The Good Daughter: My Mother's Hidden Life

(Paperback)

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Description

A poignant and beautifully written story of three generations of Iranian women 'With this one word, Lili had finally understood many things- that no matter what she promised or sacrificed or gave, she would always be 'broken' to her daughter.' When Jasmin Darznik finds a photo among her father's possessions shortly after his death, she recognises the child in the veil and bride's clothes as her mother, Lili, but the groom is unfamiliar. Who had her mother married all those years before A few months later Lili sends Jasmin ten cassette tapes which reveal the secret history of their family- the true story of the abusive man she married, and the daughter she was forced to leave behind. This is an unforgettable story of secrets, betrayal and exile, and of an unshakeable mother-daughter bond.

Reviews

Truly mesmerising * Scotland on Sunday *
A beautifully recounted homage to her mother's life and struggles. * Booklist *
Richly detailed ... An eye-opening account that disturbs with its depiction of women in Iranian society, but warms the heart in its portrayal of their gritty endurance. * Kirkus *
Deeply affecting...How can you not feel for these women Once you read this book, you will see Iran and Iranians with new eyes. A brilliant debut. -- Anita Amirrezvani, author of The Blood of Flowers
'an astonishing tale of two cultures miles apart yet inextricably linked through the daughter or a woman who had the courage to stand up and be counted.' * Resident *

Author Bio

Born in Tehran to an Iranian mother and German father, Jasmin Darznik is an award-winning writer whose essays, short stories, and book reviews have been featured in the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Women's Review of Books and other publications.Her writing is shaped by her experience as a former attorney specializing in immigration and family law as well as her current scholarship in Iranian-American literature. A doctoral candidate in English Literature at Princeton University, she has been the recipient of a University Fellowship, and has written extensively on literature by Middle Eastern women in exile.