We will return to gather tulips

Book Title: We Shall Return to Pick Tulips

Author: Mahshid Ajir

The story begins on a summer morning with a young girl named Golabatoon, sitting on the hospital steps, weeping bitterly.

At the age of nineteen, by sheer coincidence, she uncovers a hidden secret about her life. From that moment on, she devotes herself to discovering her lost identity.

On this journey, the heroine unravels many truths about her parents' past-and her own.

The narrative begins in Iran, but soon thrusts the reader into the turmoil of war and the Taliban's invasion of Afghanistan.

Real historical events are interwoven with the love stories of two young people in the present, and another pair in the past.

The prose is so masterfully woven and flows so seamlessly that the reader loses track of time-only realizing the end has come after turning the final page of this 400-page novel.

One of the book's most unique qualities is its use of both Iranian and Afghan dialects. Each character speaks in their own native form of Persian, with dialogues presented authentically in both tongues. This lends richness and depth to the narrative.

To further support readers, the author includes footnotes explaining Afghan terms and expressions for Iranian audiences.

This book serves as a literary bridge of friendship between two great cultures-Iran and Afghanistan.

It invites Iranians to view Afghan migrants with greater empathy, reminding us that they would never have left their homeland had they not been forced to.

Mahshid Ajir