This Glittering Novel Is Like CRAZY RICH ASIANS Meets LITTLE WOMEN

Right before the COVID-19 pandemic, The Milanis are about to start filming their new reality television show. Iranian American multimillionaires who have made their money in fast food, the Milanis are set to be the Kardashians of Tehrangeles. The four sisters—Violet, Roxanna, Mina, and Haylee—each have their own opinions about the show. Some, like Roxanna and Haylee, think the show will help their personal brands, but Violet and Mina aren’t so sure.

But when the pandemic breaks out, their show is put on hold, and the family is forced to spend all of their time with each other—and their servants. It’s not long before they begin to grate on each other, causing no end to interpersonal conflict. 

If I were to meet you in a bookstore and recommend this to you, I’d have to say it’s a blend of Crazy Rich Asians meets Little Women. There are over-the-top moments like Roxanna trying to legally change her birth date so she can be a Scorpio instead of a Gemini. (She is SUCH a Gemini, though.) I haven’t laughed this much at a book in a LONG time. The dialogue is snappy. The situations are wild. And, I couldn’t get enough of these sisters.

Sure, you could say that this book is about rich people behaving badly. But it’s so much more than that. Beneath all the gold and glitter, the Milani sisters and their parents are navigating their identities as an immigrant family living in the US. Each family member holds a different perspective on what being Iranian American looks like. (One sister—yes, you guessed it, Roxanna—even has been telling her friends for years that she’s Italian.) This topic is so deftly handled and so meaningful to read. I especially loved the heartfelt moments, like when the sisters’ mother Homa has chats about life lessons with her daughters.

So, if you are looking for a good time and an examination of young womanhood—complete with ridiculous situations and laugh-out-loud moments—Tehrangeles is for you.