The Carpet Weaver of Isfahan Review

Daniel was wounded while serving in the Israeli Army. Still living with his parents, he cut himself off from the world, holed up in his room and kept his communication with anybody to a minimum. All this changes when their house is broken-into. An insurance appraiser, while checking Daniel's room, proclaimed his small carpet is of the highest artistic craftsmanship, equivalent to a Van Gogh. This sparks something in Daniel and marks the beginning of his adventure. Daniel leaves for Canada and locates the merchant who sold the carpet to his father. There Daniel hears the story of the Carpet Weaver of Isfahan, an Iranian legend that tells of a gifted young girl who wove three magnificent carpets, but met with a tragic fate. Daniel purchases the second carpet from the merchant, and becomes fixated on locating the third carpet. He illegally enters Iran in search for the carpet weaver. In his journey he is followed by 3 secret services (Canada's, Israel's and Iran's) each with a different agenda. Not aware of the international uproar he has caused, Daniel meets with the weaver and her daughter, falls in love and is beginning to heal. In the meantime a complex deal is being made to save him from a sure death and arrange his safe exit from Iran. 

My favourite part about reading and reviewing books at the request of others is that it is usually stuff that I would not pick up on my own.  

I would pretty much never have chosen to read this book, but I enjoyed it so much.  Daniel's story was so riveting.  I was on the edge of my seat for much of the book.  He is a young man struggling and watching him recover as he goes through his journey oblivious to what is happening around him is interesting.  There are quite a few uncomfortable topics in the book but they are handled well.     

 I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.