Stuff
Product Details
Washington Square Press, February 2000
Trade Paperback, 400 pages
ISBN-10: 0671042831
ISBN-13: 9780671042837
Description
When she is five years old, Lili, the narrator of this epic and magical tale, watches her mother, Roxanna the Angel, throw herself off the balcony of their house on the Avenue of Faith. Roxanna has left no farewell, no explanation. Her family's subsequent search for her reveals no body. no sign of a fall, no trace of an escape. The only witness to Roxanna's disappearance, Lili will spend the next thirteen years looking for her mother, wondering if she is alive, wondering why she left.
This is the remarkable tale that follows Roxanna, born as a "bad-luck child" in the Jewish ghetto of Tehran, through the opulent world of Iran's aristocracy, into the whorehouses of Turkey and at last, to Los Angeles -- the city of exiles -- where she and Lili arc reunited. Gina B. Nahai tells the story of a courageous circle of women standing on the edge of the past, reshaping their lives in America, the land of chances and choices.
The Boston Globe Beautiful, exotic, and rich....We jump on the magic carpet, soar above the Avenue of Faith, satisfied to let this gifted storyteller weave her spell.
Los Angeles Times Entrancing...A voice that never loses its poise, that balances cynicism with hope, warmth Willi satire, hte heavy ballast of life Willi the exhilaration of being borne aloft.
The New York Times Book Review A skilled and inventive writer, Nahai demonstrates that even the darkest magic cannot defeat the extraordinary powers of love.
The New York Times Book Review A considerable talent. Nahai has achieved some wonderful effects, infusing everyday events with miraculous radiance.
The Boston Globe A testament to the power and beauty of Gina Nahai's writing and the world she so brilliantly illuminates.
The Plain Dealer (Cleveland) A novel of stunning beauty and power....A supreme accomplishment. The magical realism so perfectly wrought by García Márquez has rarely been equaled, perhaps only by Toni Morrison in Song of Solomon and here in Nahai's novel.
The Orlando Sentinel A multigenerational story as intricate and richly hued as a Persian carpet. As she revealed in Cry of the Peacock, Nahai possesses an array of talents, all of which glitter in Moonlight on the Avenue of Faith. Nahai's writing recalls that of Gabriel García Márquez and Amy Tan, yet her prose bears its own stamp of inventiveness and vivacity...A modern-day Scheherazade.
Portland Oregonian A sprawling tapestry of a novel....Clear testimony to her skill as a storyteller, Gina B. Nahai works in elegant contrasts, the spellbinding extremes of the best of the magical realist tradition, conjuring a story that glows as if lit by a subtle, internal fire.
The Dallas Morning News A nice addition to the canon of magic realism....Ms. Nahai's lyrical command of her words carries through consistently. The book's effectiveness deepens into a powerful and surprising final chapter.
The Toronto Star Lyrical, beautiful....A languid, steamy read.
The Virginian PilotAbsorbing....Through the power of Nahai's language, the past becomes present....This book is not a fairytale, not a poem, not a mystery story. Like moonlight, it is a little of each. So the Avenue of Faith is not just the novel's setting, but also the mindset that informs its characters and readers.
Baltimore Jewish TimesMoonlight on the Avenue of Faith paves the way for Ms. Nahai to claim her place among other cultural women writers such as Amy Tan and Toni Morrison. Readers will not only gain some insight into a new people, but will also discover a storyteller who captivates an audience.
Publishers WeeklySpellbinding....Marvelously compelling.
Library Journal (starred review)A heady, sprawling tale of women, family, and country...this novel is both mesmerizing and difficult in its portrayal of what to most Western readers will seem a hard, exotic society. Weaving together an impressive cast of characters and stories...this unique mother-daughter story unfolds powerfully and unforgettably. Highly recommended.
Pat Holtof the San Francisco Chronicle and Holt-on-lineBeautifully written....A lush, absorbing novel.
Beverly Hills CourierOne of the truly gifted writers....Moonlight on the Avenue of Faith lives up to and beyond expectations.
The Commercial Appeal (Memphis)The author has created a truly lush novel....She appears to have mastered the craft of sensuous, magical realism. It is easy to get lost in the book and live in the Jewish ghetto of Tehran....And even though one knows that the Iranian women in this story are not women of privilege, or even possessed of the most basic freedoms, they are strong and resilient in a non-melodramatic way. Their personalities are believable, their lives shaped only by their willingness to forgive themselves in their passions....
Sandra Tsing Lohauthor of Depth Takes a HolidayMagical. Gina B. Nahai is a wonderful storyteller whose writing transports and amazes.
Gina B. Nahai's Books
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Sunday's SilenceEast meets West in acclaimed author Gina B. Nahai's mesmerizing story of a journalist on a search for the truth about his father's death -- and his...Read More
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Cry Of The PeacockPeacock the Jew is nine years old and living in the Esfahan ghetto when she marries Solomon the Man. She is the descendant of a...Read More
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