In Bjursten’s novel, an Iranian woman’s search for love in 1970s Iran forms the heart of a story that spans generations of political unrest.

It’s 1977, and Aminehis a student of literature at Tehran University when her friend Ava persuades her to attend a gathering in honor of their friend Tahmures, who was murdered for writing a pamphlet called The Art of Revolution. At the meeting, Amineh meets Farzad Rezai, a lawyer and physicist who works in the atomic energy industry. The pair quickly fall for each other and get married, and over the decades that follow, Amineh works to understand her slightly older husband and his work; she’s in awe of his desire to live “a life in service to humankind.” Bjursten’s novel does a fantastic job of charting the development of nuclear weaponry around the world; it highlights the fear it inspired and the campaigns to stop it. Farzad forms an international group called the GR12 to fight for nuclear disarmament, and he invites one of his oldest friends, Patrik, to join it. Patrik and Amineh begin a slowly building friendship, and soon it becomes clear that the contrast between Patrik and Farzad presents difficulties for Amineh; as the story goes on, she yearns for love, acceptance, and stability in a rapidly changing Tehran. The novel also presents a thorough exploration of family dynamics: Amineh grew up on a rural rose farm, which she left to study in the hope of becoming a writer, and Bjursten effectively sketches out how her family members fuel her guilt over seeking other opportunities. Although the novel occasionally skips through time rather quickly, the prose is often enticing as it shows how the characters grow. Notable characters include Amineh and Farzad’s children, Sara and Sohrab, who provide a thought-provoking youth perspective on issues of international diplomacy.

An emotional historical journey through the recent history of nuclear armament.