The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali

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🦁 The Lion Women of Tehran — ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

Affiliate Link: Buy The Lion Women of Tehran on Amazon

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⚠️ Trigger Warnings

Sexual assault, rape, pregnancy loss, imprisonment, political violence, war.

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💬 Initial Thoughts

This was a wonderful, touching story about two lifelong friends and how their paths diverge under the weight of politics, class, and time. It’s also a fascinating way to learn about Iran’s complex history, especially through the lives of women navigating love, revolution, and survival.

That said — I’ll be honest — the book did drag a bit for me. 🫣 I think it’s not the book’s fault though… I’ve been binging historical fiction lately, and my brain might be waving a tiny white flag. Still, this was beautifully written and deeply moving.

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🚨 Spoiler Warning!

The full summary below includes major plot details and the ending.

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📖 Full Plot Summary

The Lion Women of Tehran (2024) by Marjan Kamali spans from 1950s Tehran to modern-day America, telling the story of Ellie and Homa — two girls who meet as children and form a powerful friendship that withstands distance, betrayal, guilt, and time.

Ellie grows up in privilege until her father dies, forcing her and her mother to move into her uncle’s modest home. There she meets Homa — spirited, outspoken, and from a humbler background. The girls become inseparable, dreaming together about their futures. Homa longs to be a shir zan (lion woman), someone who changes the world. Ellie just wants to belong.

But when Ellie’s mother remarries and relocates her, the girls lose touch — until fate brings them together again as teenagers. They reunite in high school, only now, class and politics divide them. Homa’s family has fallen from grace, and her father, a communist sympathizer, has been imprisoned. Ellie falls in love with a kind man named Mehrdad, while Homa becomes active in the student movement.

When Ellie’s jealousy leads her to accidentally betray Homa’s secret to a government informant, Homa is arrested, tortured, and raped in prison. Ellie’s guilt follows her for decades.

Years later, Ellie and Homa reconnect briefly before Ellie emigrates to the U.S. with Mehrdad. As revolution sweeps Iran, Homa’s hopes for freedom turn into despair under the new regime. Desperate to protect her daughter Bahar, she sends her to Ellie in America — a gesture of trust and forgiveness.

Decades later, Ellie finally confesses her role in Homa’s arrest. Instead of anger, Homa responds with compassion, revealing that she protected Ellie’s name under torture. It’s one of the most powerful moments in the book — an act of female forgiveness and courage that transcends everything they endured.

The novel ends with Homa’s granddaughter, Leily, celebrating her birthday in 2022 as protests erupt across Iran. On TV, they spot Homa — now an elderly woman — still marching in the streets, still roaring for freedom. 🕊️

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💭 Final Thoughts

Marjan Kamali has such a gift for blending personal stories with political history. You come for the friendship and emotion — and end up learning so much about Iran in the process.

This book is rich, emotional, and deeply human. It’s about guilt, forgiveness, and resilience — especially the kind only women seem capable of. Even when it dragged, I never stopped caring about Homa and Ellie.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
Beautifully written and quietly powerful. A story of love, friendship, and the roar of women who refuse to be silenced.

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📚 If You Liked This, Try…

• The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali — another touching, bittersweet story set in Iran.

• A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum — exploring culture, identity, and women’s voices.

• When the Moon Is Low by Nadia Hashimi — for fans of family, migration, and survival stories.