Love, family and religion clash in the unforgettable novel from the internationally acclaimed author of Things We Left Unsaid, set in contemporary Iran

In a small town on the edge of the Caspian Sea, Edmond Lazarian and his best friend Tahereh pass their days playing together, drifting between the delights of beachcombing and the joys of the sherbet shop. Although Edmond is Armenian and Tahereh is the Muslim daughter of the school's janitor, they remain blissfully unaware of the disquiet that ripples the calm surface of their close-knit community.

But years later, when Edmond's daughter chooses to marry a Muslim, tension begins to build. Unable to continue ignoring the prejudices around him, Edmond is finally forced to make a choice, one that will haunt him for years to come.

For fans of Anne Tyler, The Space Between Us is a poignant, wistful story about belonging and otherness, pride and prejudice, and the pressures and family expectations that inform our decisions.

A tale of one family's inter-generational struggle with cultural identity and religious inhibition in contemporary Iran

About the Author

Zoya Pirzad is a renowned Iranian-Armenian writer and novelist. She has written two novels and three collections of short stories, all of which have enjoyed international success. Things We Left Unsaid has been awarded multiple prizes, including the prestigious Hooshang Golshiri award for Best Novel of the Year, and her most recent collection of stories, The Bitter Taste of Persimmon, won the prize for Best Foreign Book of 2009 in France. She grew up in Abadan, Iran, and now lives in Yerevan, Armenia.

Reviews

'A rising star of Iranian literature, Zoya Pirzad transcends the everyday with her luminous writing.'

* Elle *

'Rich in allusion and suggestion. The prize-winning Iranian-Armenian author is less concerned with a straightforward narrative as with the desire to encapsulate the important things which are left unsaid and undone. These are what haunt her story.'

* Daily Mail *

'Set in tension-filled Iran, Zoya Pirzad's novel explores the meaning of family and the consequences of choice through the life of Edmond, an Armenian man, and his daughter, who desires to marry a Muslim. Full of rich prose, this book tackles the deep questions of prejudice in the Middle East while showing the rich diversity of cultures in Iran.'

* World Literature Today *

'Moving.'

* Mother and Baby *



Book Information
ISBN 9781851689972
Author Zoya Pirzad
Format Hardback
Page Count 160
Imprint Oneworld Publications
Publisher Oneworld Publications
Dimensions(mm) 216mm * 135mm * 18mm