Shadows of Tehran Blog

“There was no fault I could find in this book. The writing was excellently executed, and the editing was exceptionally done. Reading the author’s bio confirmed that he was the perfect person to tell Ricardo’s story. Since I could not find any issues, I’d rate the book a perfect five out of five. Ideal readers would be folks interested in Iranian history and the connection of the United States to global diplomatic matters.”

While violence inevitably erupts in Ricardo’s life, Berg avoids thriller-style suspense in the novel’s first half, instead emphasizing the human costs of conflict and the injustices that fuel rebellions. Thriller elements and revelations emerge more prominently later, though they are not as compellingly drawn as Ricardo’s journey of growing up, searching for a father, and finding a cause. Still, Berg crafts a suspenseful, emotional tale with complex family dynamics and a resonant inquiry into the uses of violence. “Where others settle for belief, we must seek clarity,” Ricardo warns, one of many urgent insights.”