Song of a Captive Bird: A Novel

I will admit that the title, and the instant connection that I found to Maya Angelou’s autobiographical I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings piqued my interest, but I’m also intrigued by the differences and similarities in people all over the world. Darznik used poems, letters, film and interview texts from Farrokhzad’s life to craft a story that feels as if it could be biographical, if freely drawing from her imagination. An Iranian immigrant herself, Darznik’s mother smuggled volumes of Farrokhzad’s poems out of the country, and the ties to ‘home’ and a fascination with the woman was born: resulting in this novel, freely sharing poems and moments with us. From the start, I saw the affinity the author had for the subject in the very present voice of Forugh, each moment is clearly presented with emotion and clarity that brings the moments to life for the reader: and the natural curiosity that one would expect of a young woman finding her way in the world, seeing and questioning the rules and imbalances, and finding the courage to continue to question where others simply submit. Darznik managed, in varying degrees, the voice of the poet without overlaying a more ‘western’ judgment to the moments, allowing the reactions to feel real and plausible. By the author’s admission, many of the events are imagined, as Farrokhzad’s family is thought to have destroyed most of her personal papers – a not uncommon reaction to a life that was constantly at odds with their own traditions, beliefs and quiet existence amidst the political tumult of the time. In the short time that Forugh was on the earth, just 32 years, her time was spent learning, questioning and finally defining an existence that was full of possibility rather than restriction. The restrictions of tradition, of expected, of religion and political stricture: her choices were bold and daring, and uniquely dangerous. Full of questioning looks, family and societal censure and the refusal to remain in the background and mute, as was expected (and demanded) of women. The inclusion of the poetry shows a growth and understanding of the world, the one she inhabited and the one she was working to create: the emotions and growth in understanding, viewpoint and strengthening of her voice are all clearly apparent. Here is where there is often a slight disconnect – the real words of Forugh tend to show a maturity as the poetry is revealed that is often not reflected in the prose that is not of her words. A small miss, that while apparent, only provided (for me) a sense of real tensions overriding her life and choices, often bringing these moments forward with a sense that feels less interior voice and more third person. It was an interesting shift in the dynamic while reading, for sure, and one that often had me rereading a poem with a different eye. Poet, documentary maker, feminist in a place that wasn’t welcoming to any sort of dissent or individual voices raised to show flaws, discrepancies or limits, the story engages as it teaches: strength, courage, imagination and a desire to self-define a life, however short, by one’s own views of what should be, not what is. The strongest lesson here for me is not the struggle, nor the hurdles overcome but the true desire to be seen and loved as a complete person: female, curious, talented, intelligent and bold. A wonderful introduction to a poet with a voice that spans the chasms of difference to show the similarities. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.