The Saffron Kitchen by Yasmin Crowther Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Saffron Kitchen
Book Review: Romantic and realistic
Summary: 5 Stars
I found this immigrant story very satisfying. Being the grandson of immigrants I had marvelled at my grandparent's dual lives. This novel tells the story of an immigrant who never can fully assimulate into London's society. Maryam (the heroine of the story) has fought for the right to make choices her whole life. This fight has not been without consequences, some dire. Now Maryam must chose between East and West, her living family and her dying heritage. A very difficult choice, one that will cause heartache no matter what. The story is a beautiful reminder that East and West, while different culturally, are both peopled by real human beings, with similar hopes and fears.
Book Review: Great Book
Summary: 5 Stars
I really enjoyed reading this book. It is a great Love story and also shows human tragedy. It is an interesting insight in another culture.
The characters seem alive. It is too bad her mother did not get back sooner to Ali. He seems very loveable.
Thank you Yasmin!
from Christine
Book Review: The Past Will Find You Anywhere.
Summary: 3 Stars
Though classified as fiction, most debut novels are based on personal experiences. This one appear to be such, like 'Dancing At the Harvest Moon.' Here, we have Mary returning to her past to reunite with her first love (of her youth). Like so many of us, we marry the wrong man, get stuck in an unhappy life with children, and finally go home to look for our old loves. She has a grown daughter, Sara, who visits her new-old life; she feels that her mother's unhappiness is caused by her bad background as a girl.
Mary discovers things about her dead father to explain his behavior toward her. I had such a father and was told that we couldn't get along because we were too much alike. He did his best to raise the baby of the family after the mother's death from cancer, but was over-protective and overbearing. Hers was a different situation altogether but just as traumatic. Mary, however, fell back on that difficult time while making her life decisions. She learned that timelessness of time makes a huge impact on personal lives and spirits. She hoped that, by going back to her first home, she might be able to dispel the demons of her early years. This is not easy and most times it is impractical to try to relive the past. People have different memories and none are the same. It is hurtful to be called a liar, when you certainly do remember something happening the way it did. This is interesting and a change from the ususal adolescent growing up. It will make a good followup.
Book Review: TheSaffron Kitchen
Summary: 4 Stars
I enjoyed this book. It shows another life-style and customs of another country (Iran). This is NOT a terrorist story. It is actually a love story and how an Iranian lady tries to assimilate into London's lifestyle. It is an interesting story of a mother/daughter relationship.Book Review: mid twentieth century clash of cultures
Summary: 4 Stars
In London, Iranian expatriate Maryam hits her nephew Saeed who lives with her and her husband Edward since his mother died. Saeed runs away to avoid a beating, but Maryam's pregnant daughter Sara chases him and then miscarries. While Sara despondently recuperates in the hospital, Maryam, feeling guilt, runs away to the village in Iran where as a child she spent the happiest moments of her life.
Maryam looks back to the moment everything changed for her. She and her two sisters enjoyed an upper class lifestyle due to their father being a General loyal to the newly installed Shah. Her sire hired a tutor Ali, whose teachings include Arnold's "Dover Beach", which led to the teen dreaming of far away places. However, her strict father catches her and Ali committing an unacceptable though innocent transgression; he throws her out. Maryam became a nurse, moved to Arnold's England, married kindhearted Edward, had a daughter while pining for her Ali, until she finally leaves behind those who cared about her.
This is a wonderful character driven mid twentieth century clash of cultures. Edward is a stiff upper lip Englishman who knows his wife will never return to him; Sara cannot comprehend her mother's soul searching yearning for what she lost three decades earlier; finally Maryam is enigmatic with her need to go home even though her memories are no longer there. Though her desires are not fully understandable as a longing is different than a doing, fans will appreciate this deep look at a woman pulled by two cultures.
Harriet Klausner