Cracked Pomegranate

By Fae Bidgoli

Take a journey into the life of two thirteen-year-old girls, born in different eras, in the rural village of Abadi, Iran. At thirteen, Fati was married and looking forward to being a wife and mother.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1587901226
• ISBN13: 9781587901225
• Release Date: July 2005
• Publisher: Regent Press
• Length: 287 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

The Hardships of Growing up in Iran

Cracked Pomegranate - Author: Fae Bidgoli Regent Press 2006 ISBN #1-58790-122-6 This is a first novel by author Fae Bidgoli. It is semi-autobiographical, and very much a "coming of age" story. It is also a compelling story of how women relate to each other, and how the generations connect. While the setting is far from anything that most of us could comprehend (Bidgoli was born in rural Iran, and raised in Iran), the writing is so very well done that we are caught up in the emotions of the times, and are gifted with a very clear picture of the people, the environment, and the times. The story revolves around two thirteen year old girls both born in the rural village of Abadi, although a generation apart. One marries, and is looking forward to a very happy life, only to endure a traumatic rape attempt, be accused of adultery by the leading religious leader in Abadi, and ordered to face death by stoning. Thirty years later we enter the life of the second girl, about to turn thirteen years old - a time when her schooling will stop and a marriage arranged. This is also the story of two brothers - leaders, one in the rural village of Abadi, and one in the big city of Tehran. Each brother carries the same hopes, dreams, and goals. One brother lives within the culture of the "old" Muslim ways, one within the culture of the evolving Muslim world. The pomegranate is both literal and symbolic in this book - literal, in that Mina, the primary character, does not know her exact birth date. She times her birthday by the ripening of the pomegranates. On another level, the pomegranate is an esoteric symbol for the feminine, and for fertility. © February 2006

Dr Ayshe Talay-Ongan, Psychologist

The truth and honesty in this sparkling novel, the simplicity and the eloquance of the author's language, and the depth of the images and insights are akin to an impressionistic painting...I sincerely hope that we'll see more from Ms Bidgoli's pen.