I first read this when I was in high school.

I adored it and read it multiple times.

As the years passed, I always intended to re-read it.

However, finally, I became afraid to do so, fearing that it would, well, not be as good as I remembered - I don't always trust my youthful taste.

Finally, I just took the plunge and was surprised to discover that it is based on the story of Henry II and his "Devil's Brood".

This would have meant nothing to me at the time.

(And how strange that I just watched "A Lion in Winter" a couple of weeks ago. Katharine Hepburn wears false eyelashes in 1183, sigh)

And guess what, I still loved it.

It is complete melodrama, of course, but in 735 pages, not a single moment drags.

It races along with one calamity after another.

It's great fun.

Overall, this re-reading experience has been a pleasant surprise.

It has reminded me that sometimes, our youthful favorites can still hold up and bring us joy years later.

At the beginning when I started reading the novel, I didn't even think that I would encounter such a book.

The excellent story is told very well. The characters in the book follow one another and beautifully carry the story forward. At the beginning of each chapter, a quote is mentioned, which is very helpful for understanding the chapter and the continuation of the novel.

Overall, it was a good novel. After approximately 900 pages, I was satisfied with the novel. Unfortunately, it's a pity that other works of this author have not been translated into Persian.

Just don't look for a specific philosophy in this novel, that is, this novel is not philosophical but very thought-provoking and engaging.

And Mr. Ebrahim Yoonessi's translation was excellent and multiplied the pleasure of reading this novel. To the extent that from the time I started the book until the time I closed it, I read about 130 pages at a time, which is very rare for me.

If Nega Publishing republishes it, be sure to read it.

I read this book such a long time ago that I had completely forgotten about it. So, I decided to pick it up and start reading. To my surprise, I couldn't put it down. I was so engrossed in the story that I even found myself reading during the day. I just loved it that much.

Update. I finished the book a few days ago, on the 25th of September. I'm really sad that it's over. It truly is a good book when it's thick and yet you still crave more. I cried twice while reading this book, and I don't usually consider myself someone who cries over books.

Maybe I will read this again 10 to 20 years from now. It would be interesting to see if my perspective and feelings towards the book change over time. I'm sure it will still hold a special place in my heart.