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The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree
The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree | Shokoofeh Azar
39 posts | 25 read | 54 to read
An extraordinarily powerful and evocative literary novel set in Iran in the period immediately after the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Using the lyrical magic realism style of classical Persian storytelling, Azar draws the reader deep into the heart of a family caught in the maelstrom of post-revolutionary chaos and brutality that sweeps across an ancient land and its people. The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree is really an embodiment of Iranian life in constant oscillation, struggle, and play between four opposing poles: life and death; politics and religion. The sorrow residing in the depths of our joy is the product of a life between these four poles. "If ever there was a book that needs to be read more than once, this is it" ~ ArtsHub "This novel is an exciting development in Australian publishing" ~ ANZ LitLovers LitBlog "Living in the 21st Century is not for the faint hearted, so its no surprise that writers of literary fiction are looking clear-eyed at schisms of times past and the capacity of humans for brutality. Stylistically similar to Eka Kurniawans acclaimed Beauty is a Wound, this novel is set in the aftermath of Irans Islamic Revolution of 1979. Many scenes, most memorably Azars handling of Beetas fate, blend heavy darkness with allegorical flights of imagination, marking the author as an assured fabulist. She brings to colourful life an extended family replete with beauty, humour, and tragedy" ~ WritingWA
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charl08
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He thought Tehran was also like an addict.

A city addicted to smoke, to humiliation, to poverty and torpor whose slightest effort to sober up gave rise to panic. Tehran was an addict that wanted to get clean but lacked the will, and after several days of sobriety would begin using again with even greater intensity. It was an addiction to oppression, an addiction to poverty, and an addiction to inhibition and nostalgia...

Suet624 That feels so true. 6d
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charl08
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... the flames rippled over the pages, catching first the old books with the brown paper whose smell I loved so much. I vividly remember how Danko's Burning Heart was engulfed in flames that then licked at Luce's skirt who, desperately trying to protect herself from the fire in the pages of Romain Rolland's book, held Pierre tightly to her breast...

Suet624 Gorgeous photo. 1w
43 likes1 comment
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charl08
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I just want to sit and read...

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Teresereading
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#bookmoods
Day 20 Food on the Cover
A fruity selection
@Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Eggs Greengage Summer by Godden!👏🏻👍🏼 2y
17 likes1 comment
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Literaturenut
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Pickpick

One part historical fiction one part modern fairy tale, this book is lyrical and haunting. Ms. Azar gives a voice to those who have been silenced while telling stories that feel like they‘ve been told and retold for generations. Truth, steeped with magic and lore.

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Hooked_on_books
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Mehso-so

Starting with the Revolution in #Iran, this book reveals the violence and fear a family has to live with while they cling to each other. Some of the writing is terrific, but I really struggled with the structure, which meanders so much it reads more like vignettes than a smooth narrative. But that cover sure gets an A+!

#ReadingAsia2021

Librarybelle Agree about the cover! 4y
BarbaraBB I felt that way too unfortunately. I expected to love it! 4y
47 likes2 comments
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Liz_M
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Pickpick

Magical realism set during the years following the 1979 Iranian revolution. Bahar, a young ghost, narrates the story of her family, the village to which they fled, and the country at large. Weaving in myths and fairy-tales into her family‘s experiences, with the very real events thrusting forward causing moments of crises. It‘s a story told out-of-order, adding layers of imagery and emotions building the last 100 pages when it becomes mesmerizing.

vivastory I loved this one. A great use of magical realism IMO 4y
charl08 I have this on the shelf, looking forward to it. 4y
Librarybelle Great review! This sounds very interesting 4y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4y
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GatheringBooks
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#SleighTheShelves Day 31: Greek dessert with Turkish coffee is always cause for #celebration. All kinds of deliciousness.

Mitch That looks scrumptious 😋 4y
OriginalCyn620 Yum! 😋 4y
55 likes3 comments
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GatheringBooks
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#SleighTheShelves Day 27: We had a Greek Christmas #Feast while we were in Abu Dhabi for Christmas Day. Super filling. We missed Greek food so much - no Greek resto in the quaint provincial little town where we live, sadly.

OriginalCyn620 Yum! 😋 4y
48 likes1 comment
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GatheringBooks
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#SleighTheShelves Day 14: #Tree figures a lot in this narrative, even though I am only one chapter in. Paired with yummy Indian food - lamb biryani, samosa, daal, papadom, cheese kulcha, and deep fried prawn.

OriginalCyn620 📚👍🏻📚 4y
rabbitprincess Mmmmmm Indian food is my favourite! 😋 4y
50 likes2 comments
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GatheringBooks
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#SleighTheShelves Day 13: #Naughty smile while reading in the mountain ⛰ this weekend.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 💞💞💞 4y
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BarbaraBB
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Mehso-so

I didn‘t like this one as much as I expected to. I am always very interested in Middle Eastern contemporary history and was gripped (and shocked) by the facts about the Islamic revolution of 1978 but I felt less interested in the plot. The narrator is the ghost of a 13 years old girl but it all felt too detached for me to relate to any of the main characters even though I was interested in them.
The book would make a good one for #ReadingAsia2021

Megabooks Love the art!! 💖💖 4y
TrishB @Megabooks same ❤️ 4y
jb72 The artwork is beautiful! 4y
See All 6 Comments
Cathythoughts Yes ! The Art is ✨ 4y
vivastory Sorry to hear you didn't connect with this one 4y
BarbaraBB @vivastory Me too, I was sure I‘d love it 🤷🏻‍♀️ 4y
64 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Storied
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Beeta says that Mom attained enlightenment at exactly 2:35 pm on August 18, 1988, atop the grove's tallest greengage plum tree on a hill overlooking all fifty-three village houses, to the sound of scrubbing of pots and pans, a ruckus that pulled the grove out of its lethargy every afternoon.

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl
#TheEnlightenmentoftheGreengageTree
#ShokoofehAzar

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GatheringBooks
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#ThankfulThoughts Day 5: I feel #blessed to be living in a place where there are multiple flavours of kunafa. This one is graffiti kunafa (left) and espresso kunafa (right). Both yum.

Eggs You are blessed! 4y
Leftcoastzen Beautiful! they look yummy! 4y
charl08 Wow, looks delicious! 4y
57 likes3 comments
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GatheringBooks
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#WordsOfOctober Day 25: There is #Light in Enlightenment. Last day of our weekend (Sundays are our Mondays) calls for mixed kunafa, saraya bread, and wardat al sham. And yes, coffee. 💕🧚🏼‍♀️

OriginalCyn620 📚😊📚 4y
56 likes1 comment
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GatheringBooks
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#FallFinds Day 25: There really is no #formula for a hearty weekend meal but this Japanese dish of mixed seafood tempura, fried shrimp dumpling, and kung pao shrimp with peanuts washed down with classic bobba tea seemed to have done the trick. Yum.

ChasingOm That looks/sounds delicious! 4y
Leftcoastzen Yummy! 4y
Eggs Great pairing ❤️🥘🍚👏🏻 4y
52 likes3 comments
review
rmaclean4
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Pickpick

I took a full month to finish this one. I did not feel compelled to pick it up every day but when I did have time to devote to this magical realism/historical fiction book it was time well spent. I wish I knew more about Persian myth and folklore. Like most magical realism, you just have to let go and flow with the story. There are images from this novel that will stay with me a long time! Beautiful physical book by Europa. 4 🌟

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Skygoddess1
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Book Mail! Today I received my giveaway win copy of The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree by Shookoofeh Azar courtesy of The Reading Women podcast and Europa Editions. This book sounds interesting and I can‘t wait to dive in. #giveawaywin

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ChasingOm
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These are the books I picked up at my local indie / bookshop.com for Women in Translation month. Only read one this month, lol, but looking forward to the other two in the coming weeks!

#IntegrateYourShelf

DGRachel Drive Your Plow is awesome! 4y
ChasingOm @DGRachel That‘s the one I‘ve read! I‘ll post my thoughts tomorrow. 😄 4y
Liz_M On my last exercise with a bookstore stop, I tried to buy the Azar book, but it was not in stock. 😣 4y
ChasingOm @Liz_M I was surprised my little indie here in WV had it! 4y
52 likes4 comments
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read_create_repeat
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Pickpick

This is my first pick of the #WomenInTranslation month. It has so much to say, and Shookoofeh Azar and the anonymous translator use every page to do so rather beautifully. The book tells the story of a family caught in the religious fervour of a revolution in a fast changing country. It is interspersed with commentary not just on religion, politics, corruption, feminism, education, socialism, but also with jinns, ghosts, and other supernatural.

read_create_repeat Read full review on jayajain.com 4y
2 likes1 comment
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JSW
Pickpick

What an incredible book, and I mean that both in its quality and its believability. Stuffed with amazing magical realism, themes from Iranian philosophy, ghosts, djinns, and otherworldly experiences, this book is all over the place in the best way. And yet it also deals a hefty dose of sobering reality in addressing the oppressive regime after the Revolution. Powerful, shocking, even strange to American readers, (Cont in comments)

JSW Yet touching, deep, meaningful and even funny. Every now and then Azar socks it to the reader with a pithy piece of life wisdom. This is a book that I wish I could sit with multiple generations of Iranians to discuss. 4y
JSW Let me be clear that by "strange" I do not mean odd - I mean the sensibility of the writing is a flavor that I haven't found in American or British writers, but have tasted in other books by Middle Eastern authors, and one that I love for its differences. It's hard to describe, it is somehow very dry, melancholy, straightforward, yet allegorical. 4y
JSW Dangit, I'm still not happy with how I'm expressing this. I don't mean to make it sound like American/British/Western writers are doing it right. I refer to them because that's what I've read the most and have had the greatest access to. I'm working on that. I clearly struggle with how to contrast two or more styles in reviews without centering one as "the norm." Hopefully these notes help clarify my intent. (edited) 4y
Cinfhen Wonderful review!!! I‘m definitely intrigued 💗 4y
26 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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reluctantangeleno
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I am having SUCH trouble with this book. It's the selection for my fave indie book store's book club (meeting on Tuesday night), but I'm 75 pages in and it feels like such a chore to read. The translation feels very clunky and the story meanders and I just have no clue what's going on or where this book is going.

Help! Has anyone read this? Does it get better at some point?? Convince me not to bail!

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rmaclean4
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So excited for this late Mother's Day gift. So many great books to read!!

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Gillyreads
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Redwritinghood
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Mehso-so

This book seemed like an Iranian version of ‘100 Years of Solitude‘. It follows a family from the 1979 revolution to present day Iran. There is lots of magical realism and the book is populated with characters from the local folklore-djinns and soothsayers, mermaids and ghosts. Unfortunately, I found that the fantastical overwhelmed the story of the family to the point I often couldn‘t tell what was going on. 3⭐️ #bookerinternational2020 #hoopla

rockpools I don‘t disagree... I liked it a lot in the end, but I found switching between print and audio did help to get through it. 5y
71 likes1 comment
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rockpools
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Pickpick

#BookerInternational2020

An epic, sprawling story in just 270 pages, telling the history of a family, a village and a country, #Iran, in the time since the 1979 ‘Arab Invasion‘ that changed everything. This is a world where the living live alongside their ghosts and jinns (magical realism alert!), where stories unfold inside stories - and they matter - and where so much has been lost.
👇

rockpools The writing, often gorgeous, can be an effort to get through at times. The plot takes you off through literature, culture, politics, history, romance... Having read it, I do understand why the narrator had chosen to stay anonymous. Despite the genre, my knowledge of recent Iranian history has skyrocketed! Although I didn‘t fall head-over heels in love with it, this is a book I‘m glad to have read, & one that without doubt will stay with me. (edited) 5y
Bookwormjillk Sounds interesting! 5y
squirrelbrain Great review! 👍😘 5y
See All 8 Comments
BarbaraBB Love your review. I still need to check out the longlist. 5y
rockpools @BarbaraBB Thanks - I‘ve read some I really like, but it may all be about to go dowhill 😬 5y
BarbaraBB Oh really? And do you have a favorite yet? 5y
rockpools @BarbaraBB Probably Faces on the Tip of my Tongue so far - but I‘m a little way into Red Dog and the writing‘s amazing! 5y
BarbaraBB I‘ll follow your reviews! 5y
64 likes5 stack adds8 comments
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rockpools
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Well, that took a turn I wasn‘t expecting 🤔

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thereflectiveflaneur
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Pickpick

An amazing book! Gives you a real and immediate experience of the loves and losses of a family in Tehran! The prose is beautiful and the magic realism is astounding! Moments of dark and brutal history are interspersed with moments of real humour. Beautifully captures the impact of the revolution in Iran!

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rockpools
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Of course I‘d already started this for #BookerInternational2020 before committing to clearing what I‘m reading. Isn‘t the cover just 🥰? The translator has chosen to stay anonymous.

Apparently I‘d stacked this a couple of years ago when it was published in Australia and nominated for the Stellas.

Set in post-revolutionary #Iran, already I‘m learning of the 1988 Iranian massacre. Possible magical realism involved. And Mom‘s at the top of a tree.

rmaclean4 I am excited about this one! 5y
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Fernoppy
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Pickpick

A gently meandering and beautifully written story, Azar gave me a glimpse of an Iran unknown to me. Magic realist in feel, with it‘s ghosts and jinns, fables and fairytales, woven into the daily fabric of life. It is also a love letter and eulogy to the history and culture of Iran and to the individuals - the ordinary, everyday people, who could be any one of us - who have experienced loss and suffering on a massive scale. Enchanting and powerful.

Joanne1 Wow, that sounds mesmerising. Great review. 6y
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Katiesbookishlife
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Pickpick

Interesting story, takes upon tales interwoven throughout. It reminded me a lot of Jen Campbell‘s short story collection. 4⭐️ #holidaybooktwo

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Katiesbookishlife
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I was lucky enough to listen to a talk by this author, Shokoofeh Azar, about the story behind how she wrote this book. There were a few passages that were read from the book that made me want to go read it straight away, so bought it that same day. #magicalrealism

JennyM I love the cover 6y
Katiesbookishlife @JennyM yes it‘s really beautiful. I think some of the authors own paintings were used in the cover design. 6y
24 likes2 comments
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Sue
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Pickpick

Here‘s another #aussiesrule2018 book for you, I‘m going to use this for prompt 20 (writing about another country or culture). Based on the events coming after the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979, this novel is so evocative and beautifully written. We follow a family through their hardships, which is told in a way that echoes traditional storytelling. I loved, loved, loved this book. (Also shortlisted for the Stellas!)

rockpools It sounds wonderful. And that cover! 😍 7y
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Brona
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#CoverLove
Paintings by Shokoofeh Azar: The Poetry Night, Two Birds & Red Bird and Moon
Design by Debra Billson