|
|
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
| Editorial Reviews: | | |  | A New York Times Notable Book
A Time Magazine ?Best Comix of the Year?
A San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles Times Best-seller
Wise, funny, and heartbreaking, Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi?s memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah?s regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran?s last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country.
Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life. Marjane?s child?s-eye view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, with laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love. | |
| Custom Reviews: | |
|
| | I first saw the movie and I thought the graphic novel was going to be exactly the same. No, it is much much better! You cannot stop reading it. It goes much deeper into who Marjane was and what Iran meant for her in the different stages of her life. Don't lose the chance of reading such a great book.
Recommended!!!
| | | Marjane's memoir of her years in Tehran from ages six to fourteen is a page-turning history of the events she witnesses. Her upper class liberal parents (she is the great-granddaughter of Iran's last emperor) demonstrate against the Shah. They are bitterly disappointed when the new republic is overtaken by the fundamentalist Islamic revolution. Despite the imprisonment and execution of friends and family members, her parents remain in Iran. The war with Iraq brings yet more tragedies. The book ends with her parents sending the fourteen year old Marjane to school in Germany. The author's black and white illustrations enhance the text. Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return continues the story.
| | What an interesting viewpoint! | |
| | Satrapi's graphic novel is an inspiration to expressing oneself in a medium other than words. Her illustrations are telling; giving hints of expressions and fabulous drawings that echo woodblock prints. My book club had some trouble transitioning from words to both illustration and words but found the experience worthwhile. We compared Satrapi's experiences to "Reading Lolita in Tehran," and "Infidel." We discovered that the artwork indeed added to the story, and concluded that the "graphic novel" is a legitimate literary form.
| | Forthright and heartbreaking | |
| | This books begins my foray into graphic novels. The exact definition of a graphic novel is debatable, but Wikipedia defines it as "a type of comic book, usually with a lengthy and complex storyline similar to those of novels, and often aimed at mature audiences." Technically, this volume is a memoir, as it's the true story of author Marjane Satrapi's growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution, told in comic-strip form. I figured, "Finally, a book that won't make me cry," but of course, I was wrong. Maybe I'm just a cry-baby.
Though it took me only a couple of hours to complete, it was mesmerizing. I found it unabashedly forthright and ultimately heartbreaking. I appreciated Satrapi's illustrations which, in their broad-stroked black-and-white simplicity, were a stark, yet appropriate, departure from what most people recognize as that highly anatomical, Batmanesque comic-book style. I look forward to reading the sequel "Persepolis: The Story of a Return," and also highly recommend the Oscar-nominated full-length animated feature film of the same name.
| | | In Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi uses the graphic novel format to share her life story with readers. Satrapi grew up in Iran during the years that the Shah lost power and the Fundamentalist Muslims became the government authority.
Satrapi was raised in a modern family that valued education and modern life. Her parents were part of the revolution that forced the Shah from power. They were shocked, however, when the ultra-religous government that took over soon made the freedoms they were used to and expected illegal. No longer could women dress as they pleased; they were instead forced to wear the veil. No longer could the Iranian people travel freely; the borders were closed for over three years, and even when reopened, passports were almost impossible to obtain. No longer could one count on an education; the universities were closed for over two years.
Darker items were to follow. There were 3000 political prisoners under the Shah, but there were 300,000 political prisoners under the new regime. Satrapi's family had both relatives and friends that were imprisoned, tortured and some were even executed. Then the government got involved in a war with Iraqi. Bombings were common, and over a million people were killed.
Satrapi's use of the graphic format is a perfect match to the story of a young girl whose life changes so dramatically and who tries to make sense of the things happening around her with a child's understanding. Satrapi ended up being educated outside of Iran in her teen years and later, and chose a graphic artist's career. This book was a perfect match for her talent, and her memoir is chilling. To see freedoms taken away gradually is difficult, and when one looks up and sees where the normality markers have moved to, it is eye-opening. This book is recommended to all readers who care about world events, and those who enjoy memoirs.
| |
|
|
Home
View Cart
Bookmark This Page
Contact Us
