Woodwind Harmony in the Nighttime

Synopsis

Living in a cramped attic apartment in 1990s Paris, Iranian exile Yadollah struggles to survive alongside his friend Seyyed and his girlfriend Ra'na. Their aging building is home to an eclectic community of immigrants and refugees, each carrying the weight of displacement and uncertain futures. When a mysterious new tenant known only as Prophet arrives, strange events begin to unfold. Before long, Yadollah finds himself confronted by the angels of death and faced with an impossible realization: he has been murdered, though neither he nor the reader knows when, how, or why.

Blending mystery, dark comedy, and magical realism, Woodwind Harmony in the Nighttime is an inventive exploration of exile, memory, and identity. As Yadollah pieces together the story of his own death, Reza Ghassemi crafts a haunting and deeply human novel about belonging, loss, and the lingering wounds of displacement.

About the Author

Reza Ghassemi is an acclaimed Iranian novelist, playwright, musician, and painter whose work often explores exile, identity, and the complexities of modern Iranian life. Woodwind Harmony in the Nighttime won the inaugural Mo Habib Translation Prize in Persian Literature and is translated from the Persian by Poupeh Missaghi.

Publisher
Deep Vellum Publishing

Publication Date
September 24, 2024

Format
Paperback

Pages
248

Subjects
Literary Fiction · Translated Fiction · Persian Literature · Magical Realism

ISBN
9781646054190