The King: A Novel - Softcover

Abdolah, Kader

3.67

1,092 ratings by Goodreads

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0811224856 ISBN 13: 9780811224857

Publisher: New Directions, 2015

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A hypnotic page-turner about the grinding gears of historical change and ruthless palace intrigue in Persia, c. 1848.

The King, young Shah Naser, takes to the throne of Persia at a turning point of history: he inherits an enchanted medieval world of harems, eunuchs, and treasures as well as a palace of secret doors, sudden deaths, and hidden agendas. Within the court is danger enough: outside all manner of change threatens―industrialization, colonization. Russia and England conspire to open the King’s empire; his mother and his vizier take opposing sides. The poor King―almost an exact contemporary of Queen Victoria―is trapped. He likes some aspects of modernity (electricity, photography) but can’t embrace democracy. He must be a sovereign: he must keep his throne. The King cannot face change and he cannot escape it.

With this gleaming and seemingly simple story, breathlessly paced and beautifully told, Kader Abdolah, the acclaimed Iranian �migr� novelist, speaks of deeper truths. A novel which has many timely things to say about eras of change and upheaval, The King is an unforgettable book.

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About the Author:

Kader Abdolah is the pen name of Hossein Sadjadi Ghaemmaghami Farahani. Opposed to the rule of the last Shah and that of the ayatollahs who followed, he lives in Holland and writes in Dutch. Abdolah’s The House of the Mosque and My Father's Notebook have appeared in English here, and he has been acclaimed “moving and illuminating" (Publishers Weekly), “captivating and distinctive” (TLS), and “clean and lyrical” (Kirkus Reviews).

Nancy Forest-Flier has translated books by Truus Matti and Marleen Westera.

Review:

“Salman Rushdie’s Shame meets Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall.”
- Azedah Moaveni, The Financial Times

“A gripping account of 19th-century Persia and the enigmatic king Shah Naser. The strength of this book lies in its vivid picture of a beleaguered society that refuses to look to the future, clings futilely to the past, and ignores modern innovations.”
- Publishers Weekly

“A fable-like text based on the life of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar, among the longest-reigning monarchs in Persian history. Set in the last half of the 19th century, “The King” is a biography of brutality and ambition; all of its characters strive to shape their own lives as well as the destiny of their evolving nation.”
- Paula Toutonghi, New York Times Book Review

“A rising star in international fiction...Abdolah’s fable of 19th century Persia sheds light on the situation in Iran today.”
- Claire Armistead, The Guardian

“Translated into crystalline English by Nancy Forest-Flier, The King, a deceptively detailed fictional reconstruction of the life and reign of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar, tells us that what illuminates the present is not history, but our imaginings of it.”
- Walter Gordon, Music & Literature

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