Through this narrative, Abdoh critiques the ripple effects of global politics on individual lives, especially those who are left with no escape from their pasts. The novel’s protagonist is forced to confront his own involvement in an illicit trade that was fueled by war and destruction, illuminating the inextricable ties between political events and personal histories. Abdoh’s use of the drug trade as a metaphor underscores the ways in which political conflicts often create cycles of violence and exploitation, leaving a trail of broken lives in their wake.
Tehran At Twilight: A Story of Betrayal and Friendship
Published in 2014, Tehran at Twilight cemented Salar Abdoh’s reputation as a novelist adept at portraying the moral and political complexities of life in exile. The novel tells the story of Reza Malek, an Iranian-American writer who returns to Tehran after years of living in New York. His return is fraught with emotional and political tension, as he reconnects with his childhood friend Sina, who has become entangled in Iran’s corrupt political system.
The novel explores themes of friendship, betrayal, and the impossibility of escaping one’s past. Reza is torn between loyalty to his friend and his own moral principles, while at the same time grappling with the cultural and political changes that have transformed Iran in his absence. Abdoh’s portrayal of Tehran as a city on the brink of chaos, with its political intrigue and looming threats of violence, mirrors the internal struggles of his protagonist, who is caught between two worlds — the Iran of his childhood and the New York of his adulthood.
Tehran at Twilight is often compared to Graham Greene’s The Quiet American, in that both novels explore the moral ambiguities of individuals caught up in larger geopolitical conflicts. Abdoh’s use of Tehran as both a literal and metaphorical setting underscores the novel’s exploration of the limits of personal agency in the face of oppressive political systems. The novel is a meditation on how political loyalties and personal relationships can become entangled in ways that make betrayal and violence inevitable.
Editing Tehran Noir
In 2014, Abdoh also edited and translated Capital Noir, a collection of short stories by various Iranian writers that paints a portrait of the dark underbelly of Capital. The anthology is part of Akashic Books’ “Noir” series, which focuses on urban crime fiction set in cities around the world. Capital Noir brings together voices from Homeland’s literary scene to offer a glimpse into the corruption, crime, and complexities of life in the capital city.
Abdoh’s work as an editor and translator in Capital Noir highlights his deep connection to Iran’s contemporary literary scene, as well as his commitment to bringing the voices of Iranian writers to a wider international audience. The collection’s stories, like much of Abdoh’s own fiction, reveal the fractures within Iranian society, where political repression, social inequality, and violence lurk beneath the surface of everyday life. Capital Noir is an essential contribution to the growing body of Iranian crime fiction and a testament to Abdoh’s talent as both a writer and curator of Persian literature.