Una estructura fantástica y llena de emociones. Me encanta conocer sobre la historia, además de que es gracias a estos libros que muchos pueden adentrarse en ella. Quiero aprender más. Admiro mucho a la autora y encuentro en ella una voz importante para la literatura.

I saw the movie a few years back, but I have to say, I liked the graphic novel much more.
Maybe it was easier to follow since I already knew the story? Maybe the format was better suited or I was in a better mood?
Anyways,
I loved how fluid the story was, the graphics, and how much emotions it had, and the message it send. I recommend.

Coming of Age in Iran

They’re fanatics! They’re building a secret A-bomb! They are part of an axis of evil! They took our guys hostages! Whoa! Just hang on a sec. We already have a lot of A-bombs and we’ve used them. We are the ones who want to undermine their government and label Islam as being a violent creed. We overthrew their government once already and supported a regime of oppression and torture. We shot down a civilian airliner of theirs, all our hostages came back alive. BUT, on the other hand their P.M. denied the Holocaust, various leaders vow to wipe Israel off the map, they executed and jailed thousands of opponents, many women might not be so happy with their rule. Now our leader has banned entry to Muslims from many countries on the basis of?…… Let’s just say that nobody is blameless in this long-running show. I want to shout, ”Snap out of it, you turkeys!” Poultry is everywhere.

What about Iranians themselves? How did they feel about all this? How come we have a huge Iranian community in southern California? How come a lot of people still support the Ayatollahs’ government? A lot of questions, a world of answers, truth is a mirage. BUT (my second but) you could find out one point of view from the horse’s mouth so to speak, by reading this wonderful graphic biography from the point of view of a kid growing up in the time of Revolution. You could also read “Identity Card” by F.M. Esfandiary or Kapuscinski’s “Shah of Shahs”, or Sattareh Farman Farmaian’s autobiography to find other points of view. There are a lot of books about Iran, but mostly from upper class writers. The answers are still hanging, and I’m not capable of giving any definitive ones. Do they exist?
With 8,649 reviews of PERSEPOLIS already on GR, I don’t think I have anything original to say about the text itself. Just read this to smooth off some of those sharp and biased edges. Understanding is crucial and literature is one of the best ways to achieve it.

¿Podemos ser solidarias y activistas con nuestras lecturas?
Las respuestas es Yess, sister yess!!

Mi hija de 12 años me persuadió a leer el libro porque tenía muchas preguntas que hacer y el resultado es que no puede haber mejor y más lógica explicación para entender la injusticia por la que la mujeres iraníes están pasando. Persepolis es una llave maestra que abre el cuestionamiento, es una historia simple y magnífica.

n  “In life you’ll meet a lot of jerks. If they hurt you, tell yourself that it’s because they’re stupid. That will help keep you from reacting to their cruelty. Because there is nothing worse than bitterness and vengeance… Always keep your dignity and be true to yourself.”n

What lovely words of wisdom told to a free spirited vivacious young Iranian woman, Marjane Satrapi, spoken to her by her Grandmother. Witnessing the triumph of the Islamic revolution and the overturning of the Shah, this free spirited young girl tells her amazing story through graphic novel. And what a talent she has, it was a fantastic book to read and to look at. I know nothing of this period in history, and only read this as my daughter is studying it in English for her International Baccalaureate. Now I know a lot more. I also realise how much I have to be grateful for.

A short and easy to read book, her story gives us an idea of the human side of war, how the families cope during these times that most of us have never had to face. It was so funny! In the end she was such a non-conformist and totally against the repression faced by so many, that she was sent away to live with relatives as she was just too passionate about the greater good. She refused to wear the veil, and her ideals stemmed from a very loving and educated family.

Marjane’s is a spirited and spritely young girl who you just can’t help but love. I have now requested my wonderful public library purchase the second volume and they have done so for me. I am number one on the list. My daughter and I will love to see what is next.

Wikipedia states that this courageous young girl turned into an accomplished woman who is an Iranian-born French graphic novelist, cartoonist, illustrator, film director, and children's book author. She is definitely a woman that knows her mind.

این رو حدوداً ده روز پیش خوندم و یک چیزیش از ذهنم بیرون نرفت.
بعد از این که توضیح می‌ده جنگ می‌تونست زودتر تموم بشه ولی نشد، می‌گه «وقتی به این فکر می‌کنم که می‌شد جلوی کشته شدن خیلی‌ها رو گرفت، حالم بد می‌شه.» (طبعاً بعد ده روز عین جمله یادم نیست.)

من سال‌ها بعد از جنگ به دنیا اومدم. هیچوقت بمباران و موشک ندیدم. درک درستی از احساس مردم توی جنگ هشت ساله ندارم. ولی یک چیزی رو خوب می‌فهمم: فکر کردن به این که می‌شد جلوی کشته شدن خیلی‌ها رو گرفت، چقدر حال آدم رو بد می‌کنه. ولی لج و لج‌بازی‌ها قصد تموم شدن ندارن و ما همچنان کشته می‌شیم. هر دوره با روشی. هر کس به نوعی.

پ‌ن: زندگی توی این مملکت باعث می‌شه نسل‌ها تجربیات تلخ مشابه داشته باشن. مثلا وقتی یک دهه پنجاهی از وضع مدرسه‌شون می‌گه، دهه هشتادیه سر تکون می‌ده که «می‌دونم چی می‌گی.»

n  n
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Americans, as a whole, don't really know anything about the Middle East. According to this article, a Roper study conducted during the Iraq War (2006) found that 75% of students could not find Iran on a map (the link they provided was a dead link). I knew a bit about the Islamic Revolution, because I read INSIDE THE KINGDOM: MY LIFE IN SAUDI ARABIA by Carmen Bin Ladin, who was half-Persian and grew up in Iran at this time, but still, the extent of my knowledge could probably fit into a thimble and still have plenty of room for a thumb. I wanted to learn more and this seemed like a great way to educate myself.



Marjane Satrapi was a preteen when the Islamic Revolution happened. Before the change, she went to a school where everyone spoke French and women were free to wear mini-skirts. The Islamic Revolution imposed new restrictions - mandatory hijabs, religion being taught in schools, and the Iranian secret police, or SAVAK, investigating people on the streets or in their homes for illegal activities, for which they might be jailed, publicly whipped, or even executed.



I think what makes this such a touching - and important - book are the flashes of normality in between the chaos of war and revolution. Marjane was a mischievous kid who liked to fool around in the classroom with her friends and prank the teachers, she chafed at her parents' authority and would rebel or sneak out, and when she became a teenager, she wanted to dress in the latest fashions and buy the things that made her feel good about herself and her burgeoning identity.



I cried while reading this book. Marjane lost her beloved uncle; he was executed for seditious activities, and the last time she saw him, he made her a swan he carved out of bread in prison. I also cried when she was out shopping with her friends and heard about an Iraqi SCUD missile hitting one of the houses on her street. Not knowing if her family was alive, she forgot to take home the jeans she purchased as she hopped into a taxi. When she arrived home, she found that her family was safe - but her neighbors, a Jewish family, had all been killed because it was a Saturday, and they were observing the Sabbath. As her mother hurried her away, she saw the friend's bracelet in the rubble, attached to "something" (which I am guessing was probably pulverized flesh and blood).



PERSEPOLIS is not an easy read, because it delves into many subjects that I think a lot of people would rather not think about. It's never fun to read about war, but that's probably why we should. Many books and movies glamorize life on the front, but real war is full of casualties and suffering, and should only be employed as a last-resort. Last summer, I went to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, which is filled with "found" objects from the resulting conflagration, including schoolbooks, buttons, and uniforms, along with photos of what the city looked like before and after the blast of the A-bomb. Survivors of the blast, who were either still in utero or small children when the bomb went off, took us - a group of Americans - around the city, giving a neutral but heartrending account of the war, the A-bomb, and the terrible aftereffects. I had to step respectfully aside at one point during the tour because I had begun to cry (I was so embarrassed, but I imagine the guides are probably used to that reaction). I'm really glad I went, because Hiroshima took this awful event and turned it into a powerful statement about the importance of peace. People come there from all over the world to look at the exhibits and learn. PERSEPOLIS made me feel the same way.



Like Art Spiegelman's MAUS, Marjane Satrapi uses the "memoir as graphic novel" medium to great effect. The illustrations manage to capture the whimsical childhood outlook, and the scenes of horror and war are also illustrated as a child might perceive them - fantastical, larger-than-life, and terrifying. This is yet another graphic-novel that feels literary in terms of subject and scope, and I'd encourage you, even if comic books aren't your usual cup of tea, to pick this book up - especially if you don't know much about the Middle East, and would like to learn a bit more about Iran.



4.5 to 5 stars

Here's why you should read Persepolis :-

i)Satrapi talks about the pleasures and pains of being born as a female in a country under a most repressive Islamist regime, without ever sounding too serious or preachy.

ii)Iran's history during the growing years of Marji is summarized for you in a few pages along with the political and socio-cultural background of the times.

iii)This book features, by far, the coolest pair of parents that I've ever read about in a novel or book (or that I can think of at the moment).

iv)It offers you a very original and true-to-life account of revolution, war and its inevitable consequences.

v)Themes such as disillusionment with religion and the sheer absurdity of religious dogma are explored in the book in the most offhand manner.

v)A steady undercurrent of humour runs through the length of the book, lessening the gravity of the backdrop and sometimes even depressing situations.

Sample these :-

n  Marji's mom:- "Our country has always known war and martyrs. So, like my father said:'When a big wave comes, lower your head and let it pass!'."
Marji's inner monologue at this:- "That's very Persian. The philosophy of resignation."n

n  Marji's enraged father to her school headmistress :- 'If hair is as stimulating as you say, then you need to shave your mustache!' (when the latter scolds the school girls for wearing their veils improperly enough to show hair)n

(What a cool dad to have! No honestly.)

vi)Last but not the least, it packs in all of the above mentioned points into a graphic novel (with very simple artwork) of 160 pages which can be enjoyed by readers of all ages and read in about 3 hours flat or less.

Can't wait to know what happens to Marji in Austria in the next volume.

This graphic novel is extremely moving, creative and educational. I really appreciated all the information about the Islamic Revolution in Iran, it helped me gain perspective on all those events that I did not know before.

One can forgive but one should never forget.

Graphic novel that details the author's experiences during the Iranian Revolution. Quite an emotional read!

Along with Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America by Firoozeh Dumas, this is the second Iranian themed book I've read this year. It would be difficult to adequately express just how much these two treasures of literature have altered my perception of middle eastern culture and the remarkable and resilient people who reside there.

Persepolis is a guided tour through the terror and turmoil of revolution and religious extremism. Satrapi's artwork is remarkable, it complements this coming of age memoir beautifully. I can't imagine a story better suited for the medium of the graphic novel or an artist more adept at conveying both the innocence of childhood and the horrors of war, often at the same time.

Five Stars.

Somehow history seems so much clearer from the eyes of a child.

I would definitely recommend everybody to read this short graphic novel, as the only way not to repeat history is to know and understand history.

I liked that Satrapi's parents never shielded her from the horrors of the world they were living in. They explained things to her, but they never pretended that everything will be okay.

I didn't agree with her parents on not fleeing to America when they had a chance, because her dad didn't want to give up their riches. Yes, they were also extreme patriots, but I felt like his biggest reason for not leaving was that he didn't want to drive a taxi and he didn't want his wife to clean houses in America. While I find not wanting to leave your country noble, I think that for the sake of theirs and their only child safety they should have sucked it up (they also realized that, but too late, because the embassies closed down).

Seeing the way children rebel is fascinating. When we grow up all the little things we did as kids seem dumb and childish. But the rebellious actions of Satrapi brought back the real reasons why every little act of pushing back matters so much.

I didn't expect this to be a cliff hanger and will definitely pick up the second installment soon to find out how she grows up.

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