The result of her journey is a collection of riveting portraits and stories about the generous, irrepressible people she met. With a novelist's love of language and eye for detail, she takes the reader into the homes and hearts of people who welcome her, feed her and send her off on one adventure after another, to hidden places of interest that recall the romance of Persia, on interminable trips into the desert, to fading palaces by the sea. Travelling with a male friend, in the guise of a couple on their honeymoon, she sets out on her own at every opportunity. We meet a sweet, young opium dealer who dreams of America, a playful 8-year-old girl a year away from marriage, an ebullient, heroic Anglican minister, an angel at an airport, even policemen who bring tea - people whose spirit, intelligence and laughter enlighten and impress.Beautifully written, engaging, fascinating at every turn, Honeymoon in Purdah reveals an Iran rarely seen by Westerners and introduces an exceptional young writer.
