Under the Same Sky

Mojgan Shamsalipoor, Milad Jafari, James Knight

Hachette Australia

ISBN: 9780733637827

Description:

An unforgettable story of love, hope and a fight for freedom.

At seventeen, Mojgan Shamsalipoor wanted to be safe from abuse, go to school and eventually marry for love. In Iran, she was denied all of this..

Milad Jafari was a shy teenage by who found his voice as a musician. But the music he loved was illegal in his country. Milad’s father – a key-maker, builder and shopkeeper – wanted his family to live free from the fear of arrest,imprisonment or execution. To do that, they all had to flee Iran.

Mojgan and Milad met in Australia. But in the months between their separate sea voyages, the Australian government changed the way asylum seekers were treated. Though Milad is recognised as a refugee and will soon become a proud Australian citizen, Mojgan has been told she cannot stay here even though the threat of imprisonment and further abuse, or worse, means she can’t return to Iran. This is their story.

Under the Same Sky is a powerful insight into the human face of asylum seekers and the way history has shaped the lives of these two young people. It also shows the compassion found in our suburbs. For Mojgan and Milad, love keeps their hopes alive.

Brenda’s Review:

Mojgan Shamsalipoor grew up in Iran with her mother and siblings. She was a happy child, full of fun and laughter, but as she grew to teenage years, things changed for her and the family. When her mother re-married, ostensibly to give Mojgan a better life, things became much worse. Mojgan and her brother Hossein eventually fled to Australia, with the blessing of their mother, in the hopes of a better life.

Milad Jafari was painfully shy until he found music through a friend. But music was illegal in Iran and could even result in the perpetrator being put to death. Milad’s father was a hard-working man who adored his wife and children. He wanted the best for them; their happiness and safety was paramount – they couldn’t have that in Iran; the plan to flee their home country happened quickly.

When Milad and Mojgan eventually met, Milad had been in Australia for some time. He and his family had been granted refugee status and could work and live peacefully. But Mojgan and Hossein weren’t so lucky. Time and time again, their applications were denied until Hossein was re-detained, and then Mojgan – but they were not together. Hossein was in Darwin and Mojgan was in Brisbane. The constant threat of being unable to stay in Australia – of having to return to Iran where they would be punished, more than likely executed, was too much for the siblings to bear.

Milad and Mojgan’s love for each other, and Milad’s determination to do everything he could for her kept their hopes alive. But against the immigration laws and the government’s decisions, their worries were many. What will be the final decision for Mojgan and Hossein?

Under the Same Sky is a traumatic, emotional and heartbreaking look at the fight for freedom by the Shamsalipoor siblings; also, the compassion and kindness of strangers who found themselves in the paths of these two young people. Milad’s kind and caring nature toward the woman he loves; his parents’ acceptance of Mojgan and their desire to help; even the teachers at Mojgan’s school, in particular Miss Jessica – but would it be enough? Under the Same Sky is written by Mojgan and Milad, with the assistance of James Knight who has done an exceptional job. I have no hesitation in highly recommending Under the Same Sky which I think is a very important, even critical read. 5 stars!