Medusa of the Roses

A transgressive, lyrical and deeply moving literary debut about forbidden gay love in Iran

Anjir and Zal have been together ever since they first knew what love was. But living in Iran, the two men must keep their relationship hidden, potentially on pain of death. When Zal gets attacked after being caught with another man in public, Anjir is heartbroken by the betrayal but chooses to forgive as the pair formulate a plan for the future. The Iranian government will partially pay for a trans person''s gender-confirming surgeries and Anjir, who''s always identified with the mythical gender-changing Tiresias, will become a woman. Together they can move away from Tehran for a fresh start as husband and wife. Then Zal vanishes, leaving only a cryptic note behind. Anjir embarks on a quest through the queer underground of Tehran in search for the other man, hoping he will lead him to Zal. But someone is tailing Anjir too and the further into Zal''s secrets he delves, the more he suspects that further violence may soon be necessary. A queer noir-infused love story of violence, vengeance and desire, Medusa of the Roses is a provocative, propulsive novel with the wild intensity of a fever dream.

Autorentext
Navid Sinaki is an artist, filmmaker and poet. He was born in Tehran and currently lives in Los Angeles. His works have screened at museums and art houses around the world, including Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Lincoln Center, British Film Institute, REDCAT, and Cineteca Nacional in Mexico. His writing has most recently appeared in BOMB Magazine. He is a professor at UCLA Extension and a film programmer, most notably at the Echo Park Film Center www.navidsinaki.com

Klappentext

'**Brutal, bold but beautiful, this erotic tale of illicit queer love will hold you breathless in its grasp until the final sentence*' Sunday Post*

'A beautiful, engrossing twist on a modern love story ... a literary debut that that ought to be read far and wide' Buzz Magazine

Anjir and Zal have been lovers in Iran since they were young, but must keep this secret or risk execution. When Zal is attacked after being caught with another man, Anjir is heartbroken by the betrayal but chooses to forgive, as the pair formulate a plan to live together. The government will help to fund a trans person's surgeries and Anjir will legally become a woman. Then the two of them can move away under new identities.

When Zal vanishes, leaving only a cryptic note, Anjir must embark on a quest through Tehran's queer underground in search of him. But someone is tailing Anjir too, and soon he suspects that he will have to commit violent acts of his own.

A myth-infused love story of vengeance and desire, Medusa of the Roses is a provocative, page-turning novel with the wild intensity of a fever dream.

Zusammenfassung
A transgressive, lyrical and deeply moving literary debut about forbidden gay love in Iran