Rooftops of Tehran

Rooftops of Tehran

By Mahbod Seraji

New American Library

ISBN: 978-0-451-22681-5

5 stars

In addition to this blog, I also do reviews for The Book Reporter website. Below is a short summary of my review of Rooftops of Tehran which can be found on their website in full here.

During the summer of 1973 in Tehran, Iran, Pasha and his best friend Ahmed spend their summer evenings sitting on the roof discussing life. Just 17 years old, the two are about to learn the harsh realities of love, friendship, and the sacrifices we are sometimes forced to make.

Rooftops of Tehran is one of those rare books that stays with you long after the last page has been turned. It reminds us of the good and bad in life, that joy has a painful side, and that love comes in many forms. Pasha’s love for his family and friends is so strong it is heartbreaking for him. His need to help and to fight only makes the reader fonder of him.

Marvelous characters inhabit the book. They are loving family members we all know — the mother who cares deeply for her child, the proud father who wants only the best for his son, the friend that is always by your side not asking why you’re fighting but standing next to you ready to land the next punch, and the love of your life which can be heartbreaking and exhilarating at the same moment.

Rooftops of Tehran is masterfully told. The author seamlessly drops the reader right in the middle of the story. The emotions are so strongly rendered you’ll feel as if you are these characters. He makes you laugh and cry at the same time remembering the joys of first love and pain of loss. It’s a fabulous read and one that will stay with you a long time.