Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
Written by Ashley Kelmore, Posted in Reviews
Four Stars
Best for: Anyone who likes a well-told story.
In a nutshell: Young girl growing up in Iran in the 70s and 80s.
Line that sticks with me: “In any case, as long as there is oil in the middle east we will never have peace.”
Why I chose it: A friend and I were discussing books and I shared how much I enjoyed the March graphic novels. She lent me this one, and I’m very glad she did.
Review: I’d heard of this book before, and it met the expectations I’d built up. I’ve now read a couple of books set in this time in Iran, and I have to say I am still a bit confused (and annoyed that my education didn’t cover this, either – seriously, what did I learn in school?!). Side note, the New Yorker has a list of six essential books about Iran, so these are going on my TBR pile.
Ms. Satrapi is a great storyteller, evoking strong emotions while telling this story of growing up in Iran as the government changed hands multiple times. I appreciated the honesty of a child forming such strong beliefs and then having to reconcile them as the government changes. She also shares her experience of such traumas as having loved ones arrested and neighbors killed in bombing in a way that feels both childlike and mature.
This is the fourth graphic novel I’ve read this year, and I think that I finally get that, just like literally every other genre, there are good ones and bad ones. I think the first couple I read just weren’t good fits with my interests, but I almost let that keep me from looking at other ones. Thankfully, with the March series, and now with Persepolis, I can say that I’ve moved past my unnecessary mental block that has kept me from this world in the past.
