Review: A Door Between Us by Ehsaneh Sadr

My thoughts

I wasn’t certain what to expect from this book. It wanders for a while, changing focus from humorous wedding-related shenanigans then to the crackdown on dissidents. It was hard to keep reading. But about halfway through the novel, the story found its focus with Azar and Saregh’s conflicts, and I enjoyed it.

Characters

The book uses multiple points of view, all in third person, though the main narrators are Sarah, Azar, and Saregh. At times the number of names was overwhelming until I figured out all the relationships between people. (It’s a bit like a family reunion!) The book gives us a list of characters at the beginning, which is helpful.

This is a diverse cast of characters. Government loyalists. Dissidents. Oblivious bystanders. Insiders, both knowledgeable and ignorant. Those who practice religion from a heart of belief, those who question and doubt religion, and those who exploit religion for their own self-gain. All human: flawed, frail, and beautiful.

Sadr shows the post-election events from multiple perspectives, slowly revealing the many facets of this culture and the events following the election. While certain characters may view other characters as “enemies”, I didn’t view any one as being completely right or wrong. They are all flawed, which makes them relatable.

Azar and Saregh

There was one character I had problems with: Azar

She is a central character, and I appreciated her views on women’s rights (or lack of) in this culture. She’s a hero for helping women get justice in a legal system that’s weighted against them.

Unfortunately, I found Azar tiresome and annoying, especially when she jumps to conclusions that are unfairly suspicious of others. (For example, she believes–with little evidence–that her long-time employee is spying on her and is involved with her brother’s arrest. There are other examples, too.)

Saregh, too, often jumps to conclusions about other people, often insisting that injustices must be “misunderstandings”. I found myself wondering if he was willfully blind or unintentionally ignorant. However, as the book continued, I found myself drawn to him. He wrestles with many of the major issues central to the story, and I always appreciate characters who grapple with complex moral ideas.

Minor characters

I enjoyed the minor characters far more than the major ones. Aunt Mehri, the matriarch of Sarah’s family, is a more complicated person than she initially appears. Her relationship with her children is fascinating. I especially enjoyed the parts about Ganjian, Sadegh’s former high school teacher, now his dear friend and a Basij leader. I wish the book went deeper into his character arc; there seems to be a great deal more to his story than the book explores.

Cultural description

I’m not Iranian, nor have I been to Iran. But I’ve known Iranian immigrants in America; Sadr’s representation of the country reflects my friends’ stories about their home country. The book felt accurate in its portrayal. (Of course, I can’t really vouch for the accuracy from a first hand perspective.) Sadr does a great job recreating the complex and sometimes contradictory aspects of Iranian culture.

The wedding scenes, in particular, are well-written and show the cultural traditions in sometimes humorous, sometimes serious ways. The descriptions of the food are mouth-watering! The emotions and family interactions felt genuine. Who hasn’t attended a wedding with a family in conflict?

The riot police crackdown on the protesters is frightening. I felt the bewilderment of onlookers and participants alike.

And the torture scenes will disturb anyone with a moral conscience. (Most of my reading is suspense/crime fiction, and I did not find the torture scenes to be excessively graphic by that genre’s standard.)

I particularly liked the background on the Iranian election, which I knew little about, and how Iranian leaders interpreted the U.S. support for the Green Movement. Sadr doesn’t take a side. Instead, she shows the multiple views of these events.

Moral issues

The book grapples with some weighty issues. Saregh, in particular, wrestles with questions about the justice system. Is it morally good? What happens if a bad person gains power within an otherwise good system? How do we recognize this corruption if it happens–and stop it before it harms others? If someone gives an unjust order, is it morally justice to disobey that order?

Some frustrations

My first frustration was the book was how much telling, rather than showing, occurred. It irritated me to be blatantly told–not shown–that a character feels fear, hatred, love, and so on. It felt unsubtle and unnuanced. For me, this type of telling spoiled the small interactions (and a few big, significant ones) between characters.

Another main frustration was the narrative flow. Many chapters open several days/weeks after the previous chapter’s events. (I have no problem with that provided it is handled well.) The scene starts. But it’s a “throwaway scene”: the character does some unimportant thing–drive a car, file papers, etc.–while remembering all the events between the two chapters. It gives the narrative a jerky start-stop feeling: hop forward, hop back, hop forward again. . . .

Recommended

Overall, this is a good book. There’s enough complexity here to make for a satisfying read. While I wouldn’t characterize this as a page-turner–especially compared with my usual reading–there are some breath-taking, heart-pounding moments towards the end and a gut-wrenching climax. The resolution is unexpected, but appropriate.

As I turned the last page, satisfaction spread through me. These characters will live on past that last page, different now than they were on page one. In my imagination, they live their lives much as I live mine and as all humans live their short lives: one breath at a time, knowing that each one is a gift to treasure.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.