The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree Review

My thanks to the team at the International Booker Prize for gifting me the full longlist, including The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree, to read and review! This has not affected my opinions in any way.

‘Or if just once they were to watch and understand the blooming of a flower or birth of a lamb, using their senses of sight and hearing and smell completely, perhaps humans would come to the conclusion that in all the days and nights of their lives, only that minute in which they are immersed is worth calculating.’

Overview

Now shortlisted for the International Booker Prize, The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree is without a doubt my favourite to win. I started my longlist reading with Red Dog, which thoroughly disappointed me. As a result, after finishing this GEM of a novel, I found faith in the judges once again.

If you were only planning on reading one book from the shortlist, I’d make it this one. That’s right. I’m a definite cheerleader for this book. (Although do consider reading more from the list as there is some cracking translated fiction here!)

The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree is a blend of magical realism and historical fiction set during the Iranian Revolution of 1979. It spans decades, continuing up until present day. While reading, this book reminded me of two of my favourite novels: The House of the Spirits and One Hundred Years of Solitude. It focuses on a family over the years whose lives are touched by magic. But it’s also steeped in Iranian folklore which sets it apart and allows it to stand on its own two feet (or mermaid tail).

The Author and Translator

Shokoofeh Azar is an Iranian refugee now living in Australia. She originally wrote The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree in Persian, a truly beautiful lanuage. The translator has done an incredible job of rendering that lyrical prose into English.

But here’s the kicker. The translator requested to remain anonymous for security reasons. Iran has not ‘officially’ published this book because of its stance against the regime. Azar herself was arrested multiple times when she worked as a journalist before seeking political asylum in Australia. The fact that there are translators out there, literally risking their lives to bring us literature across borders just blows my mind. Thank you, Anonymous, for bring us The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree.

Final Thoughts

To appreciate the richness of the prose, you have to experience this one for yourself. The combination of the mythical element and brutal historical fact is perfection. I will definitely have my eye on anything else Azar writes! And if this one doesn’t win, I’ll be having words.

I’ll be adding reviews for the other books on the International Booker shortlist soon, so keep an eye on my Book Review page for more.

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