My very favorite love story is “If You Could Be Mine” by Sara Farizan. Its an absolutely heartbreaking and beautiful story of two girls who are 17 and in love in modern day Iran (iirc, the year is never established but there are cell phones so at least mid ’00s.) As you may guess, homosexuality isn’t well tolerated in Iran, so one of the girls decide to try and pursue a sexual reassignment surgery to become a man in an effort to be with the woman she loves. I won’t give spoilers beyond that, but its easily one of the most unique and lovely stories I’ve ever read.
The thing about this that is so wonderful to me is the combination of an exploration of a culture that people from the U.S.A wouldn’t be terribly familiar with and the unconventional love story. I’ve a particular fondness for middle eastern cultural stories.
Queer love stories speak to me in particular, but I also enjoy love stories that deal with deep and passionate platonic love (think two friends who have no romantic feelings but would kill or die for each other) or particularly strong familia love (think Usnavi and his Abuela in “In The Heights.”)
Any reccomendations for unconventional love stories that are set in a culture that’s very different than the U.S.A?
by Longjump_Ear6240