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Title details for In the Time of Our History by Susanne Pari - Available

In the Time of Our History

by Susanne Pari
Mozhan Marnò
Audiobook
2 of 2 copies available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
2 of 2 copies available
Inspired by her own family's experiences following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Susanne Pari explores the entangled lives within an Iranian American family grappling with generational culture clashes, the roles imposed on women, and a tragic accident that forces them to reconcile their guilt or forfeit their already tenuous bonds. Set between San Francisco and New Jersey in the late-1990s, In the Time of Our History is a story about the universal longing to create a home in this world-and what happens when we let go of how we've always been told it should look. Twelve months after her younger sister Anahita's death, Mitra Jahani reluctantly returns to her parents' home in suburban New Jersey to observe the Iranian custom of "The One Year." Ana is always in Mitra's heart, though they chose very different paths. While Ana, sweet and dutiful, bowed to their domineering father's demands and married, Mitra rebelled, and was banished. Caught in the middle is their mother, Shireen, torn between her fierce love for her surviving daughter and her loyalty to her husband. Yet his callousness even amid shattering loss has compelled her to rethink her own decades of submission. And when Mitra is suddenly forced to confront hard truths about her sister's life, mother and daughter reach a new understanding-and forge an unexpected path forward.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    January 3, 2023

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781696610513
      • File size: 341826 KB
      • Duration: 11:52:08

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      November 7, 2022
      In this luminous multigenerational tale, Pari (The Fortune Catcher) examines the complicated ties among an Iranian American family. After Mitra Jahani’s immigrant father refuses to let her younger sister Ana be the first one to get married, Mitra pretends to get engaged, then cancels at the last minute. She also has her tubes tied. As a result, her father disowns her and she moves from New Jersey to California, breaking their mother Shireen’s heart. Years later, Ana and her young children are killed in a car accident, and family secrets tumble out one after another, including Ana’s childhood molestation by an older cousin and Ana’s extramarital affair with an artist. Shireen, caught in the middle between her husband and daughter, finally takes a stand against her husband’s cruelty, perhaps changing her own destiny. Well-drawn supporting characters, including Sali, an Iraqi teenager who gets pregnant after being raped and is disowned by her mother; and Julian, Mitra’s supportive physician boyfriend, add depth. This expertly paced story easily navigates the cultural differences between newer Americans and older immigrants and provides a frank look at fraught family dynamics. For fans of sweeping family sagas, this is like catnip.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Mozhan Marn� brings a sensitive, evocative tone to this intergenerational story of the women in an Iranian American family. Mitra, the family rebel, is given a strong demeanor that will have listeners rooting for her as she grapples with tradition and grief at the loss of her sister. Her mother, Shireen, is torn by competing loyalties to her children and her husband. Marn� does justice to them both. She also varies her pace and accent as she captures a wide range of supporting characters. From San Francisco to New Jersey, from the present to the past, this is a complex story expertly told. M.R. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
    • Library Journal

      June 10, 2024

      Pari's (The Fortune Catcher) much-anticipated second novel captures the experience of an Iranian family living in the United States who try to reconcile traditional Iranian ways with a dizzying American lifestyle. Mitra Jahani wants more than what has been expected of her--an Iranian husband and children. She wants to exercise her self-determination to make her path in the world. In contrast, her sister, Anahita, was the perfect daughter who acceded to the will of the men in her family. After Anahita's sudden death, Mitra, who believes that she is now free from her family's influence, is plunged back into her old world when she returns to mark the first anniversary of her sister's death. Past wounds open up, and Mitra feels bereft when she discovers she may not have known her sister after all. Iranian American narrator Mozhan Marn� employs a range of Persian accents and creates multilayered characterizations for Pari's vibrant characters. Marn�'s acting experience shows in her passion for interpreting each character and revealing their complex personas. VERDICT Listeners will be swept up in Pari's immersive tale, which is elevated by Marn�'s skillful narration. Suggest to fans of Marjan Kamali and Shokoofeh Azar.--Laura Trombley

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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