The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree
*Shortlisted for the International 2020 Booker Prize*Â
*Shortlisted for the Stella Prize 2018*
*Shortlisted for The
University of Queensland Fiction Book Award 2018*
*Shortlisted for the 2020 Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature*
*Longlisted for the US National Book Award 2020*
Shokoofeh is the only Austalian author to be shortlisted for the International Booker Prize. The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree is an extraordinarily powerful and evocative literary novel that re-imagines the 1979 Islamic revolution and its aftermath.
This richly-imagined novel is narrated by the ghost of Bahar, a thirteen-year-old girl, whose family is compelled to flee their home in Tehran for a new life in a small village. They hope to preserve their intellectual freedom and their lives, but soon find themselves caught up in the post-revolutionary chaos that sweeps across their ancient land and its people.
Written in the lyrical magical realism style of classical Persian story-telling, The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree speaks of the power of imagination when confronted with cruelty, and of our human need to make sense of trauma through the ritual of storytelling itself. Portentous dragonflies, forest jinns and mermaids suffuse the narrative that stand in stark contrast to the material circumstances that alter the character’s lives. Through her unforgettable characters, Azar weaves a timely and timeless story that juxtaposes the beauty of an ancient, vibrant culture with the brutality of an oppressive political regime.
‘An extremely strong and meaningful story: an entry into a world far removed from our English language horizons.’ — Lucie Campos, International Booker Prize Judge
‘The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree is a fantastical tale set in post-revolutionary Iran that concentrates on a family’s tragedies, loves, and losses. It’s a work of magical realism with plenty to unpack…Nods to poetry and literature make the parables of The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree engaging, tantalizing, and memorable.’ — Foreword Reviews
‘From a people smuggler’s boat to the shortlist for the Stella Prize’ — Sydney Morning Herald
‘If ever there was a book that needs to be read more than once
