SEASONS OF PURGATORY

Iranian author Mandanipour has written a beautiful and tragic book of short stories, and Fajer Al-Kaisi's narration makes them even more urgent and visceral. Modern Iranian life--including graphic descriptions of warfare and urban sectarian violence--is often juxtaposed with the beauty of the ancient Persian way of life, or at least the imagined versions of many of the tortured characters Al-Kaisi so expertly voices: a dying Iraqi prisoner of war, a self-satisfied former government employee who interprets dreams, prison inmates who routinely beat each other to feel the joy of human connection, among others. Al-Kaisi's clear articulation makes the listener a participant in the often strange behavior the characters exhibit. A challenging and engaging performance. D.G.L. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2022]