This is my debut novel that I accidentally requested on NetGalley and then need to review so my review average improves! :)

It is an incredible thrill to have this book and these characters out in the world. There are few other works of fiction that represent such a diverse cast of Iranians, including both supporters and critics of the current government. Introducing these new voices and giving audiences an opportunity to relate to (and even cheer for!) people they wouldn’t otherwise get to know is what drives my writing.

If you’re interested in exploring a new and different part of the world through the vehicle of a page-turner, A Door Between Us is a good fit. It will also appeal if you like having your assumptions challenged and are open to learning how people who seem so different are actually exactly the same.

All my characters are based on compositions of people I’ve met or read about. Azar represents the thousands of brave activists and protestors who’ve fought for truth and justice in the face of forces determined to stamp them out. Sadegh represents sincere regime supporters struggling to reconcile their understanding of Islam with the misdeeds of their rulers. And Sarah represents the complex interplay of innocence and complicity in those who close their eyes to injustice as they are caught up in their own lives and dramas.

In the beginning it took me a bit to get into the book but then I was hooked! Reads like a historical novel into modern day Iranian politics with two families with opposing views. Intriguing, and an open window into another culture. More than anything I think it is a family saga, and love story . Great characters that kept me guessing of their intentions. There were Farsi words embedded in context throughout that anyone can understand. I look forward to more books from this author. Definitely a must for readers looking for a multicultural book at its source.

This book is unlike anything I’ve ever read. So little is ever said or written about Iran, and that’s a tragedy. After the 2009 elections, many people took to the streets to protest the results. All decked in green hijabs, painted faces, clothes, and green fingers — thus the Green Movement was born. To be able to have a story told in a way that shows how everything impacts everyone in the country during that important time of Iran’s history, not just the supporters of the movement but everyone is important to see. It shows why everyone should care. Not just those who support or didn’t support the movement and, on a larger scale, why everyone around the world should care. The emotions are real, the people are real, and that doesn’t change no matter where in the world you are.

This book starts at a wedding between Sarah and Ali. Their families clash when it comes to political beliefs. This may not seem like a big deal but, as is often said amongst Iranians, when two people marry, it’s actually two <I>families</I> getting married. Everyone is involved, from the process before (the <I>khastegari</I>, which is briefly mentioned) to the exchanging of vows, and they’re forever intertwined. So this <I>is</I> a big deal. On their way back from the wedding, with all the streets a mess due to the protests happening post-election, Sarah makes a decision that impacts <I>everyone</I> in ways no one could ever imagine — she lets a protestor hide in the car her and Ali are driving in to get home from the wedding. Without giving too much of the plot away, we see how this one decision changes Sarah and Ali’s life, but their families as well. Sadegh, Sarah’s cousin, volunteers for the government that is trying to shut down or quiet down protests. Ali’s sister, a divorce lawyer who’s trying to make an even bigger difference than what she already does by saving women from abusive or awful homes, is also involved with the protests — she attends them, sometimes with her two children. And, much like how families marry each other during weddings, every small thing impacts families rather than individuals (Iranians are very family-oriented, it’s a blessing and a curse). We see how this one action leads to another and another and how lives are changed and beliefs are shaken. I love how, without giving spoilers, the story, while progressing and changing, also sort of comes full circle.

Overall, this was an interesting read. I am in the unique position of having visited Iran and having actually been there during the Green Movement. A lot of things that went on in the book or just the cultural things that were mentioned made total sense to me or felt like a recap of things I’ve already seen. I’m not quite sure how but I do think it’s definitely interesting to read about. I loved getting to see little Iranian things — Sadegh cutting up fruit and <I>tarofing</I> (offering to those around him out of respect and expressing one’s love) it to everyone just because he himself wanted fruits. When the girl is standing in front of Sarah and Ali’s car on their way back from the wedding before Sarah decides to let her in and she’s becoming resigned to her fate of getting caught, she gives this slight nod in greeting when she catches their eyes. It’s such an <I>Iranian</I> thing it somehow made my heart melt and tear up a little. I wanted more of that. More of that magic, more of the things that make Iran and Iranians special (because oh boy does this show the bad things clearly). I feel like half the reason I was so intrigued was because I was homesick for my family and friends, for the streets of Iran. I wanted more of that Iranian feel, but the little gems I got were great.

Some things may have required a little more explanation for the people unfamiliar with Iranian words or culture. A lot of things aren’t translated (such as chador, sigheh, sofreh, fitneh, etc.). For me, someone who often speaks with a mix of both Farsi and English amongst close friends and family, this felt very authentic and flowed naturally (to the point where I might have missed a few) but for others, this may be an issue. Maybe a glossary or something at the end of the book (or a footnote at the bottom fo the page) would be helpful? Then, in contrast, some things were translated awkwardly within the text. This might be personal preference, but I think some things such as endearments might flow better if they were just left in Farsi and, once again provided as a footnote or endnote of some sort. I might be biased because I already understand what’s being said, but I think it flows and sounds a little better. It’s not really a big deal but just a little thing I noticed that made the writing feel a little choppy (imagine reading the same thing twice in a sentence — that’s essentially what it feels like when you can understand both languages).

I appreciated how the author tries to tell the story without explicitly taking a side. There are good people, there are awful people, there are morally grey people, and there are those who are lost and trying to find their way (or those who purposefully remain lost because it’s safer). I wasn’t sure what to expect. There are some portrayals that had me wanting to bang my head against a wall in anger or annoyance because they seemed almost like caricatures they were so extremely awful but the truth is, these people do exist. I wish the opposite kind of person was also shown. Or more morally grey characters. My <I>favorite</I> character is the one I least expected and it’s because of the way they start off one way and then start questioning. I really enjoyed seeing that character’s trajectory and development. Whenever the story was focused around this character, it was really great to read. Most of my favorite parts were due to this character (I’m trying to be vague for the sake of spoilers, so you can appreciate the journey as well!) and I wish we could see more of that. I appreciated that while religion was a contentious topic, it wasn’t a question of whether or not religion is good or bad, but how the implementation was wrong. <I>“ … true Islam was more easily found in America, where it was shorn of cultural influences that polluted its pure essence.”</I> I loved that. I’ve seen this firsthand. I <I>really</I> appreciated that the book highlights that even a perfect system can be perverted by bad people. The question from there is — what now? And what’s the point? In which we got a response from an unexpected place.

<blockquote><I>“That’s what they want you to think… resistance isn’t only about pouring into the street. Their greatest success is when they can destroy people from the inside and make them turn on themselves and forget who they are. That’s what you need to resist!”</blockquote></I>

The whole time, I kept wondering who the main character(s) were. I went back and forth, thinking this book was going to be a love story set during the time of the Green Movement, but this was not that at all. It was more than that but I think in trying to tell all the stories at once, it kind of lost sight of it too. Or maybe that was the point, that despite a movement going on, life, too, goes on. I think the true gems of the book are Azar and the aforementioned character who grows. I loved when their paths crossed, I love how often their paths <I>nearly</I> crossed, and I really appreciate how much they both grew and strengthened despite how absolutely different their paths were. It was wonderful to see.

I found myself disliking (or flat out hating) many of the characters though. I have a note I wrote down as I was reading that says, and I quote “I basically hate everyone and don’t really find myself rooting for anyone besides Azar who I wish to see more of.” Any time other people were mentioned, I’d be so frustrated or angry I’d want to stop reading altogether sometimes (yeah, it got <I>that</I> bad at one point). I strongly disliked Sarah, who I found to either be too weak-willed at some points or overly strong-willed at others and instead of showing growth, because it goes so back and forth, it seems like an inconsistent character. I found her love for Ali to feel false and I so wanted to root for them! There is a misunderstanding that happens that I do not understand <I>at all</I> because of how easily it could have been avoided and it just … gets brushed over like it’s nothing when it really is a big deal. Also, at one point, it’s mentioned Sarah has a brother and I was completely in shock because the first I read of him was basically three-fourths of the way into the book, where it’s written she passes by his empty room. I think the fact that there were so many characters involved was important, but it also led to the detracting of the proper fleshing out of some. I’d really liked to have seen more of Azar’s husband Ibrahim because anything with him mentioned was also wonderful.

Please be aware that this story does contain a few scenes or mentionings of torture that were <I>incredibly</I> difficult for me to read. I can’t necessarily say they were excessive because I don’t think they were but it was just very hard to read, to the point where I shut my laptop and walked away for a bit. Maybe it’s because I saw these people as actual people? Either way, it’s not easy. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does it kind of hits you at how awful it is and shocking because of how unexpected it is too. A side note that I don’t know where else to put — I’m not quite sure I understand the significance of all the quotes at the beginning of chapters. Sometimes I can sort of get the gist, I feel like the quotes were there to help set the tone, but I’d prefer a stronger tie-in if possible.

Near the end, we get a quote I really appreciated. It’s mentioned lightly, almost in passing but it’s so important — <I>“… the power to make choices carried with it the responsibility to deal with the consequences.”</I> Another way this story comes full circle. Choices are important. Everyone makes choices in this book that impact others, some more important than others. Some seem so innocuous you think it not even worth mentioning until you see the ripple effect. Sarah let someone into their car and changed everyone’s lives. That choice was important. The choices others made were important. How they dealt with those choices is just as important, if not more so. That is what differentiates Sarah (and Ali) from a lot fo the other characters — there was no follow-through. But for the characters who did follow their choices all the way to their consequences, it was great to read and see.

Please note that I received an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and love how the title itself resonates on so many levels! The setting was intriguing, in 2009 right after a controversial election in Iran that set off a wave of protests. Sarah and Ali had been betrothed before the election, but their families were on opposite sides of the political spectrum and many in the family wanted to stop the wedding because of the conflict, but the opening scene is that wedding. Because the culture and setting takes some explaining for a western reader please give the story a couple of chapters to warm up. I was a little bit frustrated by the explaining at first but was grateful for the grounding as the novel progressed. GREAT tension, unexpected humour and interesting characters. I love how many of the characters are vividly portrayed in non-hackneyed way. I also love the fact that nearly everyone is flawed. Bravery and humanity come out in surprising ways and from unexpected people. More than anything this is a story of principled and smart women who may live in a patriarchal society but still hold many of the reins. Fast-paced with commercial appeal.

Thank you, #netgalley for the e-review copy.