Read This Book . . .

When it was first published in English back in 2018, Négar Djavadi’s Disoriental was nominated for many different awards for novels in translation. And for good reason! Tina Kover’s translation from the original French is incredible.

The story begins in a fertility clinic where we meet Kimia Sadr, an Iranian French woman who is waiting to see her doctor. As she waits, she recalls the history of her family in Iran, her father’s exile as a journalist, and their journey to seek asylum in France. In between scenes at the fertility clinic, we get to know Kimia through her family, starting with her great-grandfather, Montazemolmolk, who had a harem of wives, but loved Kimia’s grandmother above his other children.

Djavadi spins an incredible tale where we meet a cast of memorable characters set against the background of Iran’s tumultuous history in the 20th century. This novel represents the family saga genre at its best, with multiple characters sharing their own versions of the family’s history, giving us multiple perspectives on each character. And with each new generation, we learn a little more about Kimia’s present and what she has done with her life.

In addition to the novel’s fascinating characters, the structure of the novel uses a nonlinear structure to jump back and forth in time. With each jump, the novel cleverly gives us more pieces of the puzzle of Kimia’s family history. Midway through the novel, we meet Kimia in the present and learn the results of Kimia’s doctor’s visit and what her future plans are for her family.

This might be my favorite read of Women in Translation Month this year. If you’re looking for a stunning family saga in translation, you can’t go wrong with Disoriental by Négar Djavadi.