Last week, I shared my favorite book of 2024 here, and today my favorite audiobook is featured. Many friends insist they do not like reading with their ears and prefer reading a “real” book or an e-book. Reading with your ears is not for everyone, but I enjoy listening to a narrator bring a story to life.

In 2024, I read with my ears a lot! At least half of the 109 books (current count) on my read list were audio only or a combination of reading with both my eyes and ears. One of my goals for 2025 is to track those statistics.

Five audiobooks rose to the top this year, so it was difficult to choose only ONE. How did I choose? First, the narrators of my favorite were excellent, but the other narrators were, too. Secondly, I eagerly anticipated the release of this novel after reading and loving The Stationary Shop by the author in 2021.

So, what was the deciding factor in 2024? The accents. It is always the dialect and the accents. The accents and the pronunciation of foreign words I could not say made all the difference.

The Lion Women of Tehran by Marian Kamali

The historical fiction novel begins in 1950s Tehran and spans decades with an epilogue in 2022. Our two heroines are 7-year-olds. Elaheh (Ellie) has been raised in high society, and Homa lives downtown in the low income section. After Ellie’s father dies, she and her mother are forced to move downtown where the two girls meet and develop a deep friendship. As the story continues, the girls lose touch at times, but circumstances always bring them back together.

“We are cubs now, maybe. But we will grow to be lionesses. Strong women who make things happen.” – Homa

Marian Kamali does a masterful job of leading the reader through the changes in Iran, and I learned so much about Persian history and culture, especially the food. Check out the link for recipes from the book on Kamali’s website: here.

Mozhan Navabi (also known as Mozhan Marno’) and Nikki Massoud’s performances brought life and depth to Ellie and Homa’s characters. Hearing them speak Kamali’s words in Farsi was both interesting and entertaining. Listening to the audiobook made such a difference. I would have loved this story of friendship, betrayal and redemption in all forms, but the narration put it over the top.

Share your favorite audiobooks in the comments.

Look for this recommendation and other books at Knox County Online Library or your local independent bookstore each week.

Linda Sullivan is an avid reader and wants to make you one, too. For more recommendations or just to talk books, reach out to her at thebookwhisperertn@gmail.com. She can also be found @thebookwhisperertn on Instagram.