The Last Days of Café Leila: A Novel

I found the quality of the writing disjointed; I was mildly interested for a while, captivated for a bit, then bored, bored bored. I quit reading before I got halfway through the book. I just didn't care about any of the characters, and I was unwilling to keep plodding ahead in the hope that there'd be more interesting glimpses of life in Iran.

What a wonderful novel about Iranian culture. It felt as though I could smell and taste the spices. I fell in love with the characters. Especially Noor and "Cream". Thank you Donia for opening my eyes to a part of the world I knew little about. Jennifer

This book caught me by surprise. The characters were easy to get to know and the cultural shift and experiences were eye opening. Family roles and complications, tied in with culture made this very interesting and educational for me.

Noor and her family have a beautiful life in San Francisco. After a fairy-tale romance and courtship, Noor and Nelson married and are raising their teen daughter Lily, while they work in the medical field as a nurse and a surgeon. The couple is about to celebrate their anniversary with their customary picnic, accompanied by Noor’s lovingly prepared gourmet meal and champagne. Nelson’s flowers (two-dozen red roses) arrive at the hospital wing where Noor works. But his accompanying card sadly informs her that an unexpected surgery has been scheduled for their picnic time, and they’ll need to postpone. Noor decides that she’ll just deliver the meal to him after her shift ends; after all, he does still need to eat.

But when Noor arrives at the cardiology unit, she finds her husband sharing an intimate gesture with a nurse she doesn’t know well. Neither of them sees her, and in that moment, all of Noor’s beliefs and assumptions about her life and her marriage are shattered. She leaves the hospital and heads home, where she throws the food in the garbage and pours the champagne down the sink, as she sets her wedding ring on the counter.

To say that Noor’s life is dislocated is an understatement. All that she believed to be true about her husband, her marriage, and indeed, her life are revealed to be a collection of outright falsehoods, misunderstandings and imaginings. Nelson reveals that this was not his first foray into unfaithfulness and implies that he’s only following his own family’s pathways; after all, his father was irresistible to women. They calmly separate and move through divorce proceedings, as Noor reels from the shock that the life she believed she was living was a carefully constructed lie. Lily blames her mother, without knowing the entire truth, reacting with a child’s understanding and emotion to the utter dislocation of her family.

Half a world away, Noor’s father, Zod, still runs the family restaurant in Tehran. Founded by his parents, émigrés from Russia, Café Leila serves Persian cuisine for the discerning palate, with undertones of Russian and French cookery. The restaurant (originally constructed as part of a hotel that is now the family residence) has endured through Iran’s ups and downs, and even the Islamic Revolution. Now, most of Café Leila’s patrons are male, and its surrounding neighborhood looks as if it has taken a beating, but the restaurant carries on and delectable food (although ingredients are not as readily available) is still served.

All Noor wants is to escape to the security of her home and father in Tehran, though she hasn’t visited there since Zod sent her and her brother to safety and education in America. Constant letters have kept her close to Zod, but in the disintegration of her marriage, she longs to return to the solid love and stability offered by him. To her surprise (he’s rejected her proposed visits for years, to keep her safe), Zod writes and invites her to come. So she and Lily travel to the Persian land of her birth, which itself has undergone an earthquake of change since she left.

In this post-revolution Iran, women are clad in burqas and headscarves. Male and female life is strictly divided and regulated; for example, at the local swimming pool there are hours for men to swim and separate hours for women. This is an alien world for Lily, who’s furious at having been brought to Tehran, but Noor is just so happy to be home. Still, Café Leila doesn’t provide the safe and secure environment Noor was hoping for, and there are secrets from the past and actions in the present that she’ll encounter that will transform her again, as she’s entwined in the unknown history of her family and the new family she connects with in Iran.

Donia Bijan writes words that are quiet, rich and beautiful as she unfolds Noor’s story, and the reader is drawn completely into the family’s lives. Bijan’s real-life experiences as a Cordon Bleu chef are obvious in THE LAST DAYS OF CAFÉ LEILA, as the characters prepare the special cuisine that defines Café Leila. Yet beneath the lovely words and food described are the horrors of unrestrained force and injustice that were allowed to flourish during (and after) Iran’s revolution. The countless ways these horrors affected Noor’s family are revealed, yet the grace with which they not only survived them but also surmounted them creates a story that you’ll be unable to put down. You’ll be both entranced and surprised by this incredible novel, which introduces Persian life to readers who may not be familiar with it.

Reviewed by Melanie Reynolds

Set in Tehran, Iran the novel follows the Yadegar family from the 1930s through the revolution and on to present day. Zod inherits Cafe Leila from his parents and it is the social center for his Tehran neighborhood and beyond. (Zod also inherits a wife from his brother, but that is another story.) The food is exquisite, the staff warm, and all are welcome. The revolution in 1979 changed life in Tehran. Sensing impending danger, Zod sent his two children Noor and Mehrdad to the United States to attend university. Thirty years pass before Noor returns home, impelled by a crisis--her husband's infidelity--and dragging along her teenage daughter Lily.

Noor wraps herself in the comfort of her childhood memories as she helps run the cafe and tends to Zod whose health is failing. The food, her childhood bedroom, her beloved nanny all ground her again--and eventually transform her relationship with Lily. And perhaps because of the solace Noor finds in the Cafe Leila, she decides to stay.

Except you can't go home again.

Too much has changed, and try as she might, Noor can't deny her American sensibilities. How else to explain her outrage at the acid attack on a young girl Lily befriends? Or the assertiveness that turns dangerous when she is stopped by the police? Noor might very well love her childhood home, but she surely can't live there any more. The country has changed; she has changed.

And of course there is the food. The novel is, after all, set in a cafe, so there is no shortage of exotic smells and spices and Persian dishes. We have this: Zod "filled the pockets [of featherlight brioche] not just with beef and onions, but peach jam, saffron rice pudding ..." And this: "He soaked prunes and took out meaty shanks to roast with onion for plum soup. he shaped chickpea patties, strained yogurt, and stirred quince custard." Amber Darjeeling tea stirred with honey. Pomegranate juice.

The Last Days of Cafe Leila is a beautifully written love letter, evocative and moving--a story that transports the reader to a time and place that won't soon be forgotten.

4.5 stars

WOW is the best word I can use to describe The Last Days of Café Leila. I absolutely loved the book all the way up until the end. The ending made me very sad and while I am not sure how it could have ended differently, I wish it had. I cannot say anymore without spoiling it so I will leave it at that. The rest of the book is absolutely perfect.

My emotions ran the full gamut while reading this book: intense joy, intense sadness, horror, embarrassment, disbelief, and fascination. When I began reading, I quickly realized how little I knew about Iran, both present day and the 20th century events that led up to present day. My brief knowledge covered the Iran hostage crisis, the Iran-Iraq conflicts, and the Iran revolution in 1979. While I knew Iran was ruled by a conservative Islamic government, I had no idea how conservative and restrictive the government actually is. Bijan effectively conveys what life is like for those still living there (many have sent their children abroad and often emigrated themselves) and the great loss of freedom and culture that is experienced for those remaining. I truly cannot imagine living under those conditions especially as a woman but even as a man with music, dancing, and access to other cultures banned by the Islamic Republic. Moreover, Bijan portrays the sadness felt by those who lived in Iran prior to the revolution and truly mourn how much was lost when the Islamic Republic came into power. Living in the United States, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that many do not live with the freedoms we take for granted. I felt this sentiment time and time again while I was reading this book.

Donia Bijan’s writing is magical and beautifully lyrical. I was transported to Tehran and particularly Café Leila, frequently feeling like I could visualize the café and its environs along with the Persian meals and foliage. I loved learning about Persian food and customs and the manner in which residents did their best to adhere to and keep alive traditions that have been banned for so many years. Bijan’s characters are lovingly crafted. Zod is one of the greatest characters I have encountered in fiction in a long while. He will stay with me for quite a long time and hopefully I absorbed some of his parenting style.

I am so thankful that I read this book and wish it could be required reading for everyone at this time in the United States when tolerance of others and their cultures is sometimes sadly lacking. Knowledge leads to understanding and empathy (which is exactly why these conservative regimes ban so many things). I cannot wait to read Donia Bijan’s next novel and am so glad I read this one. Make sure you have tissues nearby – certain sections are nothing short of heartbreaking. Thanks to Algonquin and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This intriging novel weaves together threads from different generations and different cultures. We see a loving Iranian father send his children off to America for better educations and opportunities, and gradually we come to understand the huge sacrifice he has made. We learn that Cafe Leila was created by refugees from Russia who made every effort to learn from Iranian culture, and in the process they make a big contribution to the lives of their customers. We see how complicated it is for a young Iranian women to make her way in the West and to negotiate marriage with a man from yet another culture. Her husband, a doctor, is from Spain. Their daughter, Lily, born and raised in the States, tries to cope with all these differences, especially when she is taken by her mother to Tehran, against her will, because her grandfather's health is failing. And then we are given a window on just how difficult and dangerous life is in Iran under totalitarian rule. The author brings all these characters to life beautifully. It's an engaging story that's difficult to put down.

The Last Days of Cafe Leila by Donia Bijan,
is a powerful and emotional novel of love, loss and homecoming in Iran.

Cafe Leila is a family owned business in Tehran that has been there for 3 generations, making Iranian dishes with the freshest ingredients. The author’s detailed description of the cuisine was mouth watering.

Zod, the chef at Cafe Leila and the father of Noor and Marquad, lost his wife Peri to Islamic thugs, because as a women she spoke out. She was raped and stoned repeatedly in the street, taken to prison and eventually hanged. Zod didn’t see her for months and did not know what happened to her. To save his teenaged children, he sent them to America to live with his brother where they went to school and grew into adults, married and had their own children.

Years later, Noor and daughter Lily, arrive in Iran to visit Noor’s aging father and Lily’s grandfather. Lily, a stubborn teenage girl sees another side of life and the world where the “rules are not fair”. Life for women in Iran is frustrating and sometimes horrible, but Lily sees through it all to the beauty of her family and new friends.

The author’s characters are believable and I adored them; I felt the heat from the intense sun of Iran and I could taste the cuisine. Even though there we a few editing mishaps, for a debut novel I found it memorable and may read it again just to spend more time with the characters.

Heartwarming narrative about three generations of an Iranian family, which since the 1930s has opened and run Café Leila, which has become a landmark on that side of Tehran. A story set in present-day is that of Noor, whose father has sent her to America as a teenager with her brother when the Revolution and subsequent ultra-Islamism exploded in the country. There are flashbacks of family history. Noor is now separated from her husband and at the behest of her father, Zod, returns with a sullen, sulky adolescent daughter, Lily, to visit her father. He now runs the café with the help of relatives, also staff that have been there from the beginning. He is very ill with cancer and wants to see her before he dies. We see life in post-Revolution Iran. An act of horrific violence brings something good from it for Lily. This spreads to the whole family. After Zod's death, the day comes when Noor and Lily are to return to the States.... The ending disappointed, but I do see the logic.

Such mouth-watering descriptions of Persian cuisine fascinated me. I wish, like "Like Water for Chocolate", to which, although set in a different time and place, I compared this story, the author had included some of the simpler Persian recipes at the back. Not only a gastronome's delight, any local color of Iran and Iranian family life was inspired.

Highly recommended.

I thank LibraryThing for sending me this ARC in return for my honest review.

When I first read the synopsis of this book, I was truly intrigued, especially when it talked about the impact that Café Leila would have on the family who owned it. However, as I began the book, I realized that this book was more about individual family issues (e.g. abandonment, persecution, etc.), specifically in regards to the family that owned Café Leila, such as Zod, Pari, Noor, and Lily. I did enjoy reading about the difficulties faced by individuals living in Iran, such as Pari's wrongful imprisonment, and the consequences paid by her family as a result. When Farris came into the picture, I was shocked at how low someone would go to hurt another individual. It truly broke my heart to read about unwanted marriages, and how certain women were treated by their own families as a result of not wanting to marry a certain individual. I loved how Lily became more welcoming towards the idea of living in Iran, and her ability to adapt in a culture totally foreign to her own. I did feel though that the plot had no climax, as it only talked about the daily life of certain characters, going back in the past at times to speak of Noor's time in school, and her first thoughts of America. I would give this book more of a 3.5 rather than a 3, as I felt it had a strong connection to the characters described, but lacked that depth in plot that would pull a reader in.

Donia Bijan's prose pulls readers behind the veil and headlines of contemporary Tehran creating a love letter to a place where the author lived as a child. Themes of displacement and exile thread through the novel. Another strong theme is how marriages and family relationships are complicated, flexible, and negotiable. I appreciate being pulled into Persia, a world of great beauty and tradition, where ordinary people endure extraordinary circumstances. In this novel, Noor, who was sent to the states as a teen, returns to Tehran suffering from a broken heart and also to be with her father, Zod, the patriarch/proprietor of an elegant restaurant. The cast of characters is vivid and well-wrought, including Noor's rebellious teen daughter, Lily, and her childhood nanny, Naneh Goli. Flashbacks to the past uncover secrets about Noor's mother, Pari, who died mysteriously when Noor was a child. Layered through this emotional family epic is a narrative of politics, and the ways that revolution and repressive regimes twist human rights and push many people to scatter in diaspora. Fortunately culture endures, through fiction, yes, and also through manners, traditions, language, and delicious recipes passed through generations. Highly recommended to readers who want to understand the nuances of life in contemporary Iran, and those who once lived there, but now create new lives in exile. This candid review is based on an ARC from Netgalley.

I loved this book. It is the story of the real Iran, the story of the people who lived through the days under the shah who believed the ayatollah would bring about a transformation in their lives, bringing them out from under the oppression of the shah and his Western advisors. Instead, he brought the same oppression but with new labels. But all that turmoil is just a distant backdrop for this story of a mother and her daughter and a daughter and her father, how they drifted apart and yet somehow found one another when it was necessary. I don't know if Cafe Leila exists in Tehran, but Bijani's descriptions made me feel as though I were back at Leon's restaurant or Pension Paprikash, two wonderful places in Tehran which served both Iranian and eastern European food while I lived there, reminders that Iran is a mosaic of people, not a monolithic block of America-hating Muslims.

When we dream, some psychology studies claim, there is no sense of taste. In dreams we can see food, touch it, note its color, but the taste escapes us. This phenomenon came to mind when I read Donia Bijan’s novel The Last Days of Café Leila. Food: its preparation, its aesthetics, its cultural links, its place in family traditions and relationships, winds its way throughout this engaging tale of three generations of a family coming of age in three different worlds. Set against pre and post - revolutionary Iran at its epicenter, the novel follows the history and evolution of the colorful Café Leila of Tehran. In the novel, Café Leila is forged from the artistic imagination and culinary genius of Russian immigrants, becoming a refuge against violent extremism, a piquant, albeit distant memory in America, and a force of reckoning in a final homecoming.
Yet despite the colors, the sounds and the evocations of food, there is a recurrent theme of withheld taste that springs forth throughout the novel. A woman betrayed by her husband throws away a carefully prepared meal, denying both of them the taste. A rebellious daughter discards untouched her mother’s lovingly prepared lunches. A self sacrificing family patriarch, dying of pancreatic cancer, appreciates food still for its visual aesthetics and the vicarious enjoyment of watching others partake of its taste. It is almost as if the novel itself is aware that the story, so compellingly real, is yet a tale like one told in a dream, with that very last sense, the sense of taste, proving to be elusive.
The pursuit of taste and its slipping away, like in dreams, seems to parallel the striving towards finding home - a place where all one’s senses come alive. In this regard, I thought that The Last Days of Café Leila resonated so well with me, not only on an aesthetic but a personal level. I love food: the study of food, the history of food, the preparation of food. The ritual of preparations, the tastes and smells of food always evoke home to me - and not just the home of my upbringing but the home of Russian ancestry, the home of my ex-patriot life in China, the homes of people I once knew and spiritually reconnect with through the recipes they shared.
I love Persian art as well, in particular Persian drawings and tile work. At least in my illustration work, this has probably had a greater influence on my art than my formal training. Despite all my education and experimentation I always come home to a taste of Persian art when going to museums. What more perfect a novel could there be than one which embodies, at the risk of sounding glib, all my favorite things? One that I experience almost viscerally in scenes where characters cup their hands to make pierogies, and I, too, feel the delicate weight of filled dough in my hands? Perhaps it is just the artistry of the writer to allow a reader to “be there,” yet most assuredly all senses were engaged for this reader.
Throughout The Last Days of Café Leila, characters search for, and find home with all its tastes and identities, revealed in increments of bittersweet awakenings. Even with the forays in to the dark side of humanity, the confrontations with the shortcomings of society and self, there is that overriding continuity of the art of food. More than fuel for the body, it is the taste of all that is worth remembering and preserving.

Noor’s life has hit a speedbump. She works in a hospital as a nurse while raising her teenage daughter, Lily. Years of marriage are in question after becoming aware of her husband's infidelities. Noor decides to take some time to evaluate her life by taking her daughter to Tehran to visit her father. She has not seen her dad or Iran since she left for California at eighteen.

Noor’s dad runs “Cafe Leila” which has been the family business for years. It continues to serve as a social gathering place for the neighborhood. Reunited with her father, Noor finds that that his health is failing. She begins to connect with him and develops roots to her country. She finds Iran to be a much different place from her childhood memories.

This is the story of three generations tied to Iran through changing times. It is a wonderful story about love, loss, sacrifice, and the human spirit. I look forward to Donia Bijan’s next novel.

I first heard of Bijan's novel after reading a column she wrote in our local paper, a tribute to her uncle on Father's Day. It was moving piece and I was delighted to learn of her debut novel, wasting no time in ordering it. Unfortunately, I couldn't conjure any sympathy for the characters in the first half of the book, including the protagonist's mother, who dies a brutal death. Something pops in the second half, with the weighted characters of estranged uncle Morad and a dying gay patient, Jerry. It's as if they served as a critical junction for the novel to move on a faster track. This is a bold book, with glimpses of Iranian customs, its language and food; of love between youths, between parents and their children; of loss and grief and most of all, courage. Nearing the end of the book, I received news of the passing of a favorite uncle. I finished the book with eyes that interpreted the novel's message with enlightened vision. "Our lives have meaning beyond the everyday things we dwell on. We play a part, however small, in the times in which we live--we are not here just for ourselves." While the novel was a creation of the imagination, its ending resonated with something very real and deep within my core. I wish my uncle were around to read it.

You know how when you find a book you really enjoy, it's hard to get into reading other books because they just don't hold up? I had a stack of books that I was excited to read, but now I compare the writing in each one to Donna Bijan's "The Last Days of Cafe Leila." I loved the story and learned so much about Tehran's history. The characters are well drawn and I felt I knew each one personally. As an English major and college professor, though, Bijan's beautiful writing is what put this book over the top for me. I loved it from the food descriptions to the descriptions of the home, hotel, and cafe to the gruesome event near the end. Descriptive, vivid, and emotional, this boom is one of my favorite reads.

So, imagine you were born in Iran, your father sent you to America when you were a teen to attend school here, then you take your daughter back to Iran with you to visit your father who is dying. How is Iran different from America? How is it different from when you were a child there? How can you help your daughter understand how careful women must be? I loved this look into another culture. It truly made me appreciate all the more the many freedoms we have in America, and to understand that family love is the same no matter what your culture.

Throughly enjoyed this book. The real, raw and oh so so believable emotions being experienced by all the characters, had me shaking my head in disbelief of what life can ask of us and how our resilience keeps us going and gets us through. This is one of the best reads of 2017 for me. I recommend reading this book for its uplifting quality.

I really loved this book. It was so interesting to read about life in Iran before and after the Revolution. I loved the characters, and could smell the delicious food. Now, I need to go to a Persian restaurant. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because I thought that the transformation of the relationship between mother and daughter, and the daughter's acceptance of being in Iran was a little sudden. But, I do recommend the book.
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I enjoyed this book from the very beginning. I loved the way the author intertwined the family relationships, the ways they showed their love for one another, and how the father found a way of dealing with the governmental oppression. His weakness in not bucking the system showed his innate wisdom and strength. I was sorry when the story ended.

The Last Days of Cafe Leila is a book that has sweetly stayed with me since I closed the last page months ago. This spectacular novel has beautifully woven together generational, cultural and relationship issues while wrapping the reader into a kitchen filled with delicious Persian cuisine and the story behind a Cafe. It gently allows the reader to be part of the journey the characters are on as if they are part of the family. The writer is brilliant at executing the story and sharing what each person is facing while never leaving any small detail out making you wonder "what about?" Donia Bijan's writing is glorious and captures the culture divide, the generational divide and how relationships can come unglued when not tended to or lack communication. She weaves us into the kitchen with food and uses it to wrap everyone together, making the reader wish their own home and upbringing could be like that, filled with such smells, such laughter, love and a journey of true dedication.

I keep this book out on my night stand despite having finished it. It's by far the best read of the year. Bijan knocks it out of the park with this book and her storytelling makes you want to sit down and shut out the world and READ!!! What a treat she is to the reading world and can't wait until the next book...Hurry up, this was perfection!

I loved this book and felt I was there watching everything unfold, as the author's descriptions are so vivid. I could even smell the foods they prepared in the home and Cafe. A lovely story about an Iranian family and their trials living under this regime. The beautiful memories of a life before and then the love of a country you once knew.

This was one of the most beautiful books that I have read in a long time. Woven together are delightful descriptions of food, gardens, scenery, memorable characters together with the recent history of Iran's beautiful past before the revolution. Though I that people were imprisoned and tortured under the Shah, this family encapsulates all that is beautiful about Iran. The welcoming of foreigners, the blending together of Russian and Iran's culture, the focus on family but also welcoming people into the cafe night after night, all of this seemingly lost after revolution and war if not for this family's devotion to nurturing each other and their customers. I hope that this author writes many more books, and continues to cook her lovely recipes.

Having just finished three actual histories of Dogtown, and despite the author’s clear intent upon fiction, I found myself annoyed by her clearly taking liberties with the names of actual persons from Dogtown’s past. By the end of the book, I was charmed and satisfied with her tales. She did it well.

I just finished reading this amazing first novel by Donia Bijan and I can't stop thinking about it! This book is a feast for the senses! My mouth watered every time she described food and I am hungering now for some Persian cuisine! The characters were so real to me while I was reading that now that I am finished I feel like I am missing close friends! It felt like I was getting a glimpse of what it is like to be Persian(Iranian) and American. It is a story about love, heartbreak,and a girl going back to her childhood home and country only to find her father is dying and her country is very much changed. I cried at the cruelties and I rejoiced with the triumphs of the human spirit that refused to give up in this beautiful story that proves that nothing is impossible with love!

Author Donia Bijan stunned this reader with her superb book MAMA’S HOMESICK PIE, a book that provides so much background for this new fine novel THE LAST DAYS OF CAFÉ LEILA that words in response to her initial novel bear repeating: that book was a progress record from a child who loved her mother's Persian cooking to successfully creating her own restaurant (L'Amie Donia) that marries the flavors of Persian, French and American cooking and ambiance. Donia Bijan gives us the insight into the real history of Iran, a country we too often see as a 'threatening other' in the world. Though not a candy-coated image of a country that does have current and past problems, Bijan at least allows us entry into a family proud of its Persian heritage and how that family coped with and survived and excelled in the face of obstacles few of us could understand until this book. She could well be a cultural ambassador for Iran! Bijan opens her well designed book with an Introduction that addresses her responses to her mother's death: she found solace in the kitchen with all the smells and tastes that satisfied her as a child. And from that stance she shares the memories of her childhood in Tehran, the history of her mother's stalwart life as a registered nurse trained in England after the war ended in 1945, her return to Tehran where she started her family, the vacation to Majorca in 1978 when the revolution was at its peak, and the flight to the United States for asylum, life in the US included Donia's attending college at UC Berkeley where she became fully engaged in the American way of life, only to discover that her real dream was to become a chef. She traveled to France, enrolled and was graduated from Le Cordon Bleu, successfully prepared her own mixtures of Persian and French cuisines in little towns in France only to return to San Francisco where she opened her famous restaurant.’ Enough reminiscing…

For once the synopsis from the inner flap of the book’s cover covers the story well – ‘Set against the backdrop of Iran’s rich, turbulent history, Donia turns to the novel format and offers this exquisite debut – a powerful story of food, family, and a bittersweet homecoming. When we first meet Noor, she is living in San Francisco, missing her beloved father, Zod, in Iran. Now, dragging her stubborn teenage daughter, Lily, with her, she returns to Tehran and to Café Leila, the restaurant her family has been running for three generations. Iran may have changed, but Café Leila, still run by Zod, has stayed blessedly the same—it is a refuge of laughter and solace for its makeshift family of staff and regulars. As Noor revisits her Persian childhood, she must rethink who she is—a mother, a daughter, a woman estranged from her marriage and from her life in California. And together, she and Lily get swept up in the beauty and brutality of Tehran. Bijan’s vivid, layered story, at once tender and elegant, funny and sad, weaves together the complexities of history, domesticity, and loyalty and, best of all, transports readers to another culture, another time, and another emotional landscape.’

Donia Bijan is well known as a chef and food specialist, but the beauty and multifaceted aspects of her writing are so rich that hopefully she will continue to gift us with her scriptive talents as well! Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, April 17
I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it.

Author Donia Bijan stunned this reader with her superb book MAMA’S HOMESICK PIE, a book that provides so much background for this new fine novel THE LAST DAYS OF CAFÉ LEILA that words in response to her initial novel bear repeating: that book was a progress record from a child who loved her mother's Persian cooking to successfully creating her own restaurant (L'Amie Donia) that marries the flavors of Persian, French and American cooking and ambiance. Donia Bijan gives us the insight into the real history of Iran, a country we too often see as a 'threatening other' in the world. Though not a candy-coated image of a country that does have current and past problems, Bijan at least allows us entry into a family proud of its Persian heritage and how that family coped with and survived and excelled in the face of obstacles few of us could understand until this book. She could well be a cultural ambassador for Iran! Bijan opens her well designed book with an Introduction that addresses her responses to her mother's death: she found solace in the kitchen with all the smells and tastes that satisfied her as a child. And from that stance she shares the memories of her childhood in Tehran, the history of her mother's stalwart life as a registered nurse trained in England after the war ended in 1945, her return to Tehran where she started her family, the vacation to Majorca in 1978 when the revolution was at its peak, and the flight to the United States for asylum, life in the US included Donia's attending college at UC Berkeley where she became fully engaged in the American way of life, only to discover that her real dream was to become a chef. She traveled to France, enrolled and was graduated from Le Cordon Bleu, successfully prepared her own mixtures of Persian and French cuisines in little towns in France only to return to San Francisco where she opened her famous restaurant.’ Enough reminiscing…

For once the synopsis from the inner flap of the book’s cover covers the story well – ‘Set against the backdrop of Iran’s rich, turbulent history, Donia turns to the novel format and offers this exquisite debut – a powerful story of food, family, and a bittersweet homecoming. When we first meet Noor, she is living in San Francisco, missing her beloved father, Zod, in Iran. Now, dragging her stubborn teenage daughter, Lily, with her, she returns to Tehran and to Café Leila, the restaurant her family has been running for three generations. Iran may have changed, but Café Leila, still run by Zod, has stayed blessedly the same—it is a refuge of laughter and solace for its makeshift family of staff and regulars. As Noor revisits her Persian childhood, she must rethink who she is—a mother, a daughter, a woman estranged from her marriage and from her life in California. And together, she and Lily get swept up in the beauty and brutality of Tehran. Bijan’s vivid, layered story, at once tender and elegant, funny and sad, weaves together the complexities of history, domesticity, and loyalty and, best of all, transports readers to another culture, another time, and another emotional landscape.’

Donia Bijan is well known as a chef and food specialist, but the beauty and multifaceted aspects of her writing are so rich that hopefully she will continue to gift us with her scriptive talents as well! Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, April 17
I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it.

This book was satisfying on so many levels. The way the author uses food and cooking to weave together a story of family, love, and loss through multiple generations is so tangible that you can almost taste it. She describes both the beauty and tragedy of Tehran, and the immigrant experience so lovingly. I loved hearing the story told through the various characters viewpoints. Truly a scrumptious read.

I, too, enjoyed this book very much for the focus on family, the artfully-created characters, the insight into the culture of Iran, and the evocative descriptions of the cafe and the sights and aromas of the many foods prepared and served there. I wasn't surprised by the ending, as others may have been; I thought it fitting, really. But the switch in the epilogue from third-person to first-person narrative voice was disconcerting and I wondered why the editor permitted the style change. Otherwise, very well written and recommended.

The author's writing is beautiful and her characters human and relatable. I love the way she intermingles both Iranian and Californian experiences. The author takes you to these two places and lets you taste the foods and smell the smells. It is a treat to read.

We read this book for our book club. It was such a heart warming story of family and love. It starts off with the story of Noot and then seamlessly delves into other members of her family and their stories. Coming together in the end and combining a love of food. I loved the characters and the writing was beautifully done!

This story of loving, warm, affectionate people will make your heart ache for a culture that is under attack by militant extremists. You will feel the gut wrenching pain of parents wanting a better life for their children. As well as the pain of children saying goodbye to elderly loved ones.

This is a story of an Iranian family. Noor was sent to USA to grow up in America with relatives, away from the Iranian revolution. After marrying and having a daughter, Lily, Noor’s husband cheats on her and they divorce. Noor decides to take her daughter and visit Iran and be with her ailing Father. Teenage Lily has an eye opening culture shock coming of age experience.

Donia Bijan has written an amazing debut novel, full of surprises and very thoughtful. This novel takes you on a journey and I was immediately drawn into the story. Only a chef as talented as Donia is can write so vividly about the food cooked with love that is the tradition of Cafe Leila. At the core of this story are the characters who form an extended family. They all have distinct personalities and yet come together as ordinary people navigating life. The hope, joy tragedy and resolve of the characters is deeply moving and heartfelt. Bravo Donia!

The Last Days of Café Leila
by Donia Bijan
I had the pleasure of meeting this author at a book event in July. She was so warm, charming and sensitive I could hardly wait to read her book. I'm sure her personal emotions about being sent from Iran to the USA as a teenager were the impetus to write this book. I loved how her background in the culinary arts was seamlessly woven into the story.

Some scenes of how women were treated after the revolution made for very tough, but important, reading.

This is a writer to watch!

Donia Bijan's new novel captures the joys and struggles of a deeply loving family set against the backdrop of the Iranian revolution and its ongoing aftermath. Noor's father sent her away as a teenager to protect her and only with her return for his final days does she learn to appreciate his sacrifice. Deeply moving and beautifully written, Café Leila offers a window into the difficult choices such a family must make and a breath of hope for the future.

Donia Bijan takes you on a delightful journey to Iran with her meticulous descriptions of places, smells and feelings not to mention the fabulous foods that makes your stomach growl the whole time! Her writing felt tender, sincere and raw and I flew through the book. A story of love, loss and immigration takes you beyond the surface and explores meaning and purpose through her strongly developed characters. I grew to love the characters as my own friends and family and felt their joys and pains. I was in awe of how well she constructed this multi-layered story and made everything hang together with such ease. I savored every moment and was so impressed and delighted by the writing!

California author, Donia Bijan, has written an engaging debut novel that reflects on belonging, time, relationships and home. The former chef/owner of Palo Alto's famed, L'amie Donia bistro, Bijan shares a great deal about the tastes and smells of Tehran (and Russian food too), but this is primarily a character driven story, with universal themes, believable personalities and believable spaces and many surprises. Highly recommended.

I very much enjoyed reading this book. The words and description of each scene takes you right to that moment and you forget where you are which a great book does. In addition to the wonderful story, what I found myself was focusing on tips that were embedded in the book that only comes from not only a writer, but someone who has a passion for cooking and entertaining. The book is very intimate and it can relate to many individuals with varied background. I loved the book and highly recommend it.

Enjoyed reading about Iran was at the same time serious and moving while set against the back drop of Cafe with vivid food descriptions. A worthwhile read about traditional family issues and the challlenges faced especially by women in Iran

As a half Iranian and a foodie, this book was good enough to eat! Beautifully written with texture and layers that involves all the senses, the book touches upon universal themes of home, love, family, relationships, and death; the heartache a father will endure to protect his children; the challenges of immigrants flung into the western world, and the difficult choices and consequences of following your heart's desire. This book will touch your heart.

This debut novel tells the story of a daughter's bittersweet homecoming to Iran and the trials of this reunion. She must rethink who she is in the context of a new environment. The characters are robust and compelling in a way that draws the reader in. Having read Bijan's first book, a memoir, I could see how she has grown and matured as a writer in this novel. I didn't want to put it down.

This story captivated me! I enjoy anthropology and looking at points of view which are different than mine. I did not agree with some of the choices some of the characters made.
The book was rich in description and it helped me feel, see and smell (food, flowers, etc)

I enjoyed the way the author wove in details about food and the culture. It was difficult to read about women and the few rights they have but also important to help me understand just how fortunate I am.

I enjoyed the way the author developed the story centered around the main characters' love for her family and the desire to share the Iranian culture with her own child. Those emotions found a way to be so well displayed in her preparing meals and how the act of cooking could transport the character to simpler times. Highly recommend this well written family story.

This was supposed to be my travel book, but I started it and could not put it down. It is an engaging powerful and emotional story, that tells a bit about the change from Persia to Iran through a poignant narrative of a woman and her family pre and post revolution. I was mesmerized. Looking forward to more of this author.
Mary Lou Alberetti

A beautiful and moving story of love, family, and longing. Her writing connected me with each character, pulling me in as if I was watching them through a window, and feeling their joy or heartache as if I was holding their hands.
Highly recommended.

Not one word is wasted in this tale that involves conflicting relationships and cultures. I laughed and I cried while reading this page turning story. After finishing this book I took time to reflect on the power of family and the value of commitment. Thank you Donia for sharing your gift.

When a country turns upside down, what holds families and friends together? In this story the answer is love, as expressed through the daily routines of hospitality, of providing delicious food and a place for people to enjoy it together. This beautiful novel will stay in my head for a long time.

Such a sweet and heartfelt story of family, devotion and culture. As a reader, my emotional connection with the characters transcended the pages of the book....I had an authentic concern for them as people, . It was a difficult book to put down! Loved it!

I savored every page of this tender, multi-generational family portrait. Donia creates her characters as thoughtfully as the complex foods she describes, layering carefully chosen words like ingredients, and serving each one fresh from the page. I devoured it.

The Last Days of Cafe Leila is a wonderfully written story of a woman's journey back home. It is thought-provoking and sensitive with sympethetic and relatable characters. It truly is a "Must Read" novel.

Life is messy... and beautiful and confusing and many times misunderstood. This book shows this truth. It also gives a personalized glimpse into a world of war and rules and cruelty.

(Read as a library copy.)

This story captured my interest. I wanted to find out what happened with this family. I am familiar with what can happen in Iran because of the systematic discrimination against Baha'is living there. Well worth reading!

Beautifully done. The author portrays in a creative and very unique imagination a story about love, family and hardship. As you go through the pages, you find yourself relating to every character she has created in the book. Certainly look forward to her next novel.

This is a lovely story about family and identity, set in modern day America and Iran, with flashbacks to the Iranian revolution. There are some unexpected shocks and surprises along the way. I was most drawn to themes of duty and responsibility--to one's family and extended family of employees, country, heritage--and the struggle to be true to oneself. There are tensions and conflicts aplenty at both the personal (e.g. wife/husband, daughter/father, mother/daughter) and societal (e.g. individual/state, freedom/repression) levels. Ultimately, these conflicts are (partly) resolved in a conclusion that is somewhat startling but credible and satisfying. Many thanks to the wonderful Donia Bijan for sharing with us this story and the fully realized characters who inhabit it.

Donia Bijan has written an amazingly compelling and engrossing novel. The prose is fluid and descriptive. The characters, despite their faults and imperfections, are relatable and, by-and-large, likable. Through the interaction of the exciting characters, the rich Persian culture is presented in all its complexity and intricate nuances. Bijan's masterful storytelling allows the reader to understand the characters intimately. I recommend it highly to fans of fiction and look forward to Bijan's next novel.