A contemporary whirlwind comedy drama ... Pure literary entertainment poking good-natured fun at 'the world's largest community of Iranians outside Iran'.
Wry ... Khakpour’s commitment to giving equal weight to each character means that the narrative structure occasionally feels diffuse. For the most part, though, she provides a vibrant sense of place and an indelible family portrait. This has plenty of heart.
Khakpour aims for, and mostly hits, the sweet spot of satire, where critique blurs at the edges with sympathy for the hot messes that are the Milanis. It’s not easy, after all, to figure out your identity, especially when the world is watching ... Iranian and American cultures collide in a shower of glitter and tears in this sendup of the SoCal elite.
