Originally published in France in four separate volumes, and later in the US in two, The Complete Persepolis brings them all together for the first time. It is the story of the author's youth, growing up in revolutionary Iran before moving to Austria at 14, and then later returning to Iran before escaping again, this time to France, where she still lives.

Her story is both familiar and alien - a story of being a child enjoying her childhood during the revolution of '79, and how it impacted on her life; learning about the history of her country, the religious hypocrisy, the regime; being a teenager in the 80s in Europe, delving into pot and nihilism, trying to find a place in the world but never really fitting in.

The story is often funny, and the method of telling it in comic-strip style suits it perfectly. There's not a wasted panel, and the illustrations add layers to the dialogue and exposition captions. While it's also a very controlling method - in that, because graphics are supplied, you're not really able to imagine it freely on your own - there's so much in the details, and so much feeling in the illustrations, that I'm reminded of that saying, "a picture speaks a thousand words".

It was fascinating to learn about what Iran's been through from someone who's lived through it - I used to read a lot of those books written by women in Iran and Saudi Arabia, but they lacked a broader scope of understanding, and exposure to foreign political ideology and perspective. Satrapi read a lot of philosophers etc., and while some of her youthful ideologies are captured with a degree of irony, she still had a clear understanding of the situation - aided by her free-thinking parents and her wonderful grandmother.

While I had trouble in the beginning keeping up with the history of Iran's political leaders, which I found confusing, the story is easy to follow and is a great way to introduce people to the reality of Iran - up to the mid-1990s anyway. The hypocrisies, contrasts, day-to-day living, life-style, dreams and ambitions are all rendered in clear, distinctive black-and-white illustrations and laced with irony. There were many moments were I laughed myself silly, and other moments that were poignant and sad, but always, always, Satrapi is brutally honest with herself and her readers. Highly recommended.

4.5*****

I wanted to be Justice, Love and the Wrath of God all in one.

An incredibly funny, insightful and moving story told through the form of a graphic novel. This book serves as a memoir of the author, Marjane Satrapi. It is about a brave, young woman in 1980's Iran.

This book highlights the struggles that the Iranian people have had to go through. The changes in their culture, the forming of an Islamic Revolution and its aftermath; Persepolis is the story of Satrapi's childhood. It documents the rise in the Islamic Revolution and those that dissented from these views, the punishments they received. Through Marji's mind and eyes we see the rise of the Islamic Revolution and how this effects both the public and private life of her family. We get to see her rebel in her own ways- fighting for freedom and modernisation, her day-dreaming, her everyday life and struggles, through family turbulence's and her own identity through religion and it's governed customs. Through this book we are taught the histories of both her parents and Grandmothers views of previous era's and how this has changed or impacted from the current one. Marjane Satrapi also paints a vivid picture of what it is like to be a woman in Iran during this time of political and cultural shift.

And so to protect the women from all the potential rapists, they decreed that wearing the veil was obligatory.

At the committee, they didn't have to inform my parents. They could detain me for hours, or for days. I could be whipped.

Marjane Satrapi describes very intimate and frightening accounts of those who do not fit in with the ideals or those who go against it. This often ends up in horror and terror with tragic ends. She also describes how through this political transition, mindsets are influenced and swayed to meet with those in power. For example, universities are closed and schools are taught that the Islamic Revolution is the right way.

To die a martyr is to inject blood into the names of society.

Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return documents Satrapi's attendance to schools in Vienna, the rebelling, boys, modernisation and homelessness. It also focuses on her return to Iran. Here the aftermath of the Islamic Revolution is still occurring; with streets re-named after martyr's, exceptionally strict rules placed on women's clothing, the rules governing who she walks with down the street.

I felt as though I were walking through a cemetery.

This book offered a real sense of what it is like as a woman, and what is like for a family in the intense period of time of the Islamic Revolution. I must admit that I had very little knowledge of the history of Iran and it was exciting to develop this, despite the often haunting consequences this revolution had. The book invokes sympathy and empathy for Iranian people and those that suffer. The simplistic drawings in black and white made this story relatable and you could achieve a real perception and awareness of this political and global change. The drawings added to the complexity of the story, however, they were also often very funny too!

This was my first time reading a graphic novel and I was a bit weary of attempting this- but this is just such an amazing book I'll happily approach more in the future.

5/5

No va a ser el único libro que tenga en mi estantería de Marjane Satrapi, eso seguro.

Poco tengo que decir sobre esta obra, porque es simplemente una joya que todos deberíamos leer, al menos, una vez en la vida. La veo muy necesaria para comprender la realidad de otras personas que, por desgracia, viven en un país en el que la libertad de expresión es un crimen y en el que el ruido de las bombas es la banda sonora que los acompaña en su día a día.

El golpe de realidad que recibe el lector al adentrarse de lleno en la vida de la autora, desde su infancia hasta su adultez, es muy grande, porque aunque muchas veces creamos que estamos informados sobre lo que pasa en otras partes del mundo, realmente no es así, y eso es algo que la misma Marjane nos muestra en más de una ocasión a través de sus viñetas, porque incluso a ella y a su familia les ha pasado.

Además, también se puede ver las discriminaciones que ha sufrido la propia autora tanto dentro como fuera de Irán, sus crisis de identidad cultural, los intentos de adoctrinamiento y las cosas que se tenían que jugar o hacer para tener un mínimo de espacio en un país opresor.

Creo que el formato de novela gráfica es todo un acierto en este caso, ya que facilita y agiliza mucho la lectura, la hace más interesante y la contextualiza mucho mejor, ya que puedes ver su realidad como la veía ella en las diferentes etapas de su vida.

Reseña completa en el blog: http://savingmemories-blog.blogspot.c...

Persepolis is Satrapi's autobiography about her life in Iran from the 70s to the 90s. It's a beautiful look into her life as a woman in Iran, where she detailed her coming-of-age journey and spoke about her dreams against the restless political backdrop.

I love her matter-of-fact approach towards both her life and the politics in her country - it's refreshing and endeared her towards me. She captured her moments of strength, vulnerability, foolishness, learning, cruelty, depression, apathy, and picking herself up. She shared her reflections as an adult looking back at her choices and her experiences. It made me smile, laugh, and cry. And most of all, it makes me angry.

n  "The lady in the blue coat! Stop running!"
"I'm very late! I'm running to catch the bus!"
"Yes... but... when you run, your behind makes movements that are... how do you say... obscene!"n

Life in Iran in the 1980's was obviously not great for a woman. With new extremist regimes, women - men too, but disproportionately women - could get in trouble with the religious authorities for the looseness of her clothes, the style in which her veil was worn... a woman cannot exist without having her body policed and scrutinised by men in power in the name of religion.

n  "You know what they do to the young girls they arrest? You know what happened to Niloufar? The girl you met at Khosor's house? The man who made the passports? You know that it's against the law to kill a virgin, so a guardian of the revolution marries her, and takes her virginity before executing her, do you understand what that means???"n

I loved the illustrations. The graphic novel was a good juxtaposition against the difficult and sometimes somber subject matter. The pictures were full of expression and often captured the mood and unsaid words on the subject matter. An example of powerful use of such wordless panels can be seen in the chapter 'The Socks', where her art college friend slipped and fell to his death running from police on rooftops after they got caught having a party.

To borrow a reflection from another review: after reading Persepolis, I am better for the experience.

شب اولی که با همسرم موو این کردیم، توی وسایلی که از خونه قبلیش آورده بود این کتابو پیدا کردم. یکی بهش کادو داده بود ولی هیچوقت نخونده بودش. من خوندمش و خیلی دوسش داشتم. به خودشم پیشنهاد دادم بخونش ولی الان دوساله روی میزشه و هنوز تمومش نکرده

"Once again, I arrived at my usual conclusion : One must educate oneself." ~ Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis

5 stars to the book for the idea of putting an autobiography into graphic novel, for an honest portrayal of character, for putting an effort to make a change by utilizing privileges that Satrapi had.

The book apart from being an amusing read, also briefed me with the Islamic/Iranian Revolution of 1979 and the Iran- Iraq war that lasted for 8 years (Sept 1980- August 1988), about which I had little knowledge. Stories of war and oppression is a repeated reminder to me to have been born as a woman at a period of time and in that part of the society where I can enjoy many liberties and dare to have ambitions unlike the women under oppressive regimes. It drives me more to appreciate those elements of life that I would generally may have taken for granted and to utilize my time better instead of overindulging in frivolities.

“The regime had understood that one person leaving her house while asking herself:
Are my trousers long enough?'
Is my veil in place?'
Can my make-up be seen?'
Are they going to whip me?'

No longer asks herself:

Where is my freedom of thought?'
Where is my freedom of speech?'
My life, is it livable?'
What's going on in the political prisons?” ~Persepolis

Marjane Satrapi's graphic memoir Persepolis is truly timeless. One reason that it is so timeless, unfortunately, is that Iran is continuously portrayed as the fully "evil" main enemy of the west (that is, America) and so thoughtful citizens should be reminded that Iranians are in fact normal human beings...

Satrapi illustrates her comic in simple but powerful form, beginning with her middle-class childhood during the revolutionary era when well-meaning activists rose up against the Shah dictatorship. The politics are fascinating, and so are the smaller family moments such as her relationship with her grandmother. As the girl grows up, and various family members are put in prison as the fight goes on, the revolution of course turns religious and the fundamentalists take over the government. Sadly, that's when things get even worse. Especially when written from the point of view of a woman, the experiences of oppression are indeed heart-breaking. At the same time, moments of rebelliousness are very inspiring as the people find their ways to get around wearing veils and smuggle rock music contraband.

Eventually, Satrapi is sent to Europe which brings up whole other challenges. The lonely girl, away from her loved ones and struggling to fit in, becomes disillusioned even while living in the free world. It is an amazing contrast, to embrace the counterculture of sex and drugs while in other parts of the book having to deal with Islamist theocracy.

She goes back and forth as she grows up, going to art school and even getting married, until the story ends with her final one-way ticket out of Iran. Even if it wasn't for the major historical events, the storytelling is full of charm and heart and tragedy and strength and beautiful humanity. The fact that this all takes place under the clouds of war and oppression are what makes this story a masterpiece.

Read the Complete Persepolis, which contains the originally published two separate volumes, for the full effect. Watch the brilliant animated film as well for another take. And above all, while the war-mongers shout out their cynical demonizations, remember that these lands targeted for violent regime change are full of real people who are as capable of art and love as anyone else in the world. So please do your part to learn more, and read up.

Persépolis es ese tipo de libros a los que uno se acerca con miedo. Miedo a causa de la enorme exposición que ha tenido. ¿Valdrá la pena? ¿Será merecida su buena fama? ¿O será solo buena promoción? Y la respuesta es que merece cada buena crítica. Cada página es oro.

A través de la vida de la autora, vamos a hacer un repaso de la historia de su país, Irán. Empezando por un breve relato de los años de historia que arrastra: su origen como el gran imperio persa, las multiples invasiones de diferentes dinastías, las diferentes religiones por las que ha pasado... Hasta llegar a la inestabilidad actual de Irán. El golpe de estado del 79, desembocó en una guerra que duró 8 años que trajo consigo el retroceso de la sociedad, y que, como no, afectó principalmente a las mujeres. Sin libertad para salir solas, ser tapadas de pies acabeza por un velo, que su valía vaya en función al marido que tengan...

Este cómic es una joyita y todo lo que critica y muestra es tan duro, como realista. En primer lugar destaca el machismo. La autora, una fiel defensora de los derechos de la mujer, crece en una familia progresista y durante toda su vida lucha por conseguir esa igualdad que se resiste a llegar. Además, siendo doblemente valiente, ya que la mujer está en peligro continuo en Irán. Por otra parte, hay una gran crítica a la falta de cumplimiento de los mínimos derechos humanos. El poderoso siempre vulnera los derechos del pobre. El clasismo está latente. Hace una descripción bastante acertada y crítica de la religión, o más bien, del uso que la gente le da. Ya sea esta una árabe o cristiana. El fanatismo religioso, es igual de malo sin importar de cual se trate.

Y, además, una de las críticas más necesarias y que a occidente más le cuesta admitir y entender es que, los países tercermundistas existen, gracias a que los países del primer mundo nos aprovechamos de sus recursos y su falta de medios para explotarlos. Para que nosotros seamos ricos, ellos tienen que ser pobres. Y gran parte de las guerras que existen por esos lugares, tienen la marca de occidente. Ellos son los que se lucran. Y me parece super imporante que este cómic llegue a todas las manos posibles, para que eso se comprenda de una vez.
En definitiva un pedazo de 5 estrellas, y porque no le puedo poner 50.

n  "Nothing's worse than saying goodbye. It's a little like dying."n

My very first graphic memoir and wow… what a read ! Clever, funny and very informative .:). Marjane gives us a glimpse into the day to day life of someone living in an extremely oppressive regime, but she does it with so much humour and satire. I have so much love for her Grandma.I wish she had written a memoir too.

n  "I have always thought that if women's hair posed so many problems, God would certainly have made us bald."n

Full RTC :)

I really recommend this book but OMG some of the text was really small for me haha

Satrapi'nin ülkesinin geçmişini (ve bugününü) okudum. Umarım ülkemin geleceğini okumamışımdır.

Manjane Satrapi nasceu no Irão em 1969.
Com um texto e desenhos simples, mas de grande expressividade, conta-nos a história da sua vida, da sua família e do seu país numa época de guerras, de revoluções e fundamentalismo religioso.