The Septembers of Shiraz, by Dalia Sofer, 2007, HarperCollins

Iran, early 1980s, the Shah recently deposed.  Muslim terrorists have taken control of the country.

The author was a young girl at this time, and writes of the era she lived through.  The central characters are a family and Sofer tells of each family member’s unique experiences, giving the reader a realistic insight into the kinds of things that took place in the lives of real people.

Sofer’s writing is easy to follow and she draws the reader in so that you can hardly wait to find out what happens to each family member and you dread the worst and hope for the best.  She does not disappoint.

The reader comes out having learned about this time and place, and also a lot about the multifaceted sides of human nature.