The Blood of Flowers

I think the title pulled me toward this book. I knew it was about a carpetmaker in 17th-century Persia, and I guessed that the blood of flowers might refer to the dye used to color the wool for the rugs.

I found this way of describing dye to be extremely evocative. As it turns out, that was only the beginning of my fascination with this beautiful book. Following a young woman in the beautiful city of Isfahan, I had no idea that I would learn so much about the process of making carpets. I even found myself looking up ancient… show more.

This is a historical novel that takes place in Isfahan during the 17th century, the height of that city’s artistic renaissance. Think: turquoise mosaics and sumptuous paisley textiles. The protagonist, a young girl whose fate changes when her father dies and leaves her without a dowry, is forced to work as a carpet weaver. Through hard work and study, she becomes a sought-after carpet designer at a time when Persian carpet design was at its pinnacle and an occupation relegated solely to men. There are some very well-crafted sex scenes, if you’re into that.