by Rea Keech
A young American teacher at the University of Tehran falls in love with a beautiful Iranian girl and gets caught up in the social, political, and religious turmoil of the times as forces opposing the Shah are gathering strength. This novel presents a heart-warming picture of the Iranian people who befriend, guide, love, and laugh at Marco, who naively assumes at first that U.S. help is wanted and appreciated by the Iranians, but soon comes to see himself–in the eyes of some–as an instrument of the West’s arrogant assertion of control.
Winner of Best Literary/Mainstream Novel Award 2017 by the Maryland Writers’ Association.
Winner of BookLife award for Best General Fiction Novel 2017.
Judge’s comment: “Set in the lead-up to the Iranian revolution, A Hundred Veils is a rich portrait of cultural and personal discovery and forbidden love. Keech uses both humor and drama, as well as finely chosen details and rich description, to bring the characters and their world to life.” — Eleanor Brown
BookLife Prize reviewer:
Prose: “The writing is as economical and succinct as a film script. The narrative moves along swiftly, and yet it’s studded with evocative detail.”
Originality: “This gripping book is a romance with humor and cultural insights that readers will find original and intriguing.”
Character Development: “The characters here are well developed and fully formed. Marco in particular feels vivid and real.”
