Persian Brides: A Novel / by Dorit Rabinyan ; Translated from the Hebrew by Yael Lotan.

From a distinctive and powerful new voice, here is a novel of rare beauty and extraordinary accomplishment. Set at the turn of the century in the fictional Persian village of Omerijan, Persian Brides tells the magical story of two young girls–Flora and Nazie Ratoryan–and their many neighbors in the almond tree alley in Omerijan where they live. Fifteen-years-old, pregnant, and recently abandoned by her cloth-merchant husband, Flora longs desperately for the return of her unborn baby’s father. Nazie consoles and pities her, and though she is still only a child of eleven, she yearns–just as desperately–for her own future marriage. Although the narrative spans only two days, it branches out and back, encompassing the lives and histories of many of Omerijan’s inhabitants. A blend of fantasy and reality, the narrative forcefully conveys shocking cruelties endured by many of the characters while at the same time weaving a modern-day Arabic legend where snakes offer jewels in exchange for milk and death is thwarted by appeasing the village demons. Written with passion and elegance, Persian Brides brings a rich array of characters to life - telling of their hardships without ever losing the magic and wonder that is so much a part of the lives.