This compelling debut follows one spirited young woman from the confines of Iran to the intoxicating freedom of America—where she discovers n...
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reviews
Dec 17, 2009
Mariam
rated it: 
This is not the book to read if you want to learn about Iranian women or Islam. I was not surprised to find that the author's only connection to Iran is that her husband lived there until the age of ten. She is certainly allowed her own opinion of Iran, but is clearly misinformed on many counts. For one thing, "all good Muslim men" do NOT dream of meeting a limitless supply of virgins in heaven. And, although women in Iran do have fewer freedoms than they do in the U.S., they are allow
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Oct 09, 2011
♣Ðᾰƞƞᾰ♥
rated it: 
Veil of Roses Review
Tamila is a young, Iranian woman who lives a life separated into two main periods of time:
First, the freedom.
Freedom
Tamila was a young baby in her first couple of years in the world, when her parents lived in America, or as it otherwise known as "Land of Opportunities". It seems as if she lives in a world of temporary flashback, back to her time in the USA, which she hardly remembers: Sometimes it's the present, and sometimes she sinks More...
Tamila is a young, Iranian woman who lives a life separated into two main periods of time:
First, the freedom.
Freedom
Tamila was a young baby in her first couple of years in the world, when her parents lived in America, or as it otherwise known as "Land of Opportunities". It seems as if she lives in a world of temporary flashback, back to her time in the USA, which she hardly remembers: Sometimes it's the present, and sometimes she sinks More...
May 19, 2010
Dawn Michelle
rated it: 
WHAT a great story!!!
I think that we forget (even with things on the news) what a great life and what great freedoms we have in America (and in Canada). This book reminded me over and over again.
Tamila (Tami) is from Iran. Her parent's (knowing from personal experience of living once in the US) work to get her a visa to go to America for 3 months. Once there, her goal is to find a husband, so she can stay in America for good.
Her sister and brother-in-law (who mar More...
I think that we forget (even with things on the news) what a great life and what great freedoms we have in America (and in Canada). This book reminded me over and over again.
Tamila (Tami) is from Iran. Her parent's (knowing from personal experience of living once in the US) work to get her a visa to go to America for 3 months. Once there, her goal is to find a husband, so she can stay in America for good.
Her sister and brother-in-law (who mar More...
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Dec 04, 2007
Lucy
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I liked the premise of the book. Iranian woman who has no rights or opportunities in Iran with the current political situation wants to live in America so she can be the type of woman her parents have always encouraged her to be.
It humanizes Iran (something the news rarely does) and exposes the misguided treatment of women within its country.
Unfortunately, those are the best things about this book. You'll have to excuse me, as its been several weeks and I've forgotten mos More...
It humanizes Iran (something the news rarely does) and exposes the misguided treatment of women within its country.
Unfortunately, those are the best things about this book. You'll have to excuse me, as its been several weeks and I've forgotten mos More...
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(5 people liked it)
Dec 09, 2007
Melissa
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So I am a little partial to chick-lit to begin with, and very partial towards books that depict Persian life and culture, so this book was a very pleasing combination of the two and since it told an engaging story to boot, I give it high marks.
Tami is a frustrated, repressed 27-year-old wasting away in the Islamic Republic of Iran. On her birthday, her parents present her with a mixed blessing: a passport, a one-way plane ticket, and the advice to go to America and stay there if she More...
Tami is a frustrated, repressed 27-year-old wasting away in the Islamic Republic of Iran. On her birthday, her parents present her with a mixed blessing: a passport, a one-way plane ticket, and the advice to go to America and stay there if she More...
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(1 person liked it)
Dec 31, 2008
Kirin
rated it:
i'm sick of these type of books, i mean really there is a lot of in between wearing a scarf (it doesn't really qualify as a veil) and running around getting drunk and being with guys. but alas the book was handed to me, was a turbo easy read, and i read it. i wouldn't recommend it, but if you have it on your shelf give it a whirl, it will amuse you for the few hours it takes you to read, and then will promptly be forgotten.
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Dec 16, 2009
Mahina
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I loved this book – it’s sweet, romantic and though-provoking. The central character, Tamila Saroush, is a 27 year old Persian woman who comes to America to better her life. I enjoyed seeing America through her eyes. She takes nothing for granted and sees every day occurrences -- a girl wearing a mini skirt, two teenagers holding hands -- as little acts of freedom that she captures through her photography. She loves America but in order to stay she must get married. Her sister, determined to
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Nov 03, 2007
Dee
rated it:
For those that know me, I am clearly interested in cross-cultural books regardless of culture. This was a very thought-provoking story about one Iranian woman's adventures in America for the first time. It is a thought-provoking book making one look at just how lucky we are to live in America and makes you really see how much the littlest things can mean to someone who has no freedom. Freedom is explored in so many possible ways that it reminds us what we take for granted and what it truly me
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(2 people liked it)
Mar 16, 2008
Jodie
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Mar 10, 2010
The veil of rose is a quite enjoyable and thought provoking book. It has followed the old love story writing pattern, but it has the special, smooth and gentle tone that attract me keep reading it. The way she is using the first person to tell the story is slightly heart touching, and we actually see through what has happened with the protagonist. It gives me the real and moving feeling.
I like the way she develop the character, especially the protagonist, Tami. I know this girl since the More...
I like the way she develop the character, especially the protagonist, Tami. I know this girl since the More...
Jan 19, 2009
Mari Anne
rated it:
I read this book this weekend over the course of about 3 hours. It's a very quick read that almost reads like Young Adult fiction except that the main character is 27. This is sometimes annoying as she acts like she's 16 for some of the book and like she's 46 for the other. Some of this could probably be explained by the fact that she's led such a sheltered life that she is somewhat emotionally stunted.
The book is a very interesting look into what some Iranian immigrants, particu More...
The book is a very interesting look into what some Iranian immigrants, particu More...
Aug 02, 2011
Sarah
rated it:
I feel this book can best be described in an exerpt: "My eyes get big. I cannot help it. Divorced, twice! She must be the black sheep of her family, to have behaved so badly that not one but two men divorced her. This is why she is so chatty. This is why she talks to strangers on airplanes. Everyone else probably shuns her."
Although this book is fictional, I feel it is very true to life. The author did an excellent job of capturing the essence of American life. I can't eve More...
Although this book is fictional, I feel it is very true to life. The author did an excellent job of capturing the essence of American life. I can't eve More...
Aug 07, 2010
Annie Laurie (WI)
rated it:
2-3 stars. Easy, quick read.
I enjoyed the book on two levels: both as a "chick book" (romance novel), and as an "inside" perspective as to what it might be like for a woman to move to the U.S. after living in a place like Iran. The typical, predictable pattern of a romance novel did not impress me (although I found Eva's character hilarious!). However, the "inside" perspective into the main character's thoughts/feelings about the United States was very i More...
I enjoyed the book on two levels: both as a "chick book" (romance novel), and as an "inside" perspective as to what it might be like for a woman to move to the U.S. after living in a place like Iran. The typical, predictable pattern of a romance novel did not impress me (although I found Eva's character hilarious!). However, the "inside" perspective into the main character's thoughts/feelings about the United States was very i More...
Mar 04, 2010
Kathryn
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Oct 24, 2009
Sara
rated it:
Although this book is fiction, I learned a lot about women's lives in Iran, and I think the author did an excellent job bringing some of this hopelessness and timidity to life on the pages.
Tami is an Iranian woman sent to America by her parents in the hope that she will find a husband, get married, and not have to return to Iran. Tami's sister and her husband live in America, and they try to help by bringing lots of potential suitors over to their house for Tami to screen. In her More...
Tami is an Iranian woman sent to America by her parents in the hope that she will find a husband, get married, and not have to return to Iran. Tami's sister and her husband live in America, and they try to help by bringing lots of potential suitors over to their house for Tami to screen. In her More...
May 30, 2009
This compelling debut follows one spirited young woman from the confines of Iran to the intoxicating freedom of America—where she discovers not only an enticing new country but the roots of her own independence. . . .
Tamila Soroush wanted it all. But in the Islamic Republic of Iran, dreams are a dangerous thing for a girl. Knowing they can never come true, Tami abandons them. . . . Until her twenty-fifth birthday, when her parents give her a one-way ticket to America, hoping she wil More...
Tamila Soroush wanted it all. But in the Islamic Republic of Iran, dreams are a dangerous thing for a girl. Knowing they can never come true, Tami abandons them. . . . Until her twenty-fifth birthday, when her parents give her a one-way ticket to America, hoping she wil More...
Mar 28, 2010
Michelle
rated it:
Tamilah Soroush, an Iranian, flies to America to visit her sister. Her family hopes that while she is here on a 3-month Visa she will meet someone suitable and marry so that she does not have to return to her home country.
When Tamila arrives, she is understandably a little timid aboutthe new found freedoms she has here. She slowly begins to explore her surrondings and her new sense of self. Her sister is very protective of her and tries to aid her in finding an appropriate mate for h More...
When Tamila arrives, she is understandably a little timid aboutthe new found freedoms she has here. She slowly begins to explore her surrondings and her new sense of self. Her sister is very protective of her and tries to aid her in finding an appropriate mate for h More...
Jan 07, 2010
Krista
rated it:
I really liked this book. It came to me by way of one of my students, and I originally didn't think it was my kind of book to read. But I decided to. It really hooked me from the beginning when Tami, the MC, is watching little girls on the playground in America and commenting on the huge difference between little girls in Iran verses America.
I didn't realize all the little things I, as a single, independent woman, took for granted. It really makes you appreciate America and your fre More...
I didn't realize all the little things I, as a single, independent woman, took for granted. It really makes you appreciate America and your fre More...
Aug 04, 2010
Shannon
rated it: 
This will most likely be the best book I have read all summer. 27-year old Tamila Souresh's parents are able to obtain a visitor's visa for her -- out of Iran and to the U.S. to visit her sister and brother-in-law. The 3-month visiting time is sucked up with all of them trying to find a Persian-decent American citizen for Tami to marry so she will not have to return to oppressive Iran. Each man they find has a flaw. Meanwhile, Tami is also signed up for an ESL class with students from German
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Dec 28, 2008
Kelly
rated it:
I would have given this book a 3.5 stars, if it was available. :) I'm surprised that this book doesn't have more "buzz" around it because it is highly readable; no forcing yourself to get through the text to get to better parts and/or resolution.
I am struggling whether to classify this book as "chick lit". On one hand, it certainly is an easy read with lots of laughs and commentary about the female experience and some of the more absurd aspects of American cul More...
I am struggling whether to classify this book as "chick lit". On one hand, it certainly is an easy read with lots of laughs and commentary about the female experience and some of the more absurd aspects of American cul More...
May 10, 2010
Cindy
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Oct 04, 2009
Em
rated it:
This is probably one of the worst books I've ever read in my life. I think it began with the main character's sudden liberation quickly discarding her hijab and gazing deeply into the eyes of the steward on the plane... sorry, it just didn't click. Though it may not be altogether sad that so many authors are attempting to profit off the plight of Muslim women (often over-exaggerated attempts at producing anger and a deepened sense of appreciated freedom over, um, tribal societies; but hey, the
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Jun 02, 2009
bookczuk
rated it:
Can't remember where I picked this up but I am glad I did. For the genre, it was both enjoyable and interesting. I seem to be reading a certain type of book lately -- not romance in the bodice ripper sense, but love stories or gentle tales of women interacting with life. In this one, a young Iranian woman (27) has come to America with the hopes of finding someone to marry her so that she can stay here. The background story of how her Iranian family, who has been living in the US before the o
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May 26, 2010
GoldenjoyBazyll
rated it:
What an amazing read about a young woman who leaves her home in Iran and travels to United States to do as her mother and father dream for her " to go and wake up your luck."
She joins her sister and brother-in-law in Arizona and makes many new discoveries. I think people who make a new country their home are incredibly BRAVE and full of COURAGE! I am the daughter of a man who left his homeland and came the United States to make a life for himself. I have many good frien More...
She joins her sister and brother-in-law in Arizona and makes many new discoveries. I think people who make a new country their home are incredibly BRAVE and full of COURAGE! I am the daughter of a man who left his homeland and came the United States to make a life for himself. I have many good frien More...
Sep 25, 2009
Parisa
rated it:
This was a fun summer read about an Irani woman who was given a ticket to America and three months to find an Iranian-American husband so she could stay in the States.
I found it hard to relate to Tamila (which I'm not even sure is a Persian name--I've certainly never heard it before)--completely understandable since I grew up in the US and she's coming from Iran. What made it hard for me was knowing women who've come here from Iran and knowing how they act and what they do and how t More...
I found it hard to relate to Tamila (which I'm not even sure is a Persian name--I've certainly never heard it before)--completely understandable since I grew up in the US and she's coming from Iran. What made it hard for me was knowing women who've come here from Iran and knowing how they act and what they do and how t More...
Feb 07, 2009
Mandy
rated it:
This was a nice book to read. I suppose some will think it's not a masterpiece, but it is a good story. You'll be reminded that the 'rights' we think we have, are really just freedoms afforded to us by the government. And whether you're a critic of the United States or not, you'll be grateful to be an American after you read this.
Now, I've never been in Iran, so I can scarcely imagine what it's like there. Other reviewers say that this book has an authenic voice, but I'm not qualifi More...
Now, I've never been in Iran, so I can scarcely imagine what it's like there. Other reviewers say that this book has an authenic voice, but I'm not qualifi More...
Aug 04, 2008
Renee
rated it:
I've read many books about the immigrant/American experience, but what I liked so much about this book is the detail given to the main characters arrival in American. My favorite part of the book is when the pilot announces the plan is no longer in Iranian airspace and the woman all remove their veils; in every sense of the way. My only complaint, the ending wrapped up way to neatly.
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Jul 15, 2007
Kristin
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A young woman is given the chance to get out of Iran and go to the U.S to live with her sister and brother in law. She has three months before her visa expires to find a husband so that she can stay in the country. As Americans we take for granted sometimes the simple things, it is interesting and almost funny to watch the main character, Tami as she experiences America for the first time.
Dec 02, 2011
Diane
rated it:
This was basically a Harlequin romance with a Muslim woman as the main character. I started reading it thinking it was supposed to be something more than that, so keep that in mind.
If you take the book as a time-filler, fluff-piece, beach-read, it's fine. I would probably rate it as a 4 if that was my frame of reference. If you expect more, then you will be disappointed.
The "challenges" that face her as a new immigrant to the US are pretty laughable.
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If you take the book as a time-filler, fluff-piece, beach-read, it's fine. I would probably rate it as a 4 if that was my frame of reference. If you expect more, then you will be disappointed.
The "challenges" that face her as a new immigrant to the US are pretty laughable.
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Aug 25, 2009
Jacki
rated it:
I thought that this book was, in a word, "cute". I hate using that because there were some semi-deep issues explored, but in such a shallow way that it was still pretty cutesy.
This is the story of a woman who moves from Iran to America and, in order to stay, has to find a suitable Iranian husband in 90 days. Of course madness ensues and she falls for an American that her family would not approve of.
I enjoyed the "friendship" story more than the love More...
This is the story of a woman who moves from Iran to America and, in order to stay, has to find a suitable Iranian husband in 90 days. Of course madness ensues and she falls for an American that her family would not approve of.
I enjoyed the "friendship" story more than the love More...
