The Saffron Kitchen

I’m on a kick reading novels about Iran, it seems.  I finished Yasmin Crowther’s The Saffron Kitchen, and I thought I’d share my ideas about it.  This is Crowther’s first novel.  She is the daughter of an Iranian mother and British father, just as her main character is, and I think that she brings a lot of authenticity to the page in terms of being of two different worlds.  The book I’m working on is a mother-daughter story, so I was especially interested to see how Crowther handled point of view in her novel.  Her choices, unfortunately, don’t always work.  In an interview, Crowther explains her moves from first to third person as she moves among Sara (the daughter) and Maryam (the mother), but until I read the interview (actually, even since I’ve read it) I didn’t quite understand why she made the pov shifts.  They distracted me from the story, which I thought was most powerful when Maryam, as first person narrator, tells about her childhood in Iran.  Near the end of the novel, when Maryam finally reveals to Sara the big secret that has colored her entire life, I was left wanting more.  Crowther shies away from the hard stuff, and in doing so, left me dissatisfied.  The impact that section might have had is deflated.  When her writing is good, it really shines, but it is inconsistent.  The story she has to tell is fascinating.  I can’t wait for a second book by Crowther, as I think the flawed writing will gain polish with experience.