From the Introduction: Back in the day, so my mother tells me, on the rare occasions when my father took her along to one of the cabarets of old Tehran, the tough guys-- the lutis-- the bosses, the knife brawlers, and the traditional wrestlers, would lay out their suits and jackets on the floor of the place for my mother to walk on. It was a gesture of supreme respect for one of their own.
This collection of fifteen short stories by Iranian authors may not always be easy to read, but that doesn't matter. What does matter is that Tehran Noir is not only a solid collection of crime stories, but it's also an illuminating depiction of day-to-day life in Iran complete with its religious, political, and racial tensions.
In Iran, the number thirteen is considered to be so unlucky that if that's your house number, it's shown as 12+1. Political tensions run so high that, if your loved one dies on the wrong side of the border, you can hire a "corpse fixer" to find the body and bring it to you for a proper burial. Afghans and Armenians are Iranians' choice for menial jobs, and the participants in a woman's stoning take photos with their cell phones in between sessions of rock throwing.
The stories also show us a bank robbery and what led to it; Qesas, the brutal "eye for an eye" of Islamic law; two men in love with the same woman; investigative reporters; and what mothers will do to protect their children.
This is a culture that's very different from my comfortable existence here in the United States. I enjoy the Akashic Noir series because I love crime fiction, and there are plenty of solid crime-fueled stories to be found here, but what I've also found to be true is that the series also provides a look into other cultures, other customs, other points of view. This added insight is worth its weight in gold, above and beyond the talent shown in the collected short stories.
Wow, Cathy, this sounds really interesting. It's a glimpse into a way of life that I know little about, and it sounds like the stories are generally of high quality, too (You don't always get that with a collection). And I do like taking a 'short story break' from novels sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI never used to read short stories once I was out of school, but in the past few years, I've really come to appreciate them.
DeleteI like the idea of learning more about other cultures, and these stories sound like the would give a great deal of insight.
ReplyDeleteThey really do give a lot of insight.
DeleteSounds like a fascinating read. It is not often you find a book taking place in Iran, so this sounds like a great way to learn more about that country.
ReplyDeleteIt is a good way to learn, Gretchen.
DeleteI love learning about other countries through crime fiction. I don't know if I'll read about this one, but I plan on reading other collections. I have to remind myself.
ReplyDeleteI used to snap up the Akashic collections like grabbing handfuls of Hershey's Kisses, but now I've gotten to the point where I'm being more selective about where they're set. There are so many of them!
DeleteAnd so glad your Elly Griffiths' book came in. I must order it from Amazon UK.
ReplyDeleteAnd now that I'm finished responding to comments, I'm headed right for The Locked Room!
DeleteBeware: Don't get locked in that room with a bowl of Hershey's Kissses. I know what I'd be doing if that happened to me. There would be silver wrappers all around, leaving the clues to my chocolate addiction.
DeleteNo, my trail mix left no evidence.
DeleteThough I'm not usually fond of short stories, the cultural details you mention definitely have more pull, so I'm likely to check this one out.
ReplyDeleteYes, you and I both have a curiosity about the world.
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