I mentioned The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani a few months ago in a general review about audio books. This is the first book that I have listened to that I’ve wanted to read as well. I had to find out if the printed word did the story equal justice as the spoken word. Happily, I was not disappointed.

The story takes place around 1620 in Iran and is told by a young, un-named, girl in her teens. She lives happily as an only child in a small village with her parents. She dreams of the day she’ll be married with her own family. Right away, we learn that this girl loves weaving carpets and has been creating her own designs and colors since a very young age.
Unfortunately, tragedy strikes. The girl and her mother are suddenly left without the male of their happy household. Without any relatives in their village, mother and daughter are forced to make the journey to her father’s half-brother’s home in the capital city of Isfahan. Upon entering the city, they can not believe their eyes:
As we walked into the square, I noticed that most of the buildings were tiled in the purest colors of sun and sky. The dome of the Friday mosque looked all turquoise from afar, but up closer I could see it was enlivened with swirling vines in yellow and white. Garlands of white and turquoise blossomed on the dome of the Shah’s lemon-colored mosque. The arched gateways to the mosques sprouted a profusion of tiled white flowers that looked like stars sparkling in the blue of twighlight. Every surface of every building glittered with ornament. It was as if a master goldsmith had selected yellow topaz, and the purest of diamonds, and arranged them into an infinity of shimmering patterns that radiated color and light.
They believe their luck has changed when they find their uncle who is a famous carpet maker for the Shah. The uncle’s wife however, isn’t so thrilled to have two extra mouths to feed and puts them to work immediately as new servants in her home. Mother and daughter are thankful to have at least shelter and food.
The uncle finds himself torn as the girl wishes to learn all she can about carpet making. She reminds him of himself when he was young, but she is a girl and therefore forbidden from this sort of work. Little by little, he gives in and allows her to help him with the designs and construction. Again, she feels her luck has changed twice when one wealthy man commissions a carpet where her design is chosen and one of the shah’s women commissions her work.
Unfortunately, life in 17th century Iran was not easy for a young strong-willed girl and her luck changes again for the worst. After a few unfortunate incidences she is encouraged by the uncle’s wife to enter into a temporary “sigeh” with a wealthy man. This is a renewable marriage contract for three months at a time during which she will visit her ‘husband’ at night when he calls for her. She and her mother are given a reasonable sum of money for this sigeh but it ruins her chances of finding a proper husband.
I can’t divulge the turn of events which ultimately force daughter and mother to leave the uncle’s home. They find themselves begging and almost dying in the streets, until the girl is able to begin carpet making again. She proves to everyone that although she prayed and always gave thanks to Allah for her good fortunes, she ultimately was in charge of her own fate.
The Blood of Flowers is one book that I will keep on my shelf forever and re-read many times. Ms. Amirrezvani brings to us the most colorful and beautiful book I have ever listened to or read. The entire story is filled with descriptions like this:
Although my pattern was based on leaves, the long, tapered shapes that crisscrossed the rug also looked like feathers. They made me think of the lightness of birds and the coolness of wind.
In many cases, flowery words like this would seem almost corny, but in The Blood of Flowers, Ms. Amirrezvani’s detailed analogies work extremely well. In addition to her colorful descriptions, we are exposed to many Persian words. I have studied several languages and Persian is one of the most lyrical and beautiful languages I have ever heard, which adds even more beauty to this story.
The love between the mother and daughter also touches my heart. The mother refers to her daughter throughout the story as “joy of my joys” “light of my heart” and “daughter whose face I love” among many others. This emotion from mother to daughter is expressed so clearly throughout the story that I have begun using these loving phrases with my daughter.
At the heart of the beautiful writing and colorful images we read an inspiring story of an amazingly strong girl. She is sassy, independent and opinionated, definitely not the type of a girl that her culture would embrace. While she is excited and worried about finding a husband throughout the story, survival becomes her main goal and she thinks independently and without fear to make the best possible life for her mother, herself and the other women she encounters.
After being thrown out of the house from her “real” blood related kin, and during her struggle to survive in the slums, she befriends another woman and her family. One night she surveys the scene and concludes:
Even though we weren’t family, Alekeh and Davood behaved if we were. Although we crowded them terribly, they had never told us we were not welcome. They shared everything they had and praised us for everything we gave. This, was truly my family, for they loved us and helped us through difficulties without complaint.
I emailed Ms. Amirrezvani to find out if another book would be coming out soon. She replied that she is halfway through her next novel and that, “Life is short and art is long!” Since The Blood of Flowers took nine years, I may have a few years to wait. That’s ok, when it is released I will be first in line to grab this one.