The Bottom Line
Anita Amirrezvani's debut novel, The Blood of Flowers, tells the story of a young woman in 17th-century Iran with a passion for knotting rugs. Her life is thrown into an uproar when her father dies, and she and her mother must depend on the kindness of wealthy relatives and hope that the young woman finds a wealthy husband. The Blood of Flowers is superbly written and a moving story, sure to entrance readers.
Pros
- Amirrezvani describes an exotic land down to the last details.
- The Blood of Flowers is interspersed with folk stories that are woven into the main narrative.
- The story of the young woman, who endures a temporary marriage, is erotic without being tawdry.
Cons
- The sexual passages make this inappropriate for young readers.
Description
- The unnamed narrator is a young woman who learns rug weaving from her father, who dies suddenly.
- She and her mother move to the city and live with wealthy but resentful relatives.
- A three-month marriage contract to a wealthy horseman is degrading, but her only option
Guide Review - The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani - Book Review
Anita Amirrezvani was inspired to write her first novel, The Blood of Flowers, by a Persian carpet her father gave her when she was a teenager. She imagined the life of the carpet maker, and crafted the tale of a young woman in 17th-century Iran. She has a passion for rug making when she grows up in her small village, but when her father suddenly dies, she and her mother move to the city to live with a wealthy relative who works in the Shah's carpet-making workshop.
The carpets are a primary theme of The Blood of Flowers -- the title refers to dyes that come from flowers -- but stories play a major role as well. The narrator's mother is known for her storytelling abilities, and Amirrezvani weaves those stories into the narrative.
The Blood of Flowers is lush and lyrically written, a historical novel that transports the reader to ancient Iran. It's also an engrossing read, and doesn't aim to educate with historical details, but rather to entertain. And Amirrezvani succeeds at this admirably; The Blood of Flowers is fantastic.
