This is definitely not a plot driven book, so it would not be for those in desiring a page turner. This is much more of an introspective piece, with the protagonist reflecting on an “affair” she had with a much older man as a teenager. It is 20 years later and she is now returning to the scene of the crime with her best friend. It’s an abandoned apartment owned by her father, and the deterioration that they must deal with and the dirt they must scrub away is symbolic of the protagonist grappling with her mixed feelings regarding the reality of the relationship that took place in that apartment. While she now calls it rape, she must also acknowledge that there was a passion she enjoyed at the time. But he stripped her of her agency, and she still struggles by the fact that she was abandoned by him just as she was her father.
As an undercurrent, there is also the fact that she is Iranian and that this has impacted her view of the world and, she believes, how others perceive her and treat her. Her brother was severely beaten in a racist attack, and this has had a profound impact on her perspective.
Overall, this is a well written book with some great insights and reflections. I just wouldn't recommend it for someone wanting a strong plot and tidy conclusion.
As an undercurrent, there is also the fact that she is Iranian and that this has impacted her view of the world and, she believes, how others perceive her and treat her. Her brother was severely beaten in a racist attack, and this has had a profound impact on her perspective.
Overall, this is a well written book with some great insights and reflections. I just wouldn't recommend it for someone wanting a strong plot and tidy conclusion.