Tehrangeles

Ali Milani is an Iranian-American multimillionaire. He made his fortune by inventing a microwaveable pizza in ball form. Now Ali, his wife Homa, and their four daughters live in luxury. There’s Violet, the eldest, an aspiring model with a sugar addiction; Roxanna, the loud, attention-seeking, chaotic influencer; Mina, the quiet one who’s found solace in the anonymity of online stan culture; and Haylee, the youngest and an impressionable health fanatic. Now the Milanis have been approached to have their own reality TV show and most of the family is delighted. But they have their secrets and having their lives broadcast to the nation may just reveal them. And then the COVID pandemic hits.

I am a huge fan of reality television and when our head buyer, Alison, put this one in my hands, I couldn’t wait to devour it. I went into Tehrangeles expecting a satire of the Kardashians, but it was less about a frivolous family with too much money and privilege, and more a portrait of America; a story of identity. Homa wishes to return to Iran, Violet is trying to explore her Persian heritage, and Roxanna wishes she wasn’t Persian at all. Mina is fighting to hide her sexual identity, while Haylee is just desperate to be seen. I felt for every single one of them.

I still don’t think I’m quite ready to be reading about the pandemic. Give me another 20 years, please! But the Milani family suffering through the lockdowns made for a fascinating read. Through her characters, Porochista Khakpour shows many of the strange behaviours that manifested during the pandemic, from baking, conspiracy theories about 5G to super-spreader parties and binge eating, this family went through it all!

Tehrangeles is a satirical story of a chaotic family you’ll just love to hate! Perfect for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid and reality TV.