There is a disconnect between the two times, a gulf of time and distance that holds treacherous dangers and mysteries. From the very beginning you notice this beautiful tension. Formatted with alternating chapters between the present and the past, a wonderful apprehension is created. One of the first things I noticed about this wonderful book was the format. Love is a private matter, and the vault of the heart is not to be opened lightly, nor the treasure of love exposed. Their summer months draw to a close and this blissful mood is broken as the secret police’s actions threaten the harmony of their group and begin actions that will have terrible consequences for them all. Betrothed to one of his friends, he must fight his feelings as they grow closer. The story follows our main protagonist, Pasha, an extremely honorable young man who is conflicted about his secret love for his neighbor. The back cover has a brilliant synopsis: “An unforgettable novel of young love and coming of age in a nation headed toward revolution”.

When grief strikes, we do whatever it takes to our bodies to wring relief from our wounded souls, without apology or regret. We bring solace to our hearts by displaying our emotions. Rooftops of Tehran was an absolutely beautiful book with a phenomenal protagonist, a heartbreaking story, and an exploration of our choice between doing what is allowed and what is right. They’re so much a part of the people who write them that they practically teach their readers invaluable lessons about life’ (18) Books are full of wonderful stories about this kind of stuff, and stories aren’t just fantasies, you know.

Rooftops of Tehran by Mahbod Seraji