Forthcoming by Asemana Books (May 22, 2026)

The Potato Eaters

by

Merila Moradi

translated from Persian by

Arash Khoshsafa

ISBN: 9781997503361

The Potato Eaters by Merila Moradi, translated from Persian by Arash Khoshsafa, is a daring debut short story collection that confronts the raw textures of modern life without ornament or illusion. Rooted in naturalism yet tinged with fantasy and subtle magical realism, these stories inhabit a world where the strange unfolds within the logic of reality itself.

Moradi portrays contemporary society in all its darkness and discomfort—its loneliness, frustration, and quiet despair. Her characters drift through fragmented relationships and distorted perceptions, searching for refuge while resisting self-recognition. The result is a body of work that is unsettling, sometimes abrasive, yet deeply compelling in its honesty.

Rejecting conventional plotlines and linear narration, the collection moves through fluid, shifting narrative spaces that mirror the instability of the modern Iranian experience. The language is contemporary and sharp, influenced by the rhythms of digital culture, making it especially resonant for today’s readers.

Bold, unconventional, and unafraid of risk, The Potato Eaters introduces Moradi as a distinctive new voice in contemporary fiction—one whose uncompromising vision challenges, provokes, and lingers.

Merila Moradi, born in Shiraz, Iran, in 1981, is a graphic designer, sculptor and writer. She began her writing journey at the age of seventeen through short story workshops in Shiraz, led by Shahriar Mandanipour, and later had her short stories published sporadically in literary magazines in Iran.

Arash Khoshsafa is an Iranian PhD holder in English literature from the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. His main scholarly focus is literary criticism and modern American fiction, especially the works of dirty realism authors such as Richard Ford. In addition to translating fiction from English into Persian and vice versa, and publishing in Iran and overseas, Arash writes fiction in Persian and English.

Endorsement:

The short story collection The Potato Eaters is a work of naturalism that depicts the reality of human beings, society and relationships without deceitful embellishment or falsification. It carries a sense of fantasy and magical realism, where the bizarre exists within the laws of the real and natural world. The world portrayed in this collection pulls us in, its form and structure filling the reader’s mental space, sometimes surprising them. It is repulsive and dark, at times leading us to the very depths of disgust toward the world and its people. The naturalism of this collection addresses the modern world and the loneliness of humans, exploring how each individual, in their perception of the world and society, can manifest in various forms that are often disproportionate and awkward. It is a world where the characters are angry, frustrated and in search of refuge from themselves, while simultaneously blaming others and society. It is a reality that, although they are aware of it, they have no intention or desire to confess.

The stories in this collection are not narrated in a conventional style. The narratives, aside from being set in a strange and ever-changing world, lack a coherent narrative structure with a direct plotline. This may be due to the fluid, restless nature of the narrative world in the stories. The narratives’ language is uniform and consistent, appearing modern and influenced by social media, which will likely appeal to contemporary readers, particularly those who read less frequently. The literature of this collection draws from the heart of society and the social nature of the modern Iranian world, where confusion and cultural and linguistic distortions are prevalent. Moradi’s debut as a writer deserves praise for her boldness in narrative, presenting a courageous and distinct portrayal of storytelling, one that carries significant risk and may be rejected by many in the literary world. The author could bring a fresh voice to contemporary fiction by continuing this narrative style.

Afrouz Djahandideh, Author of Duzakh Tanhaei (The Hell of Loneliness)