I was gifted this book some years back when I was an ’only-magazines’ teenager and hardly into reading. My curiosity for reading the book was simply because it was set in Iran and since I grew up in an Arab country, I was aware of the male-dominated, horrible life led by women in Iran. It is an old book but yet a moving story of a woman’s fortitude, courage and faith.
American Betty Mahmoody and 4yr old daughter, Mahtob accompany her husband Sayyed Mahmoody, a Westernized Shiite Moslem to his native Iran for a two-week vacation. Towards the end of their visit, Betty is informed by her husband that they will not be returning to the USA and neither will she be allowed to leave. At that time Iran was undergoing a Revolution. She discovers a land where women are near-slaves and Americans are despised. She had to get out of Iran alongwith her daughter.
In this book, Mrs. Mahmoody tells of her two years in Iran and her eventual escape with Mahtob across Iran’s mountainous border to Turkey. Her narrative provides disturbing glimpses into the situation of women in the Iranian society where they have to cover themselves with the black chaddor and have many dont’s rather than do’s. The book didn’t leave out vivid descriptions of the constant surroundings both in and on the way out of Tehran. It is written with such detail that it was easy to read and truely understand what she went through. I felt saddenes and anger, I would have never thought a book could be so real and true. Betty’s courage was unbelievable.
She taught me to believe, and if you do, it will happen. Just like what her dad had said to her, ’Where there’s a will, there’s a way.’...