Persian Brides

Set at the turn of the century in the fictional Persian village of Omerijan, Persian Brides tells the magical story of two young girls – Flora and Nazie Ratoryan – and their many neighbors in the almond tree lined alley in Omerijan where they live. Fifteen-years-old, pregnant, and recently abandoned by her cloth-merchant husband, Flora longs desperately for the return of her unborn baby`s father. Nazie consoles and pities her, and although she is only a child of eleven, she yearns – just as desperately – for her own future marriage. Although the narrative spans only two days, it branches out and back, encompassing the lives and histories of many of Omerijan`s inhabitants. A blend of fantasy and reality, the narrative forcefully conveys shocking cruelties endured by many of the characters while at the same time weaving a modern-day Arabic legend where snakes offer jewels in exchange for milk, and death is thwarted by appeasing the village demons.