Book Update - The Blood of Flowers

The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani is the last book I chose to read for my Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

I chose this book because the setting was not the typical European setting that many historical fiction falls into. Instead, The Blood of Flowers takes place in 17th Century Persia (Iran).

The main heroine is a 14-year old girl in a small village. She is the only child of two loving parents. Her passion is rug making. But her world is soon shattered by the untimely death of her father. She travels with her mother to the large city of Isfahan to seek shelter and security with relatives. However, the relatives treat the pair more as servants than as family members.

The book is about the coming of age story of the 14-year old narrator who, while growing up, is forced to go through trials and tribulations to become a woman and be in charge of her own destiny.

I thought this book was such an interesting read. I loved the description of rug making, especially the afterward which explained how the author did research into the 17th Century period and trade of rug making. I was also fascinated by the Iranian custom of sigheh which is basically a form of a temporary marriage which under contract can last anywhere from an hour, a few months, or many years. A bit of this book reminded me of Sarah Dunant's The Birth of Venus which was about a girl with a passion for art who also goes through trials in a coming of age story.

Check out the author's website on the book and photos of Isfahan which along with her descriptions in the book make me really really want to visit that city.

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