The Blood of Flowers

Summary (from the publisher): Both a sweeping love story and a luminous portrait of a city, The Blood of Flowers is the mesmerizing historical novel of an ill-fated young woman whose gift as a rug designer transforms her life. Illuminated with glorious detail of persian rug-making, and brilliantly bringing to life the sights sounds and life of 17th-century Isfahan, The Blood of Flowers has captured readers' imaginations everywhere as a timeless tale of one woman's struggle to live a life of her choosing.

Review: I love historical fiction but the vast majority of it seems to be of the European variety so it was refreshing to read this novel, which is set in seventeenth century Iran. The unnamed narrator is young woman who is skilled at weaving beautiful Persian carpets. Throughout the novel, her luck continues to fade, yet she never loses hope or her passion for what she loves. I loved reading about this time period and place, as well as the interweaving of stories, based on Persia's oral story telling tradition.

Stars: 4