“Persepolis is a stylish, clever and moving weapon of mass destruction.”

 

NO MAJOR SPOILERS

A really interesting graphic novel that tells the story of Marjane , a young girl growing up in Iran following the Islamic Revolution, before she is sent to Austria to school and eventually returns as a young woman.

As the coming of age story of a young woman it is uniquely placed to show the dramatic social changes that occurred during a time of political upheaval , and especially how the freedoms and lifestyles of women were curtailed by the introduction of a more religious regime. As well as Iran, Marjane also spent some of her teenage years in a boarding school in Vienna where she struggled with many of the issues that are universal to young women everywhere, but without the support of family or friends from a similar background.  

For anyone who dismisses graphic novels as a form of story telling, this is an example of how a deeply personal story can be wonderfully told through this medium with a great deal of heart , honesty and even ,at times, humour. I also found that the graphic format worked well to explain many of the political issues in a clear easy to understand way.

She was among those who refused to obey the dictats of the regime and many appreciated her for that though she had to suffer ostracism from the so called traditionalists.

It was an eye opener to read about this family which was so supportive of their daughter and her choices in a time and place when it could have caused their ultimate downfall.

An uplifting read!. And told in pictures and in a tone that is humorous and light but nevertheless presents the truth of the times!

 

Reviewed by:

Annette Jordan

Added 12th March 2020

More Reviews By
Annette Jordan

NO MAJOR SPOILERS

A superbly written and illustrated account of the devastation and destruction of lives wrought by a revolution and a war that no one really understood.

Marjane Satrapi illustrates how her life as a normal school going kid changed overnight because of the war. She and her friends had to wear a veil, watch what they said, how they walked, who they spoke to and basically give up everything they had taken for granted till then!

When she was sent away to Vienna to wait out the worst of the war, it was a different kind of suffering. No one knew her and there wasn’t anyone she could share her experiences with who would empathize.

Her utter desolation and her fall to the depths to the point where she is sick, on drugs, and living on the street all alone is heartrending.

Her return and new challenges and above all her courage that allowed her to claw back to live after being on the very brink, shows the power of the human spirit and the strength provided by the presence of family and people who care.

She was among those who refused to obey the dictats of the regime and many appreciated her for that though she had to suffer ostracism from the so called traditionalists.

It was an eye opener to read about this family which was so supportive of their daughter and her choices in a time and place when it could have caused their ultimate downfall.

An uplifting read!. And told in pictures and in a tone that is humorous and light but nevertheless presents the truth of the times!

 

Reviewed by:

Priya Prakash

Added 20th December 2017

More Reviews By
Priya Prakash

NO MAJOR SPOILERS

I read Persepolis in my English International Baccalaureate course in high school, and found it to be a brilliant book.

It is the autobiography of a girl who experiences life in Iran during the revolution, which is both educating and exciting.

It is told from the first person point of view, and begins with her as a young child before the revolution. It continues and tells of the new dress codes in school, and the new rules that were introduced, and then follows along as she begins to experience this revolution as a teenager.

Her thoughts and feelings are included throughout, which adds a personal connection that adds to the quality of the story.

Recently it has been considered to be a “risky” text for school literature due to its language and political standpoints. However, these things are a wonderful component of what makes this such an accurate portrayal of Satrapi’s life.

This is a book of history. This is a book of genuineness. Without these components, the realities of the Revolution would not effectively be conveyed to the readers.

Combining these ever-present themes and ideas with a graphic novel representation makes for a wonderful story for people of all ages.

I strongly recommend this book.

 

Reviewed by:

Isabel

Added 7th October 2015