Best Arab & Middle Eastern Biographies Reviewed By BookViral

"A haunting portrayal of grief and the poverty"

Arab & Middle Eastern Biographies

Recommend  for the coveted BookViral Crimson Quill. To make your recommendation simply click on the award badge below..…. 

  • Publisher: ‎ Seyedeh Fashandi (June 1, 2022)
  • Language: ‎ English
  • Paperback: ‎ 294 pages
  • ISBN-10: ‎ 1737581469
  • ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1737581468
  • Genre:  Arab & Middle Eastern Biographies

The BookViral Review:

In this beautifully written and insightful personal account, Sara Fashandi leads us through the childhood and the coming of age of her older brother, Mohsen.

Chapter by chapter, we follow Mohsen as he grows up in Tehran, with all the trials and challenges of living in a poor neighbourhood where riches amount to a full belly and a family’s love. Fashandi’ s family members and neighbours spring to life under her narrative, as does the setting, all under the watchful eyes of her story’s protagonist, as his relationship with both joyful and tragic events take centre stage in her writing. Her attention to detail is faultless as her clear sequence of events takes us chronologically through Mohsen’s tender years.

With just the right amount of tension, ‘Message in a Matchbox’ is not introspective, but rather draws the reader within its circle, with just the right balance of tension, excitement and cultural interest. Despite this being the memoir set in a place alien to many, Fashandi’s sensory descriptions create a world in which her reader can move, with her consistently dramatic and entertaining story arc maintaining a lively and stimulating pace.

She forces us to think about the reality of existence for those who must work tirelessly for every small success, and we cannot fail to admire the tenacity of Mohsen as he battles on resourcefully through many challenges. This honest account exposes the vulnerabilities of Mohsen, his family, and peripheral characters, conveying relatable and relevant emotions in the portrayal of the innermost feelings of Mohsen, creating authenticity and intimacy with the reader.

Through her all-encompassing macro-narrative, Fashandi’s haunting portrayal of grief and the poverty-stricken community evokes such emotion that makes it hard to forget this book long after its conclusion. It is unreservedly recommended.

Recommended Book Reviews
In The BookViral Spotlight

Urban Fantasy Romance

Urban Fantasy Romance

Smart, suspenseful and satisfyingly unpredictable Forever Ends proves a genuine treasure of a read. Comfortably managing to avoid the genre’s many syrupy pitfalls to give us a story that quickly morphs in the imagination.

Read More »

Author Publishing Tips & Recommended Book Reviews

prejudice and racism in literature and fiction
Author Blogs
Editorial Team

Authors writing about prejudice and racism in literature

Whilst the issues of prejudice and discrimination are multi-faceted and complicated beyond belief, a key moment for me was the day I picked up ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. Harper Lee implicitly drilled down the relative unfairness of human existence into my 12-year-old brain, creating a sense of outrage that has stayed with me throughout my life.

Read More »

Book Reviews That Readers Trust.

From humble beginnings in 2002 as a book review club BookViral has grown to become the first choice in book reviews for authors around the world and one of the biggest book review sites on the web. BookViral reaches millions of potential readers through best practice SEO and a trusted social media presence ensuring readers get unbiased, critical recommendations they can trust. 

BookViral also offers a full suite of author services, including, book editing services for unpublished and self-published authors, website design and bespoke SEO that help authors get discovered by more potential readers as well as industry influencers, such as publishers, agents and film executives. 

© Copyright 2019 BookViral Reviews. All Rights Reserved.