The King

July 28, 2014
The third novel from Iranian-born Dutch writer Abdolah to be published in English (after My Father’s Notebook) offers a gripping account of 19th-century Persia and the enigmatic king Shah Naser. Abdolah paints the shah’s 48-year reign, from 1848 to 1896, as a period of brutal repression, stubborn resistance to modernization, and luxury amid squalor. Cruel but weak Shah Naser is torn between the dueling influences of his reform-minded grand vizier and conniving traditionalist mother, Mahdolia. Forever anxious about any challenge to his authority, he executes his seven brothers after they rebel against him. However, even these external struggles for the throne cannot compare to the petty power games which constantly rage in the shah’s harem. Over the years, Persia tries to defend itself against invading Russians in the north, British forces in the south, and religious zealots and powerful political opponents like Jamal Khan. But while the police and army carry out ruthless reprisals against dissenters, the shah himself worries more about his daughter’s wedding and finding a suitable heir. The strength of this book lies in its vivid picture of a beleaguered society that refuses to look to the future, clings futilely to the past, and ignores modern innovations.

July 1, 2014

In the tradition of Persian storytelling, Iranian political exile Abdolah chronicles the life of Shah Naser, drawing on the real-life Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar, king of Persia, and his grand vizier, Amir Kabir. Nineteenth-century Persia is at a turning point, with the grand vizier arguing that the country must modernize and improve conditions for its people. The shah's mother, who wants no such thing, fears that the vizier has too much influence on her weak son and will fight to retain power at all costs. Pressured from the inside by his court and from the outside by Russia, France, and England, the young king struggles to keep his throne. Tellingly, he wants contemporary conveniences such as photography and electric lights in the harem quarters, but he cannot accept ideas such as democracy and the education of women. VERDICT Abdolah's novel is rich in Persian history and culture, with lavish descriptions of palace life, but the narrative style itself is unadorned, at times appearing naive and then sliding in something sinister. Especially satisfying for readers of historical fiction about foreign lands.--Gwen Vredevoogd, Marymount Univ. Libs., Arlington, VA

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