Official Review: Writing and Madness in a Time of Terror

[Fazzier]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Writing and Madness in a Time of Terror" by Afarin Majidi.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Writing and Madness in a Time of Terror is a gripping, intersectional feminist memoir written by Afarin Majidi. The story begins in the late 70s during the Iranian Revolution when conflicts emerged between the Shah and Khomeini supporters, two rival factions that existed in that era's Iranian government. This revolt later saw Khomeini overthrow the Shah, and the lives of all who were affiliated to the latter were at stake. One of the families is the Majidis, and just like the many others, they were forced to flee the country for their safety, and hopefully, a better tomorrow. They decided to immigrate to America, the Land of Opportunity, leaving behind everything that belonged to them– savings, livelihood, and connections, among other things they held dear. After landing in America, and despite all their challenges that were further aggravated by the language barrier, they hoped to start afresh and return to the kind of life they were having before the unexpected departure from their country. However, this was not going to be as smooth as then-six-year-old Afarin Majidi and her family would have wished.

I greatly enjoyed Writings and Madness in a Time of Terror and liked how well it was executed. Thanks to the author's wide exposure to the writing industry, it didn't take me long to realize her apparent writing prowess. Not only is this story deep and immersive, but it is also honest and transparent. The author aptly captures the challenges she went through such as dysfunctional family, misogyny, racial stereotypes, mental illnesses, and sexual abuse, among others. She also deeply captured her inner emotions, something that made me feel the emotional burden she was grappling with during that time. But that's not all. This book carries some subtle lessons, for instance, the importance of being present in your children's lives, as this normally has a great impact on who they grow to be. The author's execution prowess and the many life lessons contained in this memoir made me enjoy it from the beginning until the end.

My favorite aspect of this book was the author's unique writing style; the use of deadpan humor, which also formed a major part of her literary style. While they do not necessarily elicit laugh-out-loud moments from readers, as it is the case for most dry humor, they made me smile more often than not, besides keeping me engrossed throughout my reading as I devoured this exquisite personal story. Readers who like dry humor will not miss out on this attribute or take long before they notice it. They were also beautifully woven into the story, further enhancing my enjoyment of this, otherwise, poignant memoir.

All in all, I didn't find anything to dislike about this book. I believe it was professionally edited since I found just one minor error. Since the error was not distracting and couldn't influence my final rating, I'm glad to award Writing and Madness in a Time of Terror by Afarin Majidi 4 out of 4 stars.

This story demonstrates how one can defy odds and emerge victoriously. Therefore, I'm delighted to recommend it for fans of honest, inspirational stories and lovers of memoirs in general. On the other hand, the sexual content is just described in general terms, details left for readers to fill in (slightly erotic), and there are instances of non-borderline profanity. So, except for readers who may be affected by such, I can't find any other person who may consider skipping it.

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Writing and Madness in a Time of Terror
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[Vannaskivt]

This book sounds fascinating and the writing style sounds equally as interesting. Books on writing are always of interest to me, particularly those with some elements of true story woven in. Thanks for a fantastic review, I may just check this one out.

[Raluca_Mihaila]

I love an education book, and learning new things about Iran, while enjoying a deadpan humor writing style, seems so much interesting. Great job with the review!

[Damien333]

I am buying this for sure. I heard her professor did it. Some say it was because a book sale, others say psycho guy at work did it. I want to find out.