I have the hardest time coming up with a rating for Half a Cup of Sand and Sky. It wasn’t a depressing read but it was at the same time so sorrowful and reflective. So different than anything I have ever read. Amineh is a dreamer first and foremost. She has ambitions to write a book centered around her parents. She had to prolong that though after duty to her family took hold of her life.
Growing up in Iran she took pride in her homeland. Reading this you definitely get a much different view of the country than what most think of when they think of Iran. She grew up in a time of relative peace. The shah was still in power but big changes were coming. She was living right at the time of the shah’s overthrow and exile during the Iranian revolution.
One of the biggest changes in her life was Amineh’s marriage. She met, got engaged and married to Farazad all within a relatively short period of time. Even though it was expressed later that they did I always thought they married out of duty more so than love. While Farzad expressed his happiness for her writing career he always seemed indifferent to me.
He was so wrapped up in his job the highly secretive project to prevent Iran, India and after other countries from gaining nuclear weapons. The years went by and they fell into their respective roles. Farazad working while Amineh took care of their children and home. The one element I loved about them was Farzad was interested in her opinion and respected her. Where the story fell flat for me is Amineh seemed to have this prolonged sadness hanging over her.
She seemed to have many regrets and rather than act and make different decisions she acted out of duty rather than what she truly wanted. The political aspects of the story were fascinating. It definitely a story that leaves an impact.
Growing up in Iran she took pride in her homeland. Reading this you definitely get a much different view of the country than what most think of when they think of Iran. She grew up in a time of relative peace. The shah was still in power but big changes were coming. She was living right at the time of the shah’s overthrow and exile during the Iranian revolution.
One of the biggest changes in her life was Amineh’s marriage. She met, got engaged and married to Farazad all within a relatively short period of time. Even though it was expressed later that they did I always thought they married out of duty more so than love. While Farzad expressed his happiness for her writing career he always seemed indifferent to me.
He was so wrapped up in his job the highly secretive project to prevent Iran, India and after other countries from gaining nuclear weapons. The years went by and they fell into their respective roles. Farazad working while Amineh took care of their children and home. The one element I loved about them was Farzad was interested in her opinion and respected her. Where the story fell flat for me is Amineh seemed to have this prolonged sadness hanging over her.
She seemed to have many regrets and rather than act and make different decisions she acted out of duty rather than what she truly wanted. The political aspects of the story were fascinating. It definitely a story that leaves an impact.