A contemporary whirlwind comedy drama starring the obscenely wealthy Milani family of Los Angeles, Tehrangeles by Porochista Khakpour (The Last Illusion, Sick) is the ultimate parody of a nouveau riche clan of Iranian Americans eager to downplay their immigrant roots. From starring in a reality television show to hosting the pandemic party of the year, the Milanis are determined to capture social media recognition beyond the success of their fast food business.
Thrilled to be mistaken as Italian thanks to his surname, Ali Milani lives with his wife, Homa, in an opulent mansion with their four daughters, a Persian cat named Pari, and live-in staff. Ali fled to the U.S. as a penniless teenager during the Iranian Revolution and hasn't looked back, building a veritable empire after inventing the popular "Pizzabomme." Designer-clad Homa pines for the homeland of her youth and is a passive matriarch who long gave up controlling her husband and daughters' more excessive tendencies.
Aspiring model and eldest child Violet struggles with an addiction to sweets. Fiery second daughter, Instagram queen, and high-schooler Roxanna is the beating heart of Tehrangeles, her ambitious ideas for courting fame propelling much of the story's glittery action. Mina is serious and studious, vastly different from her sisters. Whatever leisure time Haley, the youngest at 14 years old, has is channeled toward her obsession with fitness.
Set in early 2020, the story opens with the Milanis poised to star in their very own reality TV series. Roxanna, of course, will be the main attraction and is counting on the series to catapult her to next-level stardom. Never mind the pesky little secret she's keeping that might ruin everything. Tehran-born writer Khakpour's characters struggle with questions of identity arising from the hostilities between their native country and their adopted home, yet Violet would still prefer to be known by her Iranian name, "Banafsheh." Most intriguing of all is Mina, grappling with matters of sexuality that go beyond geopolitics.
When the global pandemic delays production of the TV series, Roxanna pivots to planning an opulent party, ignoring concerns about hosting a super-spreader event. With speculation heightening on whether the family home will be graced by any of the A-list celebrities invited to the event, what transpires is a spectacular family meltdown that only the Milanis could pull off, with the author clearly enjoying every minute of the action.
A treat for fans of Crazy Rich Asians, Tehrangeles is pure literary entertainment poking good-natured fun at "the world's largest community of Iranians outside Iran." --Shahina Piyarali
Shelf Talker: This contemporary whirlwind comedy drama parodies the wealthy Iranian-American families who call Los Angeles home.