This Iranian story gushes with dreamy imagery and magical realism. It uses many beautiful words and sentences. But I could not follow what was happening at all. I suppose that is somewhat the point in a magical tale like this, but I wasn't enjoying it and gave up at 25%.

Thanks to NetGalley and Europa Editions for this advance readers copy, in exchange for an honest review. This was a sweeping saga set against the backdrop of decades of Iranian history and revolution. This book was epic in scope and beautifully told, through lush prose and great elements of magical realism. I appreciate what the author was trying to do with this story but, ultimately it was a tough read for me. I did struggle at times to maintain focus and think the story could have benefitted from greater definition to the characters and story at hand. All in all, this may just not have been the book for me but, I look forward to seeing what others think as they read this!

generally really enjoyed this (i love reading about 20th century iran, and irani culture in general), but my enjoyment of it was somewhat bogged down by the sheer vastness of its cast; i think that focusing on fewer characters would have made this work substantially better.

deeply interesting magical realism story with very realistic and interesting characters. but at points, they blur due to a bit of a lack of distinction. 3.5 stars, rounded up. tysm for the arc.

Thank you to Shokoofeh Azar, Europa Editions, and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The premise was promising and the beginning was interesting but the book fell flat. Pacing was off and it it was too long. The writing is lyrical and beautiful though.

DNF at ~100 pages
At the very beginning I was captivated by the lyrical writing and the interweaving of magical realism and symbolism into a family saga set in 20th century Iran—a setting I was particularly excited to explore and learn more about. The early chapters showed real potential: the Gowkaran tree bursting through the family kitchen and the children’s journey through echoes of ancestral homes were rich with mystery of facing one's roots and heritage, which, once they emerge, can no longer be ignored.
But as I continued, the prose—while beautiful—became overwhelmingly dense. The narrative lost clarity and structure, and by the last 20 pages I read, I was left completely disoriented. Magical realism holds amazing potential in storytelling (and I’ve loved it time and again, especially in the works of Latin American authors), but here it became too much. I felt like everything wrapped in metaphor, and when everything becomes a symbol, you no longer can see the forest for the trees. I struggled to stay focused — not because I wasn’t trying, but because the storytelling demanded more mental effort than it rewarded. With around 400 pages still ahead, I couldn’t justify continuing a reading experience that was so draining.
Readers who enjoy abstract, nonlinear, highly symbolic narratives may find something here. After such a strong start I was, however, disappointed. This one just wasn’t for me.

I was ready to adore this book. The awards and honors it has received alone set me up to be enthralled...But, for me, this was a surprisingly hard book to get into. Some of that might have been due the temporary formatting (I read the book pre-release in exchange for an honest review). In the pre-publication version I read, footnotes popped up in the middle of the page several pages after they were initially mentioned. But I think there was more to it--the intro chapter did not manage to invite the reader in. I loved the magical realism at the story's center--a tree bearing assorted fruits and birds suddenly pops up in the middle of the family kitchen. But the rush of characters blended together and, sadly, I was only able to read the first couple of chapters and could not force myself to go on. This rarely happens. In fact, I think it has only happened a handful of times in my nearly 6 decades of reading. I hate to leave a full review based on two chapters...but if I feel this way, I suspect others will, as well.

Sometimes, reading a novel on the iPad instead of in print, I don't realize the length of the novel. Azar's novel is rather epic, covering a long period of history in modern Iran, with stories told by several children, each story finds a connection with another tale, a mystery revealed, a loss to linger upon, outrageous revelations, and deeply disturbing cruelties are revealed. I did love the tree in the kitchen being such a central focus of the novel. Very engaging novel.

“ Stories succeed stories, just as one human succeeds another, time succeeds time, and no death has ever commenced with birth, and no being has ever been the continuation of non-being.”

This book was an absolutely spectacular read. Having read a few books with the backdrop of Tehran and then 1979 revolution, I truly felt like this book encapsulated much of the knowledge I had previously learned while also teaching me so many new things about life in Tehran pre and post revolution. The author does a beautiful job weaving the storyline with historical events while also adding a beautiful backdrop to the characters, their families, and love overall.

I would highly, highly recommend you add this book to your TBR because it is well worth the time and emotion this book evokes. Thank you again NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!

“The Gowkaran Tree in the Middle of Our Kitchen” is the latest novel by Shokoofeh Azar, an Iranian author and a finalist for both the International Booker Prize and the National Book Award, currently living as a political refugee in Australia.

In "The Gowkaran Tree," we follow the lives of a family and a group of children as they face the upheaval brought by the start of the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The novel is narrated through a lens of magical realism that highlights Persian and Arabic culture, as well as Zoroastrianism, Mithraism, and Islam. It also weaves in historical facts that provide context to help readers understand the origins of these events and the costs borne by the citizens. Moreover, it serves as a cautionary tale about the rise of religious extremism, the war on women, and the persecution of political dissidents in today's world.

Azar explores the bonds of family, including connections between the living and the dead, and how individuals survive and find joy amidst tragedy. It is a visceral and cinematic story of love, revolution, and loss.

I advise readers to review content warnings before diving into this novel. Like real life, the book contains both wonderful elements—such as imaginative delight, warmth, and love—but it also showcases humanity's darker aspects. I highly recommend this book and believe that fans of Kaveh Akbar’s “Martyr,” Marjan Kamali’s “The Lion Women of Tehran,” and Simon Jimenez’s “The Spear Cuts through Water” will appreciate this read. Thank you to Europa and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this very emotional and compelling book.