Sāl-i balvā Persiska (Farsi) 2024

The book Sal-e Balva (The Year of Turmoil) by Abbas Maroufi was first published in 1991 (1370 in the Iranian calendar). Maroufi rose to prominence with his novel Symphony of the Dead, one of the most celebrated works of contemporary Iranian literature. Following its success, he wrote The Year of Turmoil, which further enhanced his reputation. The novel was warmly received by readers and went through multiple reprints.

In The Year of Turmoil, Maroufi addresses themes such as the pursuit of power, misogyny, and forbidden love, ultimately surprising the reader with an unexpected ending.

Abbas Maroufi was an Iranian writer, playwright, poet, and journalist who for several years worked as a literary editor for various cultural magazines in Tehran and served as editor-in-chief of the magazine Gardoon. His first published work was the short story collection Facing the Sun. Among his other notable works are Symphony of the Dead, The Body of Farhad, Fereydoun Had Three Sons, Entirely Personal, and Molten, among others.

The story of The Year of Turmoil unfolds through memories in the mind of a young woman named Nousha, the novel’s central character. She is the daughter of an influential man, Colonel Niloufar, who intends to secure a brilliant future for her—yet events take a different course. The narrative is set during the Second World War and the reign of Reza Shah Pahlavi, and the author vividly portrays the political and social conditions of Iran at the time.

Maroufi was a student of the prominent Iranian writer Houshang Golshiri, and in The Year of Turmoil he employs temporal shifts and non-linear narration, reflecting the stylistic influence of his mentor.