Levy Mossanen, Dora 1945–

PERSONAL: Born 1945, in Israel. Education: University of Southern California, M.P.W.

ADDRESSES: Home—Beverly Hills, CA. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Simon & Schuster, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. E-mail—Dora@DoraLevyMossanen.com.

CAREER: Writer.

AWARDS, HONORS: San Diego Editor's Choice award.

WRITINGS:

NOVELS

Harem, Scribner (New York, NY), 2002.

Courtesan, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2005.

SIDELIGHTS: Dora Levy Mossanen was born in Israel but raised in Iran, a country her family fled in 1979 at the onset of the Islamic Revolution. She was educated in California, where she also makes her home. Levy Mossanen's novels Harem and Courtesan reflect her knowledge of the Middle East and her interest in that region's history and traditions.

Harem is a detailed depiction of life in ancient Persia. It follows the fortunes of three women: Rebekah, her daughter Gold Dust, and Gold Dust's daughter, Raven. Rebekah is sold as a child bride to a brutish metalworker, who brands her when she fails to produce a son for him. She escapes his home and supports herself and her young daughter through prostitution. Gold Dust eventually makes her way to a position of power as one of the shah's favorite concubines and becomes the mother of the ruler's albino daughter, Raven. The book was praised by many reviewers as an entertaining read and an engrossing, historically accurate tale of life in ancient Persia. Amy Strong, writing in Library Journal, found the work to be a "richly imagined" blend of romance and fairy tale but termed it an "uneven" effort. A Publishers Weekly reviewer was more positive, calling Harem "lush and erotic" and recommending it as "a delightful read and a grandly romantic escapade."

Levy Mossanen's next book, Courtesan, is set in a more modern era but again explores the power women sometimes wield even in repressive societies. Courtesan takes place both in Persia and in late-eighteenth-century France. As in Harem, three generations of women are involved in the story. Gabrielle is a famous Parisian madam; her daughter, Francoise, is a successful courtesan; while Francoise's daughter Simone longs to break free of the family traditions and marry for love. She subsequently weds a Persian jeweler and moves to the mountains of Persia. A Publishers Weekly reviewer found the book's "engaging plot" to be its strong point, and predicted: "readers will find themselves gripped by spirited Simone's many adventures."

Asked in an interview with Bookreporter to address misconceptions about Iranian women, Levy Mossanen replied: "The misconception we have about women living in Iran is that their spirits have been broken down by this male-dominated society. Although this is true in some cases, overall it's difficult to break down an Iranian woman's will. She will find a way to educate herself, work, and expose her hair or ankle." She further stated: "Like my heroines and myself, Iranian women have often managed to rise above the limitations of their societies. But, in order to succeed, we had to be more resourceful than women in liberal countries."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, June 1, 2002, Margaret Flanagan, review of Harem, p. 1687.

Kirkus Reviews, June 15, 2002, review of Harem, p. 833; April 15, 2005, review of Courtesan, p. 444.

Library Journal, July, 2002, Amy Strong, review of Harem, p. 122.

Publishers Weekly, July 1, 2002, review of Harem, p. 54; May 16, 2005, review of Courtesan, p. 36.

ONLINE

Bookreporter, http://www.bookreporter.com/ (October 17, 2005), Marie Hashima Lofton, review of Harem; interview with Dora Levy Mossanen.

Dora Levy Mossanen Home Page, http://www.doralevymossanen.com (October 17, 2005).

Romantic Times, http://www.romantictimes.com/ (October 17, 2005), Page Traynor, review of Courtesan.