A Veil of Roses

Last April, I had been given the chance to read a very special afro-Asian novel by my cousin who lives in Florida. She had read the book, which was either required by the school for a book report or just for leisure. As she handed down the book to me, I was very reluctant to read the first few pages because I was not a fan of afro-Asian books; they seemed very boring to me, speaking about only their traditions and of past experiences. This year, I had guessed that many readers would be interested in sci-fi and dystopian genres. I had to admit, I was one of those readers; the same typical bookworm I was to have been interested only in what the trend would be this year with books. However, I decided to give it a try, I promise you, it was worth reading.

Being under the influence of the Iranian government, A Veil of Roses by Laura Fitzgerald speaks of 27-year old Tamali Soroush, who was deprived of her rights as a woman, along with many other Iranians in her homeland: a country where borders are placed, boundaries are set, and freedom for oneself has never been an option. This is a country where our major character is placed in, and no longer wants to be a part of. On her 27th birthday, she is given the chance to retrieve what has once been hers: her freedom, her rights and her happiness as a woman.

From beginning to end, the book never disappointed me with its new secrets, adventures and romance. I had become very interested in reading it because it was unlike any other book I had read. It was different, new and somewhat of a change for me to read something beyond my own liking and taste. Furthermore, it had taught me to respect my own nationality. Like Tamali Soroush, I may dislike my country, but it is the place where I belong and came to grow up in.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading something new, especially Asians who love or even hate their own country. A book like this will keep you tearing through the pages and wanting to know what the end result will be. You will like the ending, but as far as the process of getting to the ending, I am unsure what the readers might feel. Like I said, it was beyond my taste of books. Yet in the end, I loved it.