Week 40: Persepolis

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Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi (complete edition)

Satrapi's two-volume graphic novel is a personal memoir. Satrapi is Iranian and was a young girl when the 1979 revolution changed everything. Her relatives and family friends were in constant danger and sometimes killed. Then came the Iran-Iraq war, and life became so dangerous that her parents sent her to Vienna for high school. To her parents, nothing was more important than their daughter's education, which they believed would open her opportunities like nothing else. Unfortunately, Satrapi had quite a difficult time in Vienna and came home to recuperate. Her college years and marriage are also chronicled.

I'm not much of a graphic novel person, but this is an excellent example of a graphic novel with wide appeal, that many people would enjoy reading. It's certainly and interesting and absorbing story, with lots to think about. Of course, since it's got war and fascism and oppression in it, there's some difficult material. This may look like a comic book, but it's not for children. It would be excellent for a teen wanting to understand something about Iran.

Comments

  1. TrishOctober 2, 2011 at 1:46 PM

    Great review! I just read this and posted about it yesterday. I was a little worried about the 'comic book' factor of this book, too. But the drawings were so evocative and mature they really added to the poignancy of the subject. I'm eager to get a copy of part two.

    ReplyDelete
  2. JeanOctober 2, 2011 at 6:26 PM

    Thanks! Part two was very good, though she makes a bunch of rotten choices. A lot of the story is how she finally pulls herself up.

    ReplyDelete

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