Not tattered, but well-loved.

The loose leaves, yellowing edges, and dogears are proof of all the times this book was held tightly - across cities and decades, as a gripping narrative unfolded across its pages.

One summer afternoon when I was 12, I found this book on our reading shelf. My mother had just finished reading it and set it beside a pile of books she had picked up for me to read over the holidays. The cover seemed to captivate me and the summary at the back seemed enticing, I decided to be naughty and read it despite it being seemingly "adult"

No sooner did I finish reading a paragraph than I realized that I needed a dictionary, I fetched the dictionary and continued to read without giving up. Later that evening my mother spotted me sitting at our dining table engrossed in the book, and instead of being cross she encouraged me to finish it - it was my first "big people book."

I read all day and night for three days straight until I finished the 500+ page tome with an ancient typeface that required me to do multiple double-takes while reading. I am so glad I did! To this day, it remains my favourite book - despite coming across better ones over the years. It is not the book alone but the memories of my first 'readers high' and the feeling of being so completely engrossed in an activity that nothing else mattered for a few days that makes it my number one. It was also enjoyed by my mother, sister, and aunt. Each of us read it in different decades and at different ages - bringing very unique perspectives to the table every time we discuss it.

The book is about an American woman named Betty and her time in a Khomeini-led Iran in the 80's. Her husband has a radical shift of personality and opinion that results in her devising an escape plan for herself and her Persian-American daughter, Mahtob. The people she meets, the food she comes to love, the cultural nuances, the ugly side of the era, the oppressive regime, and an unforgettable journey are the crux of the story. It takes hold of you and has you on the edge of your seat in the second half. Pomegranates, saffron, pilaf, lapis lazuli, Farsi, an Iran that was, an Iran that will be, and the mountains.

Not Without My Daughter

by Betty Mahmoody

5/5 stars.