much they educate and teach me!! its so inspiring.
alsoooo i was OBSESSSSSED with the novel crossovers and Easter eggs in this one 🥹 squealed like a little girl when they mentioned it iykyk.
and let’s also give a round of applause for Marjan’s writing 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 truly 10/10 and so beautifully done. i was obsessed! what else can i say!!!!
i do think i favor THE STATIONERY SHOP just slightly over this but its sooooo close!!! can’t go wrong with either :) she will remain an auto buy author for me!
sharing my two fave quotes:
“It sounded adorable for the Americans to have designated a specific hour as a happy one.”
“Did you know that books can save you?”
highly recommend the audiobook too—i’ve listened to both her novels on audio and they’re so well done!
this is much different than THE STATIONERY SHOP in that it really doesn’t focus on a love story at all. it’s all about a friendship and how that effects both women’s lives and the journey they go on. it was incredible and so emotional!!
if you like historical fiction that isn’t surrounded around a war or love story, this is perfect for you. while there are political / war elements and a side love story, the main focus is friendship and family. that said, i learned so much about Iranian culture and history in this book and that’s why HF will always be a fave genre for me—i love how much they educate and teach me!! its so inspiring.
alsoooo i was OBSESSSSSED with the novel crossovers and Easter eggs in this one 🥹 squealed like a little girl when they mentioned it iykyk.
and let’s also give a round of applause for Marjan’s writing 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 truly 10/10 and so beautifully done. i was obsessed! what else can i say!!!!
i do think i favor THE STATIONERY SHOP just slightly over this but its sooooo close!!! can’t go wrong with either :) she will remain an auto buy author for me!
sharing my two fave quotes:
“It sounded adorable for the Americans to have designated a specific hour as a happy one.”
“Did you know that books can save you?”
July 4, 2024
This was another compelling, insightful, and very interesting read by Marjan Kamali. After reading (and loving), The Stationery Shop by this author, I could not wait to read this book. Once again, she did not disappoint.
“Shir zan. The Persian phrase that translates to ‘lion women’”.
In this story we have two young girls who meet each other in first grade. Growing up in Iran, their goal is to grow up and become “shir zan”. These two young girls are Ellie and Homa. Ellie is from a family that is ‘descended from royalty’, while Homa is from a lower class neighborhood and has no royalty in her bloodline. Ellie’s mother never approves of this friendship from the start, and tries to keep these two girls apart- but Ellie loves her new best friend and her family. Homa also feels the same way about Ellie, and true friendship can always stand the test of time…
This book starts in the year 1950, and ends in 2022. So through this we see both Ellie and Homa grow. Homa was always so very confident and sure of herself, while Ellie never quite had the confidence or self esteem. Growing up, Ellie’s mother always let her know that bad things happened because people were jealous of them and had cast an ‘evil eye’ over them. Was this really true? And how could one rid itself of this evil curse?
This story dealt with friendship, grief, love, power, and freedom (and yes, I even shed a few tears here and there). I learned a great deal about the culture of Iran, but not in a textbook sort of way. I could picture in my mind the clothing being worn, and the crowds of people at the Grand Bazaar. I could smell and taste the foods, and envision the freedom that the women were fighting for.
While I will admit that I didn’t like this book as much as The Stationery Shop (I know- Boo!! ), I still highly recommend reading this book as it’s another memorable read that you will be thinking about long after you turn the last page.
This was my Book of the Month - June, 2024 pick!
“Shir zan. The Persian phrase that translates to ‘lion women’”.
In this story we have two young girls who meet each other in first grade. Growing up in Iran, their goal is to grow up and become “shir zan”. These two young girls are Ellie and Homa. Ellie is from a family that is ‘descended from royalty’, while Homa is from a lower class neighborhood and has no royalty in her bloodline. Ellie’s mother never approves of this friendship from the start, and tries to keep these two girls apart- but Ellie loves her new best friend and her family. Homa also feels the same way about Ellie, and true friendship can always stand the test of time…
This book starts in the year 1950, and ends in 2022. So through this we see both Ellie and Homa grow. Homa was always so very confident and sure of herself, while Ellie never quite had the confidence or self esteem. Growing up, Ellie’s mother always let her know that bad things happened because people were jealous of them and had cast an ‘evil eye’ over them. Was this really true? And how could one rid itself of this evil curse?
This story dealt with friendship, grief, love, power, and freedom (and yes, I even shed a few tears here and there). I learned a great deal about the culture of Iran, but not in a textbook sort of way. I could picture in my mind the clothing being worn, and the crowds of people at the Grand Bazaar. I could smell and taste the foods, and envision the freedom that the women were fighting for.
While I will admit that I didn’t like this book as much as The Stationery Shop (I know- Boo!! ), I still highly recommend reading this book as it’s another memorable read that you will be thinking about long after you turn the last page.
This was my Book of the Month - June, 2024 pick!
August 29, 2024
Did I read the same book as everyone else???? I’m so confused after reading some 5 star reviews.
This story was unfortunately flat and lacking any depth of emotion or real plot. I kept hoping the story would engage me, but every single chapter left me wondering why I was still listening. It also doesn’t help that the audio narrators were extremely monotone.
After loving The Stationery Shop, I really wanted to love this one. I’m sad it was a miss.
This story was unfortunately flat and lacking any depth of emotion or real plot. I kept hoping the story would engage me, but every single chapter left me wondering why I was still listening. It also doesn’t help that the audio narrators were extremely monotone.
After loving The Stationery Shop, I really wanted to love this one. I’m sad it was a miss.
November 4, 2024
Definitely one of my favorites reads this year. 😭
Fine-tuning the review
I’m so ready for this. Hoping this will break my heart and put it back together ❤️🩹
Fine-tuning the review
I’m so ready for this. Hoping this will break my heart and put it back together ❤️🩹
August 16, 2025
This book will leave you in tears, give you chills up your arms, and break your heart but still make you smile. One of my new favorites of a story about 2 girls and how their lives completely changed (multiple times) from the acts of other people. This is a testament to friendship, love, and hope. A must read for anyone and everyone because this will touch your soul in a way you didn't think was possible.
October 16, 2024
A heartwarming and powerful story about the gift of friendship. 4.5 stars.
The author takes us on a decades long friendship between two girls in Tehran, Ellie and Homa. They first become friends as children, withstanding their differences in class and family situations. Over time and circumstances, they drift apart and then are eventually reunited again. They grow together as women during one of the most volatile political times in Iran's history.
This is a story of feminism, activism, and commitment to a cause and a belief. It is filled with love, devotion, betrayal, and forgiveness. This tale was stark and sobering, but sentimental and sweet all at the same time. The narrative didn't grab me right away but lured me in gradually until I couldn't put it down. This is definitely a worthwhile read.
I want to thank Carol Fitzgerald and her Book Report Network team for sending me this book as a winner in the Bookreporter Summer Reading Contest.
Note: If you have an extra hour, I highly recommend watching/listening to the Bookreporter Talks To... interview with the author, Marjan Kamali, which can be found on YouTube. I loved learning about her inspiration for this book and about her writing process.
The author takes us on a decades long friendship between two girls in Tehran, Ellie and Homa. They first become friends as children, withstanding their differences in class and family situations. Over time and circumstances, they drift apart and then are eventually reunited again. They grow together as women during one of the most volatile political times in Iran's history.
This is a story of feminism, activism, and commitment to a cause and a belief. It is filled with love, devotion, betrayal, and forgiveness. This tale was stark and sobering, but sentimental and sweet all at the same time. The narrative didn't grab me right away but lured me in gradually until I couldn't put it down. This is definitely a worthwhile read.
I want to thank Carol Fitzgerald and her Book Report Network team for sending me this book as a winner in the Bookreporter Summer Reading Contest.
Note: If you have an extra hour, I highly recommend watching/listening to the Bookreporter Talks To... interview with the author, Marjan Kamali, which can be found on YouTube. I loved learning about her inspiration for this book and about her writing process.
June 11, 2025
What a beautiful, powerful book...Homa will always have my heart. ❤️
September 2, 2024
I so so wanted to love this, but Kamali’s writing leaves so much to be desired. It’s so literal in “telling” the reader everything rather than “showing”. Even her use of similes is overdone and feels like a high school English assignment. Much of the dialogue is cringeworthy and the inclusion of Iranian culture and language was appreciated but also so awkwardly done and felt so clunky. (Aka another example of when she forgot about “show not tell”).
What I liked was being transported to places in Tehran that I remember visiting as a child and learning more about the Tehran that my mom and her generation grew up in! I appreciated the political commentary and especially felt that the epilogue was well done. My favorite chapter might be the one of Homa finding herself again after Evin and becoming a teacher
In short- the story had so much potential I just wish it had been written by someone else
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2025
**Reread for our Mother-Daughters Book Club for July, 2025**
A look at Iranian culture and what women's lives have been like in Iran from the 1950s to the present. The story is about two lifelong friends, Ellie and Homa, who meet when they are seven. Ellie has been told she is descended from the royal family but she and her mother have fallen on hard times after the death of her father. Homa's family has always been poor but they are close-knit and loving. Both girls are good students but Homa is determined to make something of her life, maybe become a lawyer, until fate steps in.
Loved both these women--one happy with a more traditional woman's role and one bold and determined to stand up for what she thinks is right no matter what the costs. This is also a cautionary tale of how quickly women's rights and freedoms can be taken away.
Here's a terrific interview with the author and Carol Fitzgerald of Bookaccino Live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePn3t...
A look at Iranian culture and what women's lives have been like in Iran from the 1950s to the present. The story is about two lifelong friends, Ellie and Homa, who meet when they are seven. Ellie has been told she is descended from the royal family but she and her mother have fallen on hard times after the death of her father. Homa's family has always been poor but they are close-knit and loving. Both girls are good students but Homa is determined to make something of her life, maybe become a lawyer, until fate steps in.
Loved both these women--one happy with a more traditional woman's role and one bold and determined to stand up for what she thinks is right no matter what the costs. This is also a cautionary tale of how quickly women's rights and freedoms can be taken away.
Here's a terrific interview with the author and Carol Fitzgerald of Bookaccino Live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePn3t...
June 26, 2024
“Even those who love you most can ruin your life, you know, Ellie. Even the ones you trust the most.”
You won’t want to miss this beautiful story that examines how childhood friendships shape us and how love and courage transform us.
It’s set in Tehran, Iran against a backdrop of three transformative decades this country in turmoil endured and features childhood friends Elaheh 'Ellie' Soltani and Homa Roozbeh. Readers will feel part of the friendship as they are present when the girls meet for the first time and will share in the joys of a simple childhood, observe the teenage angst and jealousy as it plays out between them, their parents and their friends, and be present at the parting of ways when they are young women and one of them is betrayed.
I was fortunate enough to have time to read this book in its entirety, coincidently during Nowruz, the first day of Spring. How serendipitous to read about rebirth and renewal and experience it in real-time with blossoms and birds chirping.
“You’re not afraid. You’re fierce. You and your friends are shir zan!”
I read in awe as I followed their childhood quest to become ‘lion women’ and shed tears at the cost of one’s unwavering stance.
You need to put this exceptional book centered around women’s rights in three turbulent decades, on your reading list. We all need reminders that we are more alike than we like to think and unity is necessary going forward.
I was gifted this copy by Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
You won’t want to miss this beautiful story that examines how childhood friendships shape us and how love and courage transform us.
It’s set in Tehran, Iran against a backdrop of three transformative decades this country in turmoil endured and features childhood friends Elaheh 'Ellie' Soltani and Homa Roozbeh. Readers will feel part of the friendship as they are present when the girls meet for the first time and will share in the joys of a simple childhood, observe the teenage angst and jealousy as it plays out between them, their parents and their friends, and be present at the parting of ways when they are young women and one of them is betrayed.
I was fortunate enough to have time to read this book in its entirety, coincidently during Nowruz, the first day of Spring. How serendipitous to read about rebirth and renewal and experience it in real-time with blossoms and birds chirping.
“You’re not afraid. You’re fierce. You and your friends are shir zan!”
I read in awe as I followed their childhood quest to become ‘lion women’ and shed tears at the cost of one’s unwavering stance.
You need to put this exceptional book centered around women’s rights in three turbulent decades, on your reading list. We all need reminders that we are more alike than we like to think and unity is necessary going forward.
I was gifted this copy by Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
November 4, 2024
'With my pen, I hope to show you, dear reader, the joys and losses and loves and hopes and dreams and worries of two girls from Iran...I hope in their hopes, you see some of yours. I hope from their tale, you sense that all our hearts are one'.
In 1953 Tehran, there is a burgeoning hope for women. Whispers of modernisation has allowed schoolgirls to dream of attending university and having a career. When 7 year old Ellie, meets Homa at her new school, the girls become inseparable. Though they are from differing social circles, they are kindred hearts. However, when an event is misconstrued, resulting in an inadvertent betrayal, their bond is severed and their lives continue down divergent paths - not only from each other but from their childhood dreams.
This is a coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of political instability and unrest. It is told softly; unfurling from a sweet naivety, to a stark reality, leaving a stinging poignancy, 'We played and dreamed the world would be ours...we dared to believe two girls from Iran could have not just a little but actually all'. This story will make you reflect on loyalty, friendship, what it means to be a woman and the ties that bond humanity. It shines a light on how easily we take democracy for granted and forget that it is a right for which people have fought and continue to fight for. If you don't stand up for something, you settle for anything - whether that's for your friends, family, city or country.
'For a lifetime we have fought. We have fought and fought and fought. We want to be free. We want to be equal. We want to be able to live our lives'.
In 1953 Tehran, there is a burgeoning hope for women. Whispers of modernisation has allowed schoolgirls to dream of attending university and having a career. When 7 year old Ellie, meets Homa at her new school, the girls become inseparable. Though they are from differing social circles, they are kindred hearts. However, when an event is misconstrued, resulting in an inadvertent betrayal, their bond is severed and their lives continue down divergent paths - not only from each other but from their childhood dreams.
This is a coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of political instability and unrest. It is told softly; unfurling from a sweet naivety, to a stark reality, leaving a stinging poignancy, 'We played and dreamed the world would be ours...we dared to believe two girls from Iran could have not just a little but actually all'. This story will make you reflect on loyalty, friendship, what it means to be a woman and the ties that bond humanity. It shines a light on how easily we take democracy for granted and forget that it is a right for which people have fought and continue to fight for. If you don't stand up for something, you settle for anything - whether that's for your friends, family, city or country.
'For a lifetime we have fought. We have fought and fought and fought. We want to be free. We want to be equal. We want to be able to live our lives'.
March 7, 2025
The Lion Women of Tehran is a story of female friendship and empowerment, spanning decades across different locations. This is a moving, atmospheric story and I really liked it!
In 1950s Tehran, Ellie and Homa become friends at school. The girls are 7 years old and while they attend the same school, they live different lives at home. Ellie and her mother move, elevating their status in class and the girls lose touch. Life takes each of them on unexpected journeys as they face turmoil in Iran as well as personal challenges. When Ellie and Homa reunite later, can they find a way to move forward?
I was very interested to see Ellie and Homa’s futures and find out how their decisions impacted their lives. The Lion Women of Tehran is an engaging story celebrating women, friendship, redemption, and triumph.
In 1950s Tehran, Ellie and Homa become friends at school. The girls are 7 years old and while they attend the same school, they live different lives at home. Ellie and her mother move, elevating their status in class and the girls lose touch. Life takes each of them on unexpected journeys as they face turmoil in Iran as well as personal challenges. When Ellie and Homa reunite later, can they find a way to move forward?
I was very interested to see Ellie and Homa’s futures and find out how their decisions impacted their lives. The Lion Women of Tehran is an engaging story celebrating women, friendship, redemption, and triumph.
May 28, 2025
Oh wow. One of those books that is not only based on a universal truth - the power of female friendship, but on a very specific time and place - Tehran, before and after the rights of women were so cruelly and drastically curtailed. The sort of book that makes you both weep and want to burn things. Brilliant.
May 30, 2025
"If the revolution succeeds, what if what follows is worse?"
June 26, 2024
Marjan Kamali is back with another beautiful and emotional story about the lifelong friendship of Ellie and Homa and their strength and resilience during a time of political upheaval.
Set in Tehran during the 1950s and the events following the overthrow of the Shah/ Iranian Revolution in the 70s and 80s, this story vividly captures the challenges women in Iran experience. Kamala tackles thought-provoking themes such as, women’s rights, identity, social injustice, class divide, and immigration. But at the same time, she incorporates her love for Iranian culture and cuisine into the story, so you better understand the country and what these Lions are fighting for.
Read if you like:
-Coming of age
-Friendship stories
-Tehran setting
-Compelling reads
-Women’s rights
Thank you Gallery for the ARC! Pub 7/2
Set in Tehran during the 1950s and the events following the overthrow of the Shah/ Iranian Revolution in the 70s and 80s, this story vividly captures the challenges women in Iran experience. Kamala tackles thought-provoking themes such as, women’s rights, identity, social injustice, class divide, and immigration. But at the same time, she incorporates her love for Iranian culture and cuisine into the story, so you better understand the country and what these Lions are fighting for.
Read if you like:
-Coming of age
-Friendship stories
-Tehran setting
-Compelling reads
-Women’s rights
Thank you Gallery for the ARC! Pub 7/2
August 4, 2025
This is my second book by Marjan Kamali. I'd previously read The Stationery Shop. I liked that one a lot, but I liked this one more. I liked the friendship between the two women Ellie and Homa:
* I liked their devotion to each other, even with the bumps along the way (and yes, some of them were more like boulders they had to get past).
* I liked how Kamali diverts Ellie's perspectives and opens up her realities in ways that are mind blowing over and over again but that Ellie's character is self-aware enough that she can reframe her understanding of her past and present lives in order to forgive herself and her family and to ask for forgiveness for herself.
* I liked how Homa keeps trying to do the right thing but keeps finding herself where she needs to be, even when she would rather not, and that every time she comes full circle, it's because her convictions and love for Iran and love for the women in her life lead her there.
* I liked that Kamali acknowledges some of the cultural aspects that westerners find unacceptable, particularly the oppression of women, while at the same time, she gives Ellie and Homa exactly what they've always wanted as children, plus bonus husbands that are pretty great, plus lets both women grow and mature enough to make space for each other's big ideas, big beliefs, big flaws, big truths, and big lives.
* I loved how Mahsa Amini was included as well. Although protests have largely been forcibly suppressed, I can visualize Homa in the front lines trying to keep the embers glowing.
This was a very satisfying read. The storyline was good, and it was also a view of Iran we don't always see through food, education, and class. The people who remember the freedoms and rights women had before the coup are starting to die out or age to a point where their memories may be questioned, fairly or unfairly. Books like this are really important to keep reminding people who quickly that can happen and how delicate our freedoms really are - I think we in the US have taken them for granted for too long, and we are now starting to see what happens when we do.
* I liked their devotion to each other, even with the bumps along the way (and yes, some of them were more like boulders they had to get past).
* I liked how Kamali diverts Ellie's perspectives and opens up her realities in ways that are mind blowing over and over again but that Ellie's character is self-aware enough that she can reframe her understanding of her past and present lives in order to forgive herself and her family and to ask for forgiveness for herself.
* I liked how Homa keeps trying to do the right thing but keeps finding herself where she needs to be, even when she would rather not, and that every time she comes full circle, it's because her convictions and love for Iran and love for the women in her life lead her there.
* I liked that Kamali acknowledges some of the cultural aspects that westerners find unacceptable, particularly the oppression of women, while at the same time, she gives Ellie and Homa exactly what they've always wanted as children, plus bonus husbands that are pretty great, plus lets both women grow and mature enough to make space for each other's big ideas, big beliefs, big flaws, big truths, and big lives.
* I loved how Mahsa Amini was included as well. Although protests have largely been forcibly suppressed, I can visualize Homa in the front lines trying to keep the embers glowing.
This was a very satisfying read. The storyline was good, and it was also a view of Iran we don't always see through food, education, and class. The people who remember the freedoms and rights women had before the coup are starting to die out or age to a point where their memories may be questioned, fairly or unfairly. Books like this are really important to keep reminding people who quickly that can happen and how delicate our freedoms really are - I think we in the US have taken them for granted for too long, and we are now starting to see what happens when we do.
March 31, 2025
I am not a big historical fiction reader, but I picked this up as a freebie from Book of the Month and was absolutely entranced! The Lion Women of Tehran is about female resilience and friendship amid revolution in Iran. Beginning in 1950's Tehran, it follows the unlikely friendship of two 7-year-old girls from different social classes, and the progression of their relationship through time. One of them is a fierce advocate for the political rights of women in Iran, and the realities of that eventually become fraught. I got really emotional at the end of this book, which doesn't happen for me frequently. I loved everything about this and would read more from this author. It powerfully weaves together characters who feel lifelike with important yet difficult history with the fight for women's rights that is still ongoing more than half a century later.
Read
August 30, 2024Transporting, atmospheric, and oh so relevant.
November 13, 2024
The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali is a coming of age historical fiction novel that covers the years from the 1950s to 2022. It tells the story of two Iranian women, Ellie and Homa, and focuses on their strong friendship and the challenges they face. Set in the changing political landscape of Iran, the book highlights the women’s bravery and determination as they push back against strict rules and fight for their freedom. Despite decades of difficulties and change, Ellie and Homa’s bond shows the power of courage and the will to overcome obstacles. The novel highlights key historical events in Iran, such as the Westernization under the Shah, the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and the rise of religious fundamentalism. The characters’ personal journeys include these historical events during the difficult periods, along with survival, self-determination, and the impact of political turmoil on women’s rights. The novel is very well researched and written. It brings the reader through the difficult lives these ladies lived through. The novel is a slow read. It is informative and the reader learns a lot about growing up in Iran from 2 different perspectives.
February 11, 2025
One of the most eye-opening books I’ve ever read! It’s barely mid-February and already this is the third book I can see being in my top five for the year.
It’s a moving story of an unlikely friendship between a spirited girl from the wrong side of town, and a once-privileged girl displaced to there after her wealthy father’s death.
Quoting a lyric from Disney’s Pocahontas in a review of a book set in Iran feels a bit odd, but ‘you’ll learn things you never knew you never knew’ was exactly my experience reading this book. I had only a rudimentary knowledge of what Iran is like today, but I truly had no idea what it used to be like in 1950s-60s.
My only negative critique is aimed more at the description….it takes you halfway through the book. In blurbs, I just want a taste of what’s to come, not a full menu! I suggest not reading past sentence one.
I’d love to recommend this book for my library book club. However, that will have to wait because all 77 copies of this book are checked out, with a waitlist just as long.
It’s a moving story of an unlikely friendship between a spirited girl from the wrong side of town, and a once-privileged girl displaced to there after her wealthy father’s death.
Quoting a lyric from Disney’s Pocahontas in a review of a book set in Iran feels a bit odd, but ‘you’ll learn things you never knew you never knew’ was exactly my experience reading this book. I had only a rudimentary knowledge of what Iran is like today, but I truly had no idea what it used to be like in 1950s-60s.
My only negative critique is aimed more at the description….it takes you halfway through the book. In blurbs, I just want a taste of what’s to come, not a full menu! I suggest not reading past sentence one.
I’d love to recommend this book for my library book club. However, that will have to wait because all 77 copies of this book are checked out, with a waitlist just as long.
September 29, 2024
The two things I did appreciate about the book, and that I generally appreciate about books written by people from diverse backgrounds, were the history lesson and the cultural context. Did I know the US helped depose Iran's elected Prime Minister? No. Was I surprised to learn this? Not even a little, because it tracks with the US foreign policy record. And knowing that information provides a lot of context for everything that happens politically after that event. The author also does a great job of creating a vibrant picture of what Tehran was like in the 1950s and into the 1970s compared to what it's like now. The descriptions on the buildings, the clothes, food (omg the food descriptions), the hairstyles, the bazaar, the traditions. And how everything changed when the Fundamentalists took over. All of it was so intricately well done.
That's what I liked about the book. The review goes downhill from there. Because the characters leave a lot to be desired. Or really just one character.
I really wanted to like this book. The premise had such promise. I can even handle a predictable plot (which this book had) as long as the characters are interesting. But the bulk of the point of view was from the least interesting character in the book. Ellie is basic and boring and naive to a fault. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out if she's intentionally oblivious to the reality of the world around her, or if her obtuseness is just her natural self. Her mother and stepfather know what's up. Sousan knows what's up. Homa knows what's up. But Ellie is so incredibly wrapped up in herself that she comes across as clueless. And her pettiness at times really doesn't help. She does do some growing toward the end of the book, which is the one saving grace of an otherwise unremarkable character.
Homa is the more more complex of the two main characters, but very little of the narrative is told from her point of view. And while the bit that we do see follows a fairly predictable trajectory, I think there's a more complex range of emotions and thought processes in telling Homa's story. I think the narrative would have benefited from having more of Homa's point of view, or really anyone else's. I would have loved to have seen Sousan's point of view. Her situation is complicated, and that's a story I would want to read.
There's a review from another user that mentions the monotone tone of the writing, and I have to agree. I don't know if that's because so much of the story is in Ellie's flatline point of view, but a lot of the time the writing comes across as static when it comes to describing thoughts and feelings. The writing should evoke highs and lows of emotion, but I didn't get that. Even the imagined scene at the Cinema Rex didn't have the poignancy that I would have expected.
And, ugh, and that epilogue. I understand the need to fill the reader in about what happens at the end, but that epilogue was the least seamless and believable way to do it.
That's what I liked about the book. The review goes downhill from there. Because the characters leave a lot to be desired. Or really just one character.
I really wanted to like this book. The premise had such promise. I can even handle a predictable plot (which this book had) as long as the characters are interesting. But the bulk of the point of view was from the least interesting character in the book. Ellie is basic and boring and naive to a fault. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out if she's intentionally oblivious to the reality of the world around her, or if her obtuseness is just her natural self. Her mother and stepfather know what's up. Sousan knows what's up. Homa knows what's up. But Ellie is so incredibly wrapped up in herself that she comes across as clueless. And her pettiness at times really doesn't help. She does do some growing toward the end of the book, which is the one saving grace of an otherwise unremarkable character.
Homa is the more more complex of the two main characters, but very little of the narrative is told from her point of view. And while the bit that we do see follows a fairly predictable trajectory, I think there's a more complex range of emotions and thought processes in telling Homa's story. I think the narrative would have benefited from having more of Homa's point of view, or really anyone else's. I would have loved to have seen Sousan's point of view. Her situation is complicated, and that's a story I would want to read.
There's a review from another user that mentions the monotone tone of the writing, and I have to agree. I don't know if that's because so much of the story is in Ellie's flatline point of view, but a lot of the time the writing comes across as static when it comes to describing thoughts and feelings. The writing should evoke highs and lows of emotion, but I didn't get that. Even the imagined scene at the Cinema Rex didn't have the poignancy that I would have expected.
And, ugh, and that epilogue. I understand the need to fill the reader in about what happens at the end, but that epilogue was the least seamless and believable way to do it.
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