![]() In Mandanipour's novel, the ministry censor, Mr Petrovich - named after the detective in Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment - argues with the author about words and phrases he wants removed from the story on the grounds that they might sexually arouse readers, harm Islamic values, endanger national security or ignite revolution. Under this regime it could take the ministry weeks, months or sometimes years to respond to a manuscript and this response would range from a simple yes or no to a detailed list of contested chapters, dialogues, sentences or even individual words. ![]() However, it was only with the Islamic Revolution that censorship became official. The lovers use the technique to exchange letters, as first Dara and then Sara borrow from the library The Little Prince, Dracula, The Unbearable Lightness of Being and more, until they meet up for the first time on a street protest in front of Tehran University.Īs their love story progresses, Mandanipour elucidates the history of censorship in Iran, dating back hundreds of years to the intricate metaphors and complicated allegories employed by such poets as Rumi, Hafez and Khayam. When she reads Hedayat's novel, Sara notices a collection of purple dots - Dara has left her a message in code. ![]() He falls in love with her, and poses as a street pedlar to sell her the book. Dara first sees Sara in a public library, where she is looking for a copy of The Blind Owl, a banned novel by the acclaimed Iranian writer Sadeq Hedayat. ![]()
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