The Persians

Praise for The Persians :

‘This polyphonic novel is brimming with larger-than-life characters … funny, gutsy and confidently written … outstanding ’ Diana Evans, 2025 Women’s Prize Judge

‘ I found myself lost in this beautifully written novel and laughing as much as I wept’ Pippa Evans, 2025 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction Judge

' Magnificent … I lapped up its wonderful characterisations, profound insights and vivacious prose' Bernardine Evaristo, author of Girl, Woman, Other

‘A richly textured, sometimes tragic novel that’s enormously entertaining ’ The Times

‘ Unputdownable … an undoubtedly assured debut ’ Harper's Bazaar

'The word-of-mouth breakout … will have you hooked from the first action-filled chapter' Stylist

‘ Full of outrageous laughter , retaining its fire even in tender moments’ Observer

‘Mahloudji’s moving, madcap saga of women in exile [is] a relentlessly entertaining exploration of Iranian-American immigrant life’ Financial Times

‘It’s impossible to overstate how much I loved The Persians . Funny, sharp and insightful – this book is a triumph ’ Lauren Laverne

‘ A novel bursting with grudges, gossip and complex personal dynamics ’ Mail on Sunday

‘Mahloudji writes with a wisdom and confidence rarely seen in a debut’ Guardian

‘Exuberant, whip-smart, infused with melancholy, tragicomic, huge-hearted and sharp-toothed … A joy of a debut novel by the real deal ' David Mitchell, author of Cloud Atlas

'A wonderful multi-generational family drama with characters you really care about … I enjoyed it enormously ' Marian Keyes, author of My Favourite Mistake

‘ Mesmerising … Gorgeously written, with a flair for the comic and characters that dance off the page and into your heart ’ Monica Ali, author of Love Marriage

‘An ambitious, glorious feat … darkly funny, richly satisfying ’ Sarah Winman, author of Still Life

‘ At once funny and profound , sprawling and personal’ Tash Aw, author of We, The Survivors

Praise for The Persians :

‘This polyphonic novel is brimming with larger-than-life characters … funny, gutsy and confidently written … outstanding ’ Diana Evans, 2025 Women’s Prize Judge

‘ I found myself lost in this beautifully written novel and laughing as much as I wept’ Pippa Evans, 2025 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction Judge

' Magnificent … I lapped up its wonderful characterisations, profound insights and vivacious prose' Bernardine Evaristo, author of Girl, Woman, Other

‘A richly textured, sometimes tragic novel that’s enormously entertaining ’ The Times

‘ Unputdownable … an undoubtedly assured debut ’ Harper's Bazaar

'The word-of-mouth breakout … will have you hooked from the first action-filled chapter' Stylist

‘ Full of outrageous laughter , retaining its fire even in tender moments’ Observer

‘Mahloudji’s moving, madcap saga of women in exile [is] a relentlessly entertaining exploration of Iranian-American immigrant life’ Financial Times

‘It’s impossible to overstate how much I loved The Persians . Funny, sharp and insightful – this book is a triumph ’ Lauren Laverne

‘ A novel bursting with grudges, gossip and complex personal dynamics ’ Mail on Sunday

‘Mahloudji writes with a wisdom and confidence rarely seen in a debut’ Guardian

‘Exuberant, whip-smart, infused with melancholy, tragicomic, huge-hearted and sharp-toothed … A joy of a debut novel by the real deal ' David Mitchell, author of Cloud Atlas

'A wonderful multi-generational family drama with characters you really care about … I enjoyed it enormously ' Marian Keyes, author of My Favourite Mistake

‘ Mesmerising … Gorgeously written, with a flair for the comic and characters that dance off the page and into your heart ’ Monica Ali, author of Love Marriage

‘An ambitious, glorious feat … darkly funny, richly satisfying ’ Sarah Winman, author of Still Life

‘ At once funny and profound , sprawling and personal’ Tash Aw, author of We, The Survivors

Sanam Mahloudji is an American writer born in Tehran and based in London. She is the winner of a Pushcart Prize for her fiction and was nominated for the PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers. Her debut novel, The Persians , was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction and the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize 2025.