The Blood of Flowers

In rural Iran, a spirited girl approaches the age of marriage, only to find her destiny shattered after a comet blazes ominously across the sky. On the death of her father, she and her mother travel to the fabled city of Isfahan. Taken in as servants by her uncle, a wel-to-do carpet designer, and his demanding wife, they confront an unforgiving world.

When the heroine blossoms as a brilliant maker of carpets, the future brightens. But then an impetuous act results in her disgrace, forcing her into a secret marriage. She must rely on her artistic genius, and her extraordinary will, to save herself and her mother.

Seventeenth-century Iran comes alive in all its splendour and cultural nuance in this luminous novel. Against a backdrop of bustling bazaars, fragrant gardens and exquisite teahouses, The Blood of Flowers tells the unforgettable story of one woman's struggle to create a life of her choosing.