“Mehran’s novel delights the senses on every page. The story pulses with life as three Iranian sisters struggle to make sense of matter...
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reviews
Jan 08, 2009
Sarah
rated it: 
Three Iranian sister living in Ireland and eking out a living running a Persian cafe is interesting enough. But throw in a meddling neighbor, a deejay priest, an unconscious pregnant girl, a handsome young man returning to his Irish roots, secrets galore and you have an entertaining story!
I had not read Mehran's first story of the Aminpour sisters (Pomegranate Soup) but I didn't feel lost. It has been nearly ten years since the girls escaped Tehran in '78 and fled to London. They hav More...
I had not read Mehran's first story of the Aminpour sisters (Pomegranate Soup) but I didn't feel lost. It has been nearly ten years since the girls escaped Tehran in '78 and fled to London. They hav More...
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Oct 28, 2008
Ashley
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Rose Water and Soda Bread by Marsha Mehran is a novel about three Iranian sisters who own a café in Ireland. Their lives are changed when a mysterious “mermaid” girl with a dark secret washes up on the beach. They have trouble fitting in their strict Catholic town, but the three sisters bring excitement to their sleepy little village. This story is similar to the authors own life. Marsha Mehran was born in Tehran and she escaped the Iranian revolution to live in the US, Argentina, and Australia
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Feb 19, 2009
Sarah Beth
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I completely loved the prequel to this book, Pomegranate Soup. I even wrote a glowing review of it that Marsha Mehran wrote me a thank you note for when she found it during a self-google. But I only got through page 70 of this one before giving up.
I hate to say it - I really do! But it read like it was rushed in order the catch the wake of Pomegranate Soup's success. It read like it was never edited.
But read Pomegranate Soup - I mean it!
I hate to say it - I really do! But it read like it was rushed in order the catch the wake of Pomegranate Soup's success. It read like it was never edited.
But read Pomegranate Soup - I mean it!
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Sep 12, 2011
Petersong
rated it:
This is simply a nice book. The descriptions of Persian cooking made me hungry.
It is the story of three sisters who fled Iran in the 1980s. They run a cafe in Ballinacrough, not too far from Croagh Patrick in the Irish west coast county of Mayo.
I was less interested in the story of the mysterious young woman found washed up on the beach than I was in Marjan finding happiness.
It was an amazing coincidence that the John Wayne movie set in Ireland, "The Quiet Man" More...
It is the story of three sisters who fled Iran in the 1980s. They run a cafe in Ballinacrough, not too far from Croagh Patrick in the Irish west coast county of Mayo.
I was less interested in the story of the mysterious young woman found washed up on the beach than I was in Marjan finding happiness.
It was an amazing coincidence that the John Wayne movie set in Ireland, "The Quiet Man" More...
Apr 29, 2009
Kerry
rated it:
I first saw this book in a bookshop while browsing. It was a bit expensive for a totally blind try at a new author, so I didn’t buy it, but I did file her name away in the back of my mind. Not long after, she was mentioned on a mailing list I’m on, and I discovered this is actually the second book of two. Of course, that meant I had to go and find the first one and read that first. I tracked it down easily (I used the search engine on the local library’s website!) and borrowed it. Pomegrana
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Jun 04, 2009
Jennifer
rated it:
When we were in first grade, my sister wrote a book about the sunflower and the very mean lady. The very mean lady kept trying to get rid of the sunflower, and the book ended with "And the sunflower did something to her..." This book reminds me a lot of my sisters book. Not because Marsha Mehran is my sister or six years old, but the book was filled with all kinds of starts but no ends. Layla wants to have sex... Something happened to Marjan in the detention center... The old bidd
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Feb 06, 2011
Mana-tasia
rated it:
It rarely happens that a sequel is equally good as the first book/movie. ‘Rosewater and Soda Bread’ is, however, a nice exception as it is as compelling and interesting as the ‘Pomegranate Soup’.
Having settled for good, the sisters are yet to discard the old feelings and memories to fully enjoy their new, peaceful lives. With an author’s thorough insight you will get to know the characters a bit more finding out their dreams and most dreadful nightmares. ‘Rosewater and Soda Bread’ is More...
Having settled for good, the sisters are yet to discard the old feelings and memories to fully enjoy their new, peaceful lives. With an author’s thorough insight you will get to know the characters a bit more finding out their dreams and most dreadful nightmares. ‘Rosewater and Soda Bread’ is More...
Nov 10, 2009
The Library Lady
rated it: 
Maeve Binchy has a natural ear for "quaint" Irish characters. Understandably Mehran does not--and it shows.
Nor does she have an ear for Italian nonna types--Estelle feels more like a yenta from my Bronx neighborhood who wandered briefly into an ashram or something. And she's cloyingly precious.
The love scene with Our Heroine and Our Hero (who is pretty 2 dimensional) on the castle terrace has dialogue worthy of a cheap Harlequin paperback. Or perhaps Ms Mehran r More...
Nor does she have an ear for Italian nonna types--Estelle feels more like a yenta from my Bronx neighborhood who wandered briefly into an ashram or something. And she's cloyingly precious.
The love scene with Our Heroine and Our Hero (who is pretty 2 dimensional) on the castle terrace has dialogue worthy of a cheap Harlequin paperback. Or perhaps Ms Mehran r More...
Nov 24, 2009
Gloria
rated it:
There seem to be more and more stories that illustrate the experiences of contemporary immigrants and this is a good trend because it helps communicate the difficulties and joys of it all. This story, that especially celebrates the strength of young women, is warm and friendly, but does need a bit more depth to keep the rider hooked into the story and also connect with all of the characters. It seemed EVERY character had a personal drama going on; it would have been a bit better perhaps to simpl
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Jul 05, 2009
Tiffany
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This book is the sequel to Pomegranate Soup. I didn't feel that it was as strong as the first novel. I also disliked the format. There were recipes, but they didn't precede each chapter as they did in the first book, effectively interweaving the food and recipes into the narrative. The story also wasn't quite as strong. I did like that the main characters continued to transform and heal from their violent pasts. Marsha Mehran continued the strong theme of hope in the future in this novel. Certai
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Jun 02, 2009
Nohreen
rated it:
An enjoyable, fun book and worked well on its own even without reading the Pomegranate Soup first. It is a novel about three Iranian sisters as they start a new life owning & running the Babylon Cafe in a little Irish town. The characters are well developed and the stroy lines are good. I ffound the tidbits on Persian food & cooking, & Irish way of living very interesting. Also included are some thoughts on subjects of family & sisterly bond, abortion, contraception, and finding God. It is
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Sep 15, 2011
Michelle
rated it:
This is the sequel to Pomegranate Soup and continues the stories of the 3 Iranian sisters living in Ireland, running a cafe. The three sisters are each becoming more comfortable in their new home and each is branching out towards love. Layla continues her romance with her Irish boyfriend and they consider taking their relationship to the next step. Marjan meets a local man recently returned home to his family's estate. He intrigues her with his knowledge of Iran, but also scares her because she
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Nov 07, 2010
Imogen
rated it:
The sequel to Pomegranate Soup, I loved this book JUST as much as Pomegranate Soup.
I had that sad feeling at the end when i knew i was leaving the characters behind. At least with Pomegranate Soup there was a sequel i could look forward to! But I dont know of a third book involoving the Aminpour sisters. If Marsha Mehran publishes another one, I will DEFINITELY be reading it :)
The book follows on just a bit after where Pomegranate Soup left off, with the three sisters running the Babyl More...
I had that sad feeling at the end when i knew i was leaving the characters behind. At least with Pomegranate Soup there was a sequel i could look forward to! But I dont know of a third book involoving the Aminpour sisters. If Marsha Mehran publishes another one, I will DEFINITELY be reading it :)
The book follows on just a bit after where Pomegranate Soup left off, with the three sisters running the Babyl More...
Feb 14, 2009
Ladiibbug
rated it:
Best enjoyed as a sequel to the fabulous Pomegranate Soup, but can be read as a stand alone
A wonderful story of three Iranian women who flee the Revolution and finally settle in a quaint Irish town. The sisters' Persian cafe quickly becomes a bit hit with the locals, and the exotic foods are a nice part of the books (recipes included).
Each book weaves a tale of the sisters' individual lives, their lives together working at the cafe, and the friendships with the very colo More...
A wonderful story of three Iranian women who flee the Revolution and finally settle in a quaint Irish town. The sisters' Persian cafe quickly becomes a bit hit with the locals, and the exotic foods are a nice part of the books (recipes included).
Each book weaves a tale of the sisters' individual lives, their lives together working at the cafe, and the friendships with the very colo More...
Mar 29, 2010
Jennifer (JC-S)
rated it:
‘Whatever is in the heart will come up to the tongue.’
More than a year has passed since the three Aminpour sisters (Marjan, Bahar and Layla) sought refuge in the Irish town of Ballinacroagh. Since opening the Babylon Café, they have charmed the locals with both their Persian cuisine, and their warm hearts.
But their lives are turned upside down when a young woman with a dark secret is found on Clew Bay Beach sending the town into an uproar. At the same time, each of the More...
More than a year has passed since the three Aminpour sisters (Marjan, Bahar and Layla) sought refuge in the Irish town of Ballinacroagh. Since opening the Babylon Café, they have charmed the locals with both their Persian cuisine, and their warm hearts.
But their lives are turned upside down when a young woman with a dark secret is found on Clew Bay Beach sending the town into an uproar. At the same time, each of the More...
Aug 10, 2008
Janet
rated it:
**This now includes an "update" at the end!
Goodreads needs to have a system where you can award only a portion of a star. That way I would have been able to pick 3.5 stars. I find that I'm always putting 4 stars for everything. That's got to stop. Sorry I've chosen this author to start with. :-(
I very much enjoyed this book but am giving it 3.5 stars because it really kinda left me wanting. I didn't quite feel like everything was as neatly wrapped up as I wo More...
Goodreads needs to have a system where you can award only a portion of a star. That way I would have been able to pick 3.5 stars. I find that I'm always putting 4 stars for everything. That's got to stop. Sorry I've chosen this author to start with. :-(
I very much enjoyed this book but am giving it 3.5 stars because it really kinda left me wanting. I didn't quite feel like everything was as neatly wrapped up as I wo More...
Apr 13, 2008
Jessica
rated it:
After a very promising start, the book fizzled a bit because the author didn't resolve many of the storylines. As the title says, this is a novel about three sisters (Marjan, Bahar, and Layla), two countries (Ireland and Iran), and the language of food.
The author pulled off the language of food (including restorative and medicinal properties), and there are 8 tasty sounding recipes from Ireland or Iran at the end of the book. The portraits of Ireland and Iran while slightly incomple More...
The author pulled off the language of food (including restorative and medicinal properties), and there are 8 tasty sounding recipes from Ireland or Iran at the end of the book. The portraits of Ireland and Iran while slightly incomple More...
Dec 14, 2008
rinabeana
rated it:
I loved the focus on food in this book and am thrilled that there are recipes at the end. However, I thought that a lot of aspects of the story were glossed over and not developed as much as they could have been. I didn't realize this was a sequel until I was nearly done reading it, and I may have felt differently if I'd read Pomegranate Soup first. There wasn't really much closure at the end, either, though I don't know if that was intended for the purposes of writing another book or not. O
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Jun 12, 2010
Mlle. Светлана
rated it:
I picked this book because the title intrigued me and I was not disappointed. My only complaint about this book would be that sometimes, Mehran's descriptions of Iranian lifestyle cross the thin line between "my characters belong to a different culture so some things need to be explained" and plain old infodump. Despite this, I've enjoyed reading the book, and will definitely look for the one preceding it.
Jun 26, 2011
Leslie
rated it: 
I enjoyed this book very much... similar to Under the Tuscan Sun and Chocolat (as one reviewer mentioned). It deals with people who are a little different and the prejudices surrounding them and the strength that 'family' and good food gives one to heal and deal with it all.
I will be adding this book to my permanent collection and looking for more by this author.
I will be adding this book to my permanent collection and looking for more by this author.
Feb 14, 2009
Barb
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This fascinating novel tells the story of a young woman who is found on the beach in Ireland--injured, and with hands webbed so that the locals think she is a mermaid. A group of sisters from the community as well as another local woman take care of her. When word gets out about what really happened, most of the town turns against them. B. 02/11/09
Mar 05, 2009
Rae
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I enjoyed Mehran's first book so much that I was a tad disappointed with this book. I did not find it as much of a page turner. She also listed the recipes at the back of the book as "Marjan's Cookbook". I really enjoyed having the recipe listed at the beginning of each chapter. Mehran has turned the story of the Amnipour sisters into a series and more likely than not once the next book is written I will check it out of the library.
May 05, 2009
Maneesha
rated it:
This book picks up where Pomegranate Soup left off...and as excited as I was to read it, I kind of wish I hadn't. It wasn't a terrible book by any means, it just did not live up to its predecessor, as is the case with most sequels.
Basically, it develops the sister's lives more and also includes a new mystery character. One great thing was that this book showed us a different side of Marjan.
I really liked how Pomegranate Soup opened up each chapter with a recipe...this b More...
Basically, it develops the sister's lives more and also includes a new mystery character. One great thing was that this book showed us a different side of Marjan.
I really liked how Pomegranate Soup opened up each chapter with a recipe...this b More...
Jul 07, 2009
Ann
rated it:
It was good to watch each character grow and mature through the story and the inter-relationships were a real strength to a story that was otherwise just OK. As I am always drawn to stories that bring in different cultures the fact that there were at least 3 represented certainly helped carry the book along for me.
Oct 10, 2010
Rebecca
rated it:
I didn't like this one quite as much as I had the first book, but it was still interesting and better than most of the fiction out there these days. I'll certainly pick up the next book that this author writes.
For the complete review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Book_Rose...
For the complete review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Book_Rose...
Feb 11, 2012
Sequels never seem to be quite as good as the first however I thought this one came close. The sisters are less ruled by the past and are moving on with life. Mrs. Delmonico had a nice part in this one. One negative was it seemed to me there was a little less tie-in with food.
Aug 04, 2011
Katie
rated it:
When I finished the first chapter of this book I thought that it wasn't going to work, that the elements that made up the novel were too diverse to mesh together. However I very rarely give up on a book and this was one which I was glad I didn't stop reading. A pleasant book which was a good bus read although it made me incredibly hungry in parts. Good book enjoyable, easy read!
Jan 21, 2010
Helen
rated it:
Beautifully told story of Iranian sisters who open a cafe in Ireland. The real story, however, is how they assimilate into the community and some of the characters they come across. I love that the dishes described in the book are included at the end as recipes!
Aug 05, 2011
I loved this book. The food sounded wonderful and the Irish town seemed so cute and quaint. Mostly, I admired the sisters for their love and dedication to each other. I always appreciate it when a character succeeds at life in a foreign land.
