Only this beautiful moment by Abdi Nazemian

Mahmoud Jafarzadeh (Moud) lives with his father in Los Angeles and is in a gay relationship with Shane Waters whose podcast, "Down with America?" hosts debates on current issues. Nothing risky or special for 17 year-olds in 2019 but when his dad Saeed tells him they are to travel to Iran as his grandfather is ill with cancer the boys have to adjust their social media communications as homosexuality is illegal in Iran. Confident, authoritative Shane has a lot to say about Iran but for Moud it is a chance to connect with family and culture missing in his life. The narrative shifts to Tehran in 1978 when Saeed was 17 and an engineering student. He risks everything to attend student protests against the brutal regime of the U.S. supported Shah. He sees a girl there, Shirin, and instantly falls in love, they meet up again at a nightclub but when the next student demonstration is violently crushed, Saeed is sent away by his father to the US for safety. The third thread of the narrative goes back to 1939 in Los Angeles where 17 year-old Bobby lives with his mother and stepfather Willie. They form the Reeves Trio performing in clubs and bars around Hollywood hoping Bobby’s good looks and talent will be noticed. When his mother gets him a screentest Bobby’s main worry is that he is passionately in love with his friend Vicente; homosexuality is illegal and would violate his contract. Three generations of this family suffer loss and experience injustice, corruption and poverty that is not confined to one country. Through family bonds, food, music and poetry father, son and grandfather work their way through their stories: “It is impossible to build a future when you don’t know the truth about your past” p176. Moud, Saeed and Bobby have to learn to live in the moment “not holding on to the past. Not consumed by the future” p328 and at the same time realise that love is built on time and trust. Using the three voices of similar aged boys Abdi Nazemian explores father son relationships and the importance of love and community. The beautiful descriptions of how Persian culture suffuses Iranian lives, especially the mouth-watering traditional foods and the quotes from poetry strongly contrast with life in Los Angeles. There are also some lessons about gay history and Iranian politics that help to reinforce the main messages of love, support and community. I did think that the character of Baba (Bobby) was amazingly spry for someone suffering from terminal cancer who was a teenager in 1949 and the ending was a bit contrived but by then I was willing to be in the moment and enjoy the book. Teacher's notes are available.

Themes: Belonging, Iran, Love, Family.

Sue Speck