“Ebrahim made him understand that, no matter what, he could not advance beyond the white line, for that would be in defiance of God’s laws.”
― Freidoune Sahebjam, The Stoning of Soraya M.: A Story of Injustice in Iran

It is hard to believe something as barbaric an d horrific as this could happen.

This book is a true story and is about as brutal as it gets. It is Soraya's story, as told to the author by her beloved Aunt Zahra who was an incredible woman and a hero.

It isn't a pleasant read, that is putting it mildly. I am aware of these things happening but the writer really puts you right there and since you start the book knowing the outcome you feel helpless and I was just shocked anyway at the sheer venom and brutality of everything that happened.

In a way, this book is scarier then books like 'The Handmaid's tale" or "The Lottery" because this is one hundred percent true and it will make you infuriated as to how this brave and beautiful lady was treated.

Her husband and his friends hatched a scheme to accuse her of being unfaithful since the husband wanted a divorce but did not want to return the dowry. They framed her for adultery and the sentence passed was stoning. Her wonderful Aunt tried to help her. Not many other people did.

Indeed, many in the sleepy village including the Soraya' own father and sons took part in the stoning.

It is beastly and depraved and sickening. The back story of the men was not interesting to me since they are monsters and I had no interest in reading about them. In spite of this, I rated it a five since i t is important and shines a tragic light on barbaric practices that go on that many may not be aware of.

Read it but understand the book goes into graphic detail including the stoning..detail by detail. Not an easy read but one I will not forget. ( )

This is the most heartbreaking book I can recall reading. To say it is difficult to read is an understatement as is saying it is a compelling read. It is a book once you begin to read you will be unable to put down and unable to forget. That it is a true story is horrifying. That there are at least 15 prisoners at risk of stoning today, (Amnesty International), is incomprehensible. Those 15 are in Iran. Iran is not the only country to have stoning happen.

In reading this story and imagining how Soraya must have felt it is not difficult to see why she was silent. She must have felt trapped because she had no way to defend herself. Whether or not the charges were justified or false the cards were stacked against her. I cannot imagine how she came to terms with her sentence. I cannot fathom what must have gone through her mind when she watched her father, her sons, pick up stones to throw at her.

The person I think I am most amazed at is Soraya's aunt. The only person to try to come to her aid. In thinking about that country and its treatment of women, Soraya's aunt stands out as a hero. She spoke out in Soraya's defense. She failed to stay quiet after the execution and it is from her that we hear Soraya's story. What an amazing amount of courage, love and strength that took. I would like to think I could be so strong. But in all honesty I am not certain. I do not think any of us who lived our entire lives free could say with absolute certainty that they could do what Soraya's aunt did.

The back cover of the book states, " It is a story that must be told." To that I add, it is a story that must be read. You cannot change anything in ignorance. Knowledge is power. Is it to say that by reading the book Iran will suddenly change its sentencing? No. We all know that is not realistic. But perhaps by becoming knowledgeable and passing that knowledge on we can eventually change things for the better. According to the author between 1979 to 1983 the Iranian government acknowledged that between 500 to 600 women were put to death by stoning. Today there are 15 at risk of stoning. That is a huge difference. Knowledge is power. I cannot imagine the strength of the Iranian people who have fought to change things for the better in their country. I am in awe of them as I am of those in countries around the world who fight against injustice; those who refuse to be silent in the face of death.

The Stoning of Soraya M. is a story that must be read. It is a story you will not forget. ( )

This is, quite possibly, the most disturbing book that I've ever read, and not an easy one to rate. I can't really say that I recommend it, for all that my fellow international affairs peeps kept telling me to read it, but it's definitely an important book. The details of what happened to Soraya are disturbing, and the author definitely didn't hold back in making sure the reader knows what happened. It's sickening, disturbing, heart-breaking, and utterly haunting, all at the same time. Read with caution, and with tissues nearby (and, yes, the movie, which I saw long before reading the book, is even better/worse on that note). ( )

Absolutely horrific - nearly as bad as the film. Hard to believe that this continues to happen, and not only happen but celebrated.

This is probably one of the worst cases of injustice and woman abuse that I've heard of. I can't say more to avoid spoilers, but if you have interest in the absolutely miserable and cruel lives of women in Iran and Afghanistan, then this book will confirm what you already know or open your eyes to what is going on in certain parts of the world. ( )

Just as Pat Tillman gave a face to the countless and needless military casualties in Afghanistan, Soraya's tragedy personalizes the stoning of over 1,500 women in Iran over the course of the last 25 years. Sahebjam's biography is a compelling account, but it is not, however, an easy read, as the violence is stark, gratuitous with the author leaving no detail unexamined.

Written in 1986, in the wake of the Islamic Revolution, this account of the brutal execution of an innocent woman illuminates, once more, the extent to which religious fervor, regardless of sect or creed, can be manipulated for personal gain and emptied of any moral integrity. Although Soraya was stoned, theoretically, in accordance to Islamic dictums, her aunt astutely notes that her fate is the outcome of "the law of men, the law that men make and say it is the law of God."

My only problem with this biography lies within the preface, as I would have preferred an update to the 2011 edition, detailing how the political climate and relative position of women in society has changed since the original manuscript. ( )