Book - Escaped At Thirteen by Alieza Mogadam
Genre - Memoir

What happens when your home is under attack? The familiar milieu that’s been your safest haven is no more safe— what happens then? Do you stay put and face the fatal blows of tyranny or do you escape the hell-hole that was once your homeland and start anew? Some say the latter is wise and most narrate the ghastly situation due to which they were compelled to leave their home. Alieza Mogadam, a Canadian author, narrates the tale of his escape from the tumultous times in Tehran at the age of thirteen in the latest book— Escaped At Thirteen.

Mogadam takes his readers on a spine-chilling journey across countries, cultures, and political dimensions. Most importantly, you get a glimpse of war and its fatal consequences that doesn’t just ruin lives but scar dreams, diminishing the hope to live! Gnawing at the human spirit bit by bit.

Born to a middle class family in Tehran, Alieza finds himself in a war-torn city under the rule of Saddam Hussain. Fleeing Tehran is the only option and we see the author travelling to far away lands in the hope of a better life. From Switzerland to South of France and finally to Canada, the author is on constant move. And these transitions are riddled with conflicts and chaos, an internal turmoil that’s scalding.

Filled with challenges and constant struggles, the young author learnt to craft his own destinities. As you leaf through the pages, you’ll see how meaningful friendships and the strength of love propel him to set his roots in newer soil. Life dealt him a difficult hand. But, did he succumb to it? Or did he rise above these obstacles only to try and take charge of his life? When you read this book you understand and marvel at the author’s courage, resilience and receptivity, his determination to eke out a better life, and his zeal to design his own fate.

Alieza Mogadam has employed comprehensible language to give an impeccable glimpse of his tortured homeland. With each chapter, you encounter something new, something raw, and something that compels you to reflect. In this book, the author has focused on a number of aspects, one of them being war and its consequences.

The author writes, “The war’s grip tightened each day, casting a shadow over the nation. Saddam, emboldened by his army’s progress, kept pressing forward, relentlessly advancing. Our soldiers fought bravely, but the toll was heavy. Mass graves served as haunting reminders of the sacrifices made by families…. As casualties mounted, the government removed the minimum age for military service and the army saw an influx of younger boys prematurely pushed into war.”

This haunting paragraph brings back memories from World War I soldier poet, Wilfred Owen. His poems and letters exposed how the higher authorities ruined young lives by pushing them into war. This also reminds me of Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner and Love In A Torn Land by Jean Sasson.

Most significantly, the setting, the plight, and the political conundrum still remains relevant. It reminds me of the Palestinians who have found themselves in the midst of a fight that’s causing them their present and future too.

Another aspect that caught my attention was how the author treated the theme of home. It seemed to me, in each country and city he went to or people he met, he was trying to find a piece of ‘home’ that he had left behind. The implications were heart-touching as well as harrowing, given under the circumstances he’d left Tehran.

To sum up, pick this book up to see humanity, friendship, love, loss, and war up-close. Experience the human struggles deeper within and see a significant shift in yourself as you close this book. It is the most poignant tale with heartfelt reflections and evocative descriptions. This story, though moving, yet is a compelling account of preservance and triumphs in treacherous situation. Escaped At Thirteen is a gripping memoir with a universal appeal. It is empowering and invigorating. 

To buy the book, pls click - Escaped At Thirteen by Alieza Mogadam

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