Readers' rating:
Published Aug 2013
256 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
Seventeen-year-old Sahar has been in love with her best friend, Nasrin, since they were six. They've shared stolen kisses and romantic promises. But Iran is a dangerous place for two girls in love—Sahar and Nasrin could be beaten, imprisoned, even executed if their relationship came to light.
So they carry on in secret—until Nasrin's parents announce that they've arranged for her marriage. Nasrin tries to persuade Sahar that they can go on as they had before, only now with new comforts provided by the decent, well-to-do doctor Nasrin will marry. But Sahar dreams of loving Nasrin exclusively—and openly.
Then Sahar discovers what seems like the perfect solution. In Iran, homosexuality may be a crime, but to be a man trapped in a woman's body is seen as nature's mistake, and sex reassignment is legal and accessible. As a man, Sahar could be the one to marry Nasrin. Sahar will never be able to love the one she wants in the body she wants to be loved in without risking her life. Is saving her love worth sacrificing her true self?
"[A] provocative coming-of-age story." - Publishers Weekly
"Accomplished and compassionate ... A groundbreaking, powerful depiction of gay and transsexual life in Iran ... An intimate look at life in modern-day Iran and its surprising Westernization, even though much of this culture is clandestine." - Booklist, starred review
"[A] terrific debut novel ... Rich with details of life in contemporary Iran, this is a GLBTQ story that we haven't seen before in YA fiction. Highly recommended." - School Library Journal
"Refreshingly and believably diverse ... A moving and elegant story." - Kirkus Reviews
"A complex and original story of love and sacrifice." - Omnivoracious (Amazon blog)
This information about If You Could Be Mine was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Sara Farizan lives near Boston, Massachusetts. She is an MFA graduate of Lesley University and holds a BA in film and media studies from American University. This is her first novel.
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