Marjane Satrapi is an Iranian-born graphic novelist who grew up in Iran during the Iranian Revolution. She was barely a child when the events started and didn't understand much except for what her parents and her school told her - often conflicting accounts, as the school enforced the governmental position, while her parents were sort of revolutionaries (though not really).

The events are told from little Marjane's perspective, not from the adult's - much like "Anne Frank's Diary", real life is filtered through the eyes of a child, who is more sheltered from reality and only catches snippets of it, which she interprets through her lens. As such, Marjane goes from a co-dependent relationship with her god to questioning her religion, from idealizing revolutionaries and despising her father for not taking action to understanding fear.

This is not a romanticized account - the author doesn't shy away from showing that her child-self could also be irritating (extremely so, multiple times), a bully, a liar, occasionally completely disrespectful towards her parents. A realistic view of what childhood, especially in an opresive environment, could mean. I recognized some behaviors, I even exhibited some of the same behaviors myself when I was a child, so I try not to judge Marji harshly through adult eyes.

I find it horrifical how Iran could transition from the libertarian, modern society of the 70s to the current state of things. It's an example of how fast things can change if people let extremists (of any shape) take charge. From a historical perspective, this graphic novel is valuable in showing this transition through the eyes of someone who lived during those events (even is she's an unreliable narrator, due to her age).

From a humane perspective, though, I didn't particularly feel the emotion. I know it's sad, horrible, I feel the outrage, but the book itself did not manage to transmit it - I don't think graphic novels are the best medium to convey such a story. I'm also not a fan of B&W drawings (probably why manga is also not for me), and due to this, I didn't particularly get to form a connection with the characters.

I found interesst in this book through the book trailer in class.
One thig that impressed me was how the author decided to put a story into a comic book- like theme. This book showed me how even life at it's toughest times come to an end, there is always a bright side to the end of the road. It also shows me that your parents want to do what's best for you, even though you might not agree. "I want to come with you tomorrow" She is a determined girl who fights for what she believes in. Her words says it all. "For a revolution to succeed,the entire population must support it." She was the odd one out, however she didn't mind. She didnt care enouogh or what others thought. Her actions got her exprelled, leaving the parents only choice to send her t a boarding house filled with nuns.
This book has taught me to believe in myself becuase in the end, something will come back to you. Also, your parents arent here to tourture uou, they do what's best. As you grow older, you will further understand but as a kid, ou do not know much and you think you know what's best but really your parents know you more that yu know them so we should all respect them as our parents and label them as #1 becuase they are what made life for you possible.

Crítica Persépolis Integral

I loved this. The illustrations are simple but convey a lot of emotion. The narrative doesn't need over complicated drawing. There is so much in the story itself.

Le pongo un 4.5, me ha gustado mucho, a ver que me depara los siguientes volúmenes, por que esta muy interesante.

Romanul acesta reprezintă una din cele mai mari surprize ale anului 2018 în materie literară… Am vrut să citesc cartea asta de mult timp, iar acum că am făcut-o, mi-a depășit orice așteptare pe care o aveam de la ea.
Absolut superbă. Arată niște scene serioase, triste, prin ochii unui copil ce trebuie să crească în limitele impuse ale războiului.
Recomand din tot sufletul, mi-a provocat și niște lacrimi…

This kind of stories don't really caught my attention, simply are boring or depressed. Not really interested in waste my time reading it.

Reading Challenge 2016
22. Una novela gráfica

Es el primer cómic que leo. como hay pobreza lo leí en pdf desde la computadora. Me gustó, no solo la historia, sino también la ilustración. Es increíble y triste lo que hay detrás de tantas revoluciones y cambios de políticas. Ya voy a por el segundo volumen.

I remember when this came out here in Paris and the fantastic wave of publicity it got. And deservedly so. It is a fantastic account of life during the Iranian Revolution and afterwards as Satrapi is a refugee. I happen to have a friend that is also named Marjan who told me that Satrapi's story was almost identical to hers in terms of her feelings of sadness and alienation and loss after leaving Iran and seeing it devolve into a perverted theocracy of terrorism. The entire series is excellent as is the animated film that came out based on the book about 5 years ago. A critical testimony to events that I lived as an American watching the hostage situation on TV as a kid. It was fascinating to see through the eyes of someone that was there. And that got away.

Magnifique bande dessinée qui raconte l'histoire (assez) récente de l'Iran à travers les yeux d'un enfant. L'innocence de la jeune Marjane se mêle avec la dure réalité entourant la Révolution islamique de 1979.

The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is a remarkable memoir about growing up as a young girl in revolutionary Iran. It is written in a comic book style, which makes it unique and an easy read.

An Iranian friend loaned me this book because of my interest in learning about cultures that we, as Westerners, know little about. The true stories, not the stories fabricated by the media. This story ignited many emotions (including happiness and laughter) and humbled me. The fight for freedom, the hunger to be heard, the restraints of opportunity and the sheer frustration of wanting to be your own person. The wars, devastation, heartache and the shattering of innocent lives made me realise, there are many cultures we don’t truly know. I highly recommend this book. It will open your eyes to a political and social culture that has stood the test of time … and survived.

A fascinating look at the Islamic Revolution in Iran during the late 70s/early 80s, as seen through the eyes of a young Marjane Satrapi. She's a precocious and inquisitive girl living in a tumultuous time. I loved the black-and-white drawings in this graphic novel; the artwork could be understated and haunting at the same time, from everyday situations at school to graphic images of torture and war. As the new ruling party fundamentalists begin forcing citizens to conform to a more rigid code of dress and behavior, the artwork took on an increasingly introspective tone.

Persepolis is a sad coming-of-age story set during much strife and social upheaval. It's a compelling and important read, one that manages to humanize the casualties as well as the survivors of war.