ALA Booklist (Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

Fifteen-year-old Iranian Farrin lives with secrets. It is 1988, and Farrin's wealthy parents are conspiring to install the Shah's son to the throne. That is their secret; hers is even more dangerous. She is in love with Sadira, the new girl in school, who returns her feelings even though homosexuality is regarded as a crime punishable by death in Iran. When the Revolutionary Guard discovers them together, the girls are taken to prison and threatened with execution. How can they possibly survive? Though based on a true story, Ellis' version of it sometimes feels a bit melodramatic. Still, it is inarguably powerful, and readers will identify with the two star-crossed girls who are victims of what seems to be an inhumane government. In an appended author's note, Ellis chillingly reports that more than 4,000 lesbian and gay Iranians have been executed since 1979. A book study guide is included and will help encourage much needed discussion.

Horn Book (Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

In 1988 Iran, wealthy fifteen-year-old Farrin's burgeoning romance with new girl Sadira leads her to become more involved in the world around her, and eventually leads to the couple's discovery and persecution. Ellis skillfully introduces readers to the social and political backdrop, showing in troubling detail how fear, suspicion, and historical animosities fragment Farrin's world and limit her freedom.

Kirkus Reviews

In a novel based on a true story, two teen girls fall in love and face harsh political fallout in post-revolution Iran. Readers learn the basics of 1980s Iran's political situation from context and light exposition. Farrin's family is wealthy, and her mother hosts Bring Back the Shah teas and parties with illicit alcohol. Farrin's mother discourages her from making friends, out of both fear that Farrin will reveal her secrets and an almost cartoonishly exaggerated disdain for "low-class rabble." When Farrin meets Sadira, however, the two become fast friends, and their bond soon grows. Then, just after the war with Iraq has ended and the new regime is cracking down at home, an officious class monitor catches the two girls kissing and reports them. The consequences are both chilling and tragic. The author's hands-off approach means readers hear relatively few of Farrin's thoughts or feelings about having fallen in love with another girl. Nor are they given more than the bare minimum of tools to interpret the complex power dynamics of Farrin's relationship with Ahmad, the Afghan refugee who serves as her driver. However spare, though, the portrait painted of 1980s Iran's political climate—and in particular the situation of gay and lesbian people and political prisoners—is haunting. A harsh introduction to a disturbing moment in Iran's recent history. (Historical fiction. 14-18)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

-Her whole life was about living with lies,- writes Ellis (the Breadwinner series) of 15-year-old Farrin Kazemi-s situation in 1988 Tehran. At home, Farrin-s mother is secretly working to remove the Ayatollah Khomeini from power, while her father takes advantage of Afghan refugees in his construction business. At school, Farrin-s every act is scrutinized by an unforgiving principal and the vindictive class monitor. Farrin writes fantasy stories to escape her highly controlled life, and she finds another ray of hope in the friendship of musician and kindred spirit Sadira, who-s new at school. The girls become romantically involved, a crime punishable by death. Inspired by the life of an Iranian woman Ellis met (-This story is essentially hers,- she notes), the novel powerfully depicts lives pulled apart by outside forces and the warmth of falling in love. A firm grounding in Iranian history, along with the insight and empathy Ellis brings to the pain of those whose love is decreed to be immoral and unnatural, make this a smart, heartbreaking pairing with Sara Farizan-s recent If You Could Be Mine. Ages 14-up. (Apr.)

School Library Journal (Thu May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

Gr 9 Up-The daughter of wealthy Iranian parents, 15-year-old Farrin earns top scores at a prestigious school in 1988 Tehran. Her parents remain loyal to the ousted Shah, so Farrin knows the importance of keeping a low profile. One day, Farrin meets a new classmate, Sadira, who plays forbidden music on a prohibited instrument in a closet at school. Farrin and Sadira become fast friends who enjoy subversive literature and music despite the tough restrictions imposed by the Iranian government. Before long, Farrin and Sadira's friendship morphs into a romantic relationship, for which both girls could face death. Set during the reign of Ayatollah Khomeini, this title is based on real women who fell in love in a country where homosexuality is still against the law. Sparse and eloquently written, this short historical novel is both beautiful and heartbreaking. The subject matter and writing style will appeal most to older teens and adults who likely have a better understanding of the political history of Iran. Sadira and Farrin's relationship is believable, as is the girls' undying determination to stay together at all costs. While sexuality is important to the plot, the book is relatively tame, containing no profanity and nothing beyond hand-holding and a few kisses. A four-page Author's Note provides necessary historical background and insight into worldwide persecution of homosexuals today. Give this to fans of Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns (Riverhead, 2007) or Latifa's My Forbidden Face (Miramax, 2002). Leigh Collazo, Ed Willkie Middle School, Fort Worth, TX