Є книги цікаві, є книги повчальні, є книги гостросюжетні та інформативні. Але графічний роман Марджан Сатрапі «Курча з чорносливом» — це книга, що взаємодіє з чимось глибоко всередині, вона закохує у себе. Це книга з розряду таких, що сідаєш читати і не відірвеш погляду, доки не перегорнеш останню сторінку. Глибока історія душевних мук іранського музиканта, що вирішив померти з туги. Історія неймовірно сумна з якого боку не підійди, але навіть у ній знаходиться місце гумору. Цей гумор серед горя і розчарувань, як ковток свіжого повітря.

The New Yorker сказали про цей роман: «Оманливо прості, напрочуд потужні малюнки Сатрапі поєднуються з точною, але гнучкою прозою, яку вона використовує, пристосовуючись до своїх численних ролей освітянки, фольклористки та внучатої племінниці». І це надзвичайно влучний опис. Авторці вдалося зробити малюнки і текст одним цілим, в такі маленькі прямокутники для слів вкласти стільки яскравих образів, згадати деякі історичні події, що були тлом до сімейних перипетій, показати багатошаровість сімейних стосунків та стосунків із собою… Я захоплююсь її майстерністю.

A moving, psychological examination of a man facing suicide. I've been reading lots of Satrapi's work lately, I guess out of shame that I slept on her for so long. I really enjoy her stories and she tells them with lots of honesty and insight.

This could have been a digress chapter in Persepolis as it concerns one of Satrapi's relatives in Iran in the 50s and continues her exploration of society and culture in 20th century Iran.

Its a short book at only 80 pages, but it tells a complete story about the final 8 days of a man's life. I appreciate Satrapi's tone and her willingness to let the story stand on its own without any forced commentary. The reader gets to decide for themselves.

Its a shame that Marjane Satrapi seems to have left comics for film. But I guess I now have a few movies to watch.

"It has sabahattin ali's madonna have a fur coat swagger, an oriental story..." Murat said this to me when he recommended me this book.
well, i agree.

not just a melancholic and artificer man who lost last piece of his love of life which is a trigger to shape his last days we read but a story tells much more like Iranian society and social revolution without getting too political.

I saw the movie of Satrapi’s Persepolis and found it deeply irritating. But, being a pioneer in the graphic novel form—hell, a lone populiser of the form—I had to read something by her. This graphic novella (must I start a separate shelf for shorter graphic works?) is a melancholy folktale about a poor musician whose wife snaps his tar (like a sitar) in two. Finding no replacement for his prize instrument, he takes to his bed to die, where he reflects on his thwarted life—marrying the wrong woman, neglecting his only son, but mainly losing his tar. The question raised: if all great art is borne out of misery, who needs great art? Interesting A.L. Kennedy article about this in The Guardian recently. Anyway: very gloomy and very good. I will read Persepolis if someone twists both my arms.

Quando temos um trabalho muito bom, inevitavelmente, todos os trabalhos que fizermos depois acabarão a ser comparados.

Frango com Ameixas não tem o tipo de profundidade que encontramos em Persepolis, talvez por não ser uma história em primeira mão, mas sim uma história de família. A verdade é que o grande, grande valor do livro, além de pequena pérolas relativamente a família, relações, sabermos lidar com as pessoas e as suas diferentes personalidades, é o final. Um final que vem fechar a história em si mesma, que traz consigo a profundidade que procuramos todo o livro.

É uma história muito bonita, cuja melodia embala e mostra onde está o verdadeiro valor das coisas. Mesmo que não as consigamos ver.

здається, що це просто депресивна замальовка останніх днів життя одного іранського музиканта й за сумісництвом дідуся авторки. але історія поступово обростає сюром, гумором і спогадами, підводячи до сприйняття смерті як звільнення.

а Маржан Сатрапі ви можете памʼятати за «Персеполісом», його я страшенно люблю. цей теж полюблю.

Si bien no es tan bueno como Persépolis o no empaticé con el protagonista, si me dejo ✨pensando✨ respecto a como nos relacionamos con la muerte y por el contrario, con lo que nos mantiene con vida.
Me gustó el dibujo del angel de la muerte

De esta autora solo había leído su magnífica obra Persepolis. Este libro, menos ambicioso, nos lleva de nuevo al Irán de la segunda mitad del siglo XX, a la convulsa década de los años 50. Y a través de sus páginas nos narra una historia de amor íntima, injusta, rabiosa y universal. Un gran cómic.

Esta novela gráfica narra los últimos ocho días de la vida del conocido músico intérprete de tar, Nasser Ali, pariente de Marjane Satrapi. En una discusión familiar su mujer le rompe el tar, el instrumento que le ha acompañado durante toda su vida. Este hecho es el detonante de una serie de acontecimientos que llevan al protagonista a la decisión de terminar con su vida.
Me ha gustado mucho tanto la trama como las ilustraciones. Las ilustraciones de Marjane siempre son exquisitas y tienen su sello personal. No obstante, en mi opinión, no tiene la misma intensidad ni fuerza que “Persépolis”. Sé que no se deben comparar libros del mismo autor, pero tenia que decirlo.

Te envuelve y no te deja hasta que acabas el libro.

Marjane Satrapi is an author who needs no introduction. Through Persepolis she enchanted millions of readers across the globe with a brilliantly crafted graphic memoir detailing the events of her life and times. Her insights, keen eye for details, refreshing sense of humor and fantastic storytelling abilities made each of the cartoon frames in Persepolis brim with the essence of life.

Through Chicken with Plums, Marjane Satrapi once again wields her magic wand to weave an emotional and dramatic tale of life and death which will captivate the reader. Originally published in 2004 titled Poulet aux prunes, this graphic novel is the heartrending story of a man who willed for his own death, which will make the reader ponder over what makes one’s life worth living.

Chicken with Plums introduces the reader with Marjane’s great-uncle Nasser Ali Khan who was an illustrious musician in Iran. The book starts with Nasser Ali Khan’s life during 1958 in Tehran where he is desperately looking for a replacement for his irreparably broken tar – an important stringed music instrument in Iran and the Caucasus – but he is unable to find one that speaks to him with the same level of passion that he conveys to his audience through his music. Even a rare antique Yahya Tar – a tar that is revered as a Stradivarius Violin – fails to impress him. Dejected he renounces all worldly pleasures and takes to his bed deciding to wait for his death. And Eight days after this Nasser Ali Khan dies and the reader is presented with a full-page cartoon panel, which illustrates his burial.

What follows is the author’s recreation of the events of the last eight days of Nasser Ali Khan as he lies in his bed waiting for the approach of death. With brilliant use of flashbacks and flash-forwards Marjane painstakingly presents sub stories of people from Nasser Ali Khan’s life in frames that are melancholic, dreamy and passionate yet laced with traces of humor. Through the narrations of these eight final days the author makes Nasser Ali Khan reveal everything about him – story of his childhood, relations with his family members while growing up, his love, his fantasies, his music, the disappointments over his married life, how his tar got damaged, anxiety about his kids - to the reader which piece by piece like a puzzle finally disclose the true reason behind the decision to give up his life. The non-linear way of storytelling and the way in which the reader is taken back to the initial scene of the book during the conclusion is a clever technique from the author, which adds to the suspense and enjoyment for the reader.

The style of illustration employed is elegant with its simplicity and the Spartan black inking is the same signature Marjane Satrapi form which readers of her other graphic novels will be so familiar with. The way Marjane captures facial emotions in her illustrations, especially the effort that is invested while drawing the eyes of her characters, which convey their inner thoughts, are admirable.

Even though there are slight narrations on the political and cultural life of Iran during the time, ‘Chicken with Plums’ is a rumination by the author on love, passion and art and is a study on the spark of inspiration which makes one’s life worth living. This is an absorbing love story, which will delight the reader and will make him breeze through the book with pleasure. For me reading ‘Chicken with Plums’ was a satisfying experience.

Heaven's wheel gained nothing from my coming,
Nor did my going augment its dignity;
Nor did my ears hear from anyone
Why I had come and why I went.

He began my creation with constraint,
By giving me life he added only confusion;
We depart reluctantly still not knowing
The aim of birth, existence, departure.

I will end this review with these lines from Omar Khayyám, which wonderfully captures the eternal contemplation over what is the meaning of life.

Chicken with Plums tells us the story of Nasser Ali Khan who is Marjane Satrapi's great uncle. He is a celebrated tar player, trapped in a loveless marriage, with a particular fondness for the dish from which the book derives its eponymous
title. After an argument with his wife, she angrily breaks his tar, and he decides that life is not worth living anymore. No, he doesn't commit suicide, but he does believe his time on earth is done. This book chronicles the last eight days of his life.

I loved Nasser Ali Khan's recollections of his long dead mother, and his discussions with the Sufi dervishes at the time of her death. "The key to wisdom is doubt. If you doubted a little, you would be less arrogant", one of the Sufi mystics tells him, and this is what he ponders over the last few days. When death doesn't arrive, he thinks it is probably because someone is bargaining with the Angel of Death through pleas and prayers. (It broke my heart to read that it was little Mozaffer, his youngest child whom he did not want or love, who prayed for him every night.)

Telling a terribly poignant tale, this book is deceptively simple (I had to tell people I was reading a graphic novel, and not a comic book). I found myself thinking about the mysteries of life, love, and loss for a long time afterward.