From the Publisher
Praise for Disoriental
"Like the best kind of fable, it is a tale of the solace and constriction of tradition and the magic and danger of reinvention.”— The Times Literary Supplement
“In her remarkable novel, 'Disoriental,' Negar Djavadi. . . beautifully captures the 'disorientation' of exile and the attempt to reconstruct a self through family stories."—Dalia Sofer, The New York Times
“Tina Kover’s translation from French is lively and complex, with Négar Djavadi’s rich, elegant sentences shining through.”— Vox
Another award-winner is Négar Djavadi’s debut, Disoriental , translated by Tina Kover. A multigenerational epic of the Sadr family’s life in Iran and their eventual exile, as told by former punk Kimiâ Sadr as she sits in a Paris fertility clinic, this one is full of surprises. Where initially Disoriental seems focused on Kamiâ’s father and his pro-democracy activism – first against the Shah, then the Ayatollah Khomeini – this is truly Kimiâ’s story of disorientation – national, familial and sexual – and finding herself again.— The Globe and Mail
“There's certainly enough of interest and appeal here, and there are some creative touches to the presentation, right down to the use of a few footnotes . . . and the glimpse of pre- and then revolutionary Iran and Iranian culture is quite interesting.”— The Complete Review
“The family currently lives in France and Disoriental ’s message is particularly poignant, and relevant, in today’s political climate, when refugees are not freely welcome in many Western countries. . . With beautiful prose by Djavadi (and skillful translation from the original French by Tina Kover), and Kimia’s biting wit, readers will be entranced by the Sadr family lore.”— The Furious Gazelle
“[Djavadi] masterfully takes her reader through multiple parallel journeys in time and space.”— The Los Angeles Review of Books
“In a tour de force of storytelling, screenwriter and debut novelist Djavadi deftly weaves together the history of 20th-century Iran [...] with the spellbinding chronicle of her own ancestors. [...] [T]his enchanting novel, well translated and with surprises and delights on every page, perfectly blends historical fact with contemporary themes.”— Library Journal
“Authentic, ambitious, richly layered, and very readable, [...] every scene [of Disoriental ] rings true.”— Kirkus
“What is obvious from the beginning of this riveting novel is that Djavadi is an immensely gifted storyteller, and Kimiâ's tale is especially compelling.”— Booklist (Starred Review)
“ Disoriental is a rich, irreverent, kaleidoscopic novel of real originality and power. I’ve never read anything quite like it.”—Alexander Maksik, author of You Deserve Nothing
“Djavadi’s momentous first novel [...] convincingly and powerfully explores the enormous weight of one’s family and culture on individual identity, especially the exile’s.”— Publishers Weekly
“Djavadi here offers an account of an Iranian family, thought revolutions, relationships, and diaspora, and she does so with a voice remarkably open to humor, warmth, and love. The prose is at once chaotic and precise, charismatic and familiar. Disoriental is a wonder and a pleasure to read.”—Rivka Galchen, author of Atmospheric Disturbances
“ Disoriental is epic in scope and yet deeply, even intimately, personal–the novel blows up any lines between the personal and the political, intertwining generations of inherited family stories in a way that doesn't just bring history to life (though it does that as well), it shows the lingering and often cruel effects seemingly disembodied historical forces can cast on an individual like Kimiâ Sadr. And amidst a story that could not be more topical—encompassing political upheaval and emigration, gender and sexuality—Djavadi's reluctantly worldly-wise narrator casually lays bare devastating truths about society and human nature. Stunning.”—Tim Mohr, author of Burning Down the Haus
“By turns heartbreaking and humorous, Negar Djavadi takes us on a whirlwind journey through Iran's modern history, vividly capturing the pain of exile with passion and heart.”—Saleem Haddad, author of Guapa
“ Disoriental is a novel that will take your breath away, a lovely hymn to the freedom to live, to think, and to love.” — France Inter
“Emotion, comedy, fever, and drama.”— Elle
“If the history of Iran had to be contained in a book, set in motion and shaken by its revolutions, it would give you Disoriental...astonishing, disorderly, extraordinary, and enjoyable.” — Le Devoir
“Constructed like a vinyl record, with its epic and novelistic A-side and its ‘awkward little sister,’ the personal and political B-side, Disoriental has many enticing tracks. These include its narrative strength, held up by the consummate art of digression, changes in tone and rhythm, and the richness of its themes, as well as the precision of the critical eye that it points most notably at French society.” — Le Monde des livres
“An incredible story...that leaves the reader dumbstruck, intensely and emotionally thrown off course.” — ActuaLitté
“An ample political, historical, and intimate fresco, Disoriental appeals to readers with its freedom, its power, its breath, its language, and offers brilliant reflections on exile and identity. Impressive!” — Le Carnet à spirales
“Magnificent.” — Le Soir
“An enchanting writer.” — Canal +
Bookseller Blurbs
“PHENOMENAL! Insightful and compelling...Djavadi takes on huge social topics such as immigration, homosexuality, politics and culture and distills those issues into the personal experience of one girl, who is so genuine and endearing that one can’t help but come to understand and have compassion for what she and her family endured. This story is one that needs to be read!”—Stephanie Crowe, Page & Palette Bookstore
“A master storyteller, Djavadi unravels Kimiâ Sadr’s origin with family lore that has been passed down for generations, beginning with her Persian great grandfather in 1896. Each thread of the family’s story builds the foundation for their harrowing escape to France during the Iranian Revolution. This book is a triumph and humanizes the history of a culture that many have ignored.” —Rachel Watkins, Avid Bookshop
Kirkus Reviews
2018-02-06
French-Iranian screenwriter Djavadi blends the fates of individuals and families with the history of modern Iran in this award-winning debut novel about exile, integration, and the human cost of political opposition.Narrated by Kimiâ Sadr, youngest daughter in a family of intellectuals and political dissidents, the narrative jumps from a contemporary fertility clinic in Paris to her childhood in Iran. "I'm the granddaughter of a woman born in a harem," she explains, recounting the dramatic birth, during a windstorm, of blue-eyed Nour, who later bears six sons in an arranged marriage, reads Dostoevsky, eventually leaves her husband, and dies the day Kimiâ is born. History, both familial and national, swirls across every page. Djavadi works hard to keep the reader oriented within the welter of stories and characters: "Just be patient a little bit longer, dear Reader." "Since we can, let's jump on a literary magic carpet and zip through time and space." Well-placed footnotes help, the tone often gently mocking. Though there's plenty of tragedy here, there's humor as well. "Life is such that, even in the darkest depths of the drama, there is always still a little room left for the absurd." One of the narrator's recurring frustrations, which Djavadi conveys bitingly well, is Western ignorance about Iran. Woven into the gripping depictions of political unrest, family crises, national upheaval, and personal secrets is an excellent primer on the history of modern Iran. Djavadi knows her material cold and every scene rings true, from the bombing of the family's Tehran apartment by the secret police, to an escape across the mountains of Kurdistan on horseback to their reception at the French Embassy in Istanbul. Most affecting of all is her hard-won understanding of exile: "To really integrate into a culture...you have to disintegrate first." It is through the tales of her family that the narrator survives. Of her forebears Kimiâ says, "After so much time and distance, it's not their world that flows in my veins anymore, or their languages or traditions or beliefs, or even their fears, but their stories."Authentic, ambitious, richly layered, and very readable.
