Review: The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
Here, in one volume: Marjane Satrapi’s best-selling, internationally acclaimed graphic memoir of growing up as a girl in Iran during the revolution has for twenty years been a classroom staple, a feminist manifesto, and one of the most popular and widely known graphic novels of all time.
“A stunning graphic memoir…a wholly original achievement in the form.” —The New York Times
Persepolis is the story of Satrapi’s unforgettable childhood and coming of age within a large and loving family in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution; of the contradictions between private life and public life in a country plagued by political upheaval; of her high school years in Vienna facing the trials of adolescence far from her family; of her homecoming—both sweet and terrible; and, finally, of her self-imposed exile from her beloved homeland. It is the chronicle of a girlhood and adolescence at once outrageous and familiar, a young life entwined with the history of her country yet filled with the universal trials and joys of growing up.
Edgy, searingly observant, and candid, often heartbreaking but threaded throughout with raw humor and hard-earned wisdom—Persepolis is a stunning work from one of the most highly regarded, singularly talented graphic artists at work today.
TW: mentions of violence and torture.
Review:
Dear Marjane Satrapi,
I read your book for one of the book clubs I belong to. I bought a paperback copy of the book – I did not think that reading a graphic novel on Kindle would be a good idea and it sounds as if some reviews on Amazon validate my worry. Some people complain that the Kindle copy was not legible. Readers, I am just mentioning this for your information.
I should also probably mention that even though I read enough Manga books, this was my first graphic novel read (off the top of my head anyway). It was a fantastic read for me, but the book was quite dark for obvious reasons, therefore I doubt I would be rereading it anytime soon.
This is, as the blurb tells you, a story of a girl growing up in Iran during the Islamic revolution of 1980 and thereafter. I found the story wonderful and horrifying – since the story unfolds against very real events taking place at that time, you probably will be familiar with at least some of them. I knew some of it, had no idea about the others. This is a war from the POV of a child, but presumably the author essentially remembers and discusses her childhood and youth after at least some time passes after the events in the book.
What I found the most fascinating about the story is how believable I found the child’s POV to be – obviously the writer describes what happened to her and her family, so it is her own memory, but she wrote the book as an adult, so I was pleasantly surprised as to how well the child’s narrator was done. A lot of things which I would have expected as an adult to be important are mentioned casually, because a child either won’t know or won’t care much and some things we usually shield children from under normal circumstances during a war, we often cannot.
I also found the narrator’s experiences as a young immigrant heart breaking and to some degree (only in general, obviously – I did not grew up in Iran, I never even visited Iran) very relatable.
I thought the drawings complemented the story wonderfully, the drawings told the story just as much as the words did. I am sorry, I am not able to offer a more sophisticated critique of the “graphic arts” part of the story. I just thought it was great.
Grade: A
NOTE – right now there doesn’t appear to be a digital edition of this for sale.
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I just picked this as one of the top 25 novels of the 21st century. It’s a marvel.
I remember hearing about this book and wondering if it would be emotionally hard for me to read. I didn’t grow up in Iran but I did grow up with war and also came to the US as a child and had some difficult experiences then too. Your review has convinced me that I would like this book. It’s the part where you talk about how sometimes important events are only touched on glancingly because a kid would not know a lot about them. I experienced that too and I love books and movies that show that — a kid’s experience of war is very different than an adult’s.
Persepolis was one of the required readings in my oldest son’s HS English class, and I read it when he did. It is a marvel. We can read about Iran in the news, but Persepolis makes us understand the continuing tragedy of the Iranian regime on a human level.
@Dabney Grinnan: @Susan/DC: very well said.@Janine: I can’t be sure, honestly.