The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
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Book Reviews of The Complete Persepolis
Book Review: The struggle goes on.
Summary: 5 Stars
"Persepolis" is a graphic novel, originally published in four parts in France. It formed the basis for an animated film that was first released in 2007. It won the Jury Prize at that year's Cannes Film Festival and was also nominated at the Oscars for Best Animated Feature. Rather unusually for a graphic novel, it tells the story of Satrapi's own life.
Marji was an ordinary 10-year old when the Revolution took place in 1979. She was very religious, and desperately wanted to be the last prophet...but she also idolized Bruce Lee and occasionally pretended to be Che Guevara. Naturally, she understood little of the "adult world" - Marji liked the Shah, and believed her teachers when they said he'd been appointed by God. Her parents, with good reason, detested the Shah and soon explained the truth to her. The current Shah inherited his position from his father - who, in turn, had been appointed by the British, rather than God. Furthermore, her Grandfather (a prince, no less) and her Uncle Anoosh had been imprisoned by one Shah or another and both had been devoted Communists - viewed by both Shahs as something evil. Both Marji's parents had been involved in protests against the Shah's regime, though they'd managed to stay out of prison.
With the fall of the Shah, life is - for a short spell - like a dream. Old family friends - like Moshen and Siamak, who had been routinely tortured - and Marji's Uncle Anoosh are released from prison. Like Marji's parents, both are hopeful of a better society. Marji had known nothing of her Uncle before his release from prison but, before long, the pair are devoted to each other. Unfortunately, their hopes prove unfounded. Islamic Fundamentalists win the following elections, and society becomes even more oppressive. Many of the Shah's former enemies - including Anoosh - are hunted down and returned to prison. Moshen, meanwhile, is found dead in his bath...though since only his head was underwater, it was obvious he was murdered. Although some (like Siamak) flee, Marji and her family stay put. War with Iraq sees the authorities calling for martyrs, with our young heroine becoming increasingly disillusioned. As time goes on, though, it becomes increasingly obvious that Marji won't be able to say nothing and keep her head down. As a result, her parents decide to send her to Austria to continue her education. While the move solves some problems, it opens the door to many more...and for many years, leaves Marji trapped between two worlds and unsure where she belongs.
Being a graphic novel, it's not your typical autobiography. There is a brief introduction - using standard prose rather than pictures - where Satrapi tries to explain her reasons for writing this book. Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, she says, Iran "has been discussed mostly connection with fundamentalism, fanaticism and terrorism. As an Iranian who has lived more than half my life in Iran I know that this image is far from the truth." Marji proved to be a very likeable character, someone you wanted to see things go right for...though somehow you knew things wouldn't be easy. She and her family did have a tricky life in Iran. Her difficulties with social classes, religious regimes, wars and rivalries set her apart- and the suffering of her family, friends and neighbours under two repressive regimes shouldn't be glossed over. (These regimes weren't entirely "their" fault either - there was a certain amount of sneaky Western interference). Her life in Austria - a democratic, western country - wasn't pleasant either. There, she was always the outsider, someone set apart - with things sometimes descending to blatant racism. Nevertheless, it's a book that's definitely recommended.
Book Review: The Complete Persepolis review
Summary: 5 Stars
Book Review
The Complete Persepolis, written by Marjane Satrapi, tells the story about her life growing up during a time of revolutionary war in Iran. The book is written in the format of a comic book. I really enjoy that it was written in a comic strip style because it is appealing to the reader's eye which makes it fun to read. I also liked how the author included everything from her life. The war was the main thing that affected her life but she also talked about her family and love life.
Due to the war, Marjane's parents sent her to live in Austria. She attended a French school there, and like most people, she had a hard time fitting in at first but eventually did. She was also rebellious and strong, and I look up to that because no matter how bad things were she always tried to move forward. The author explains her life as a child very well and it is good to learn about different people from all over the world. She had to live without her parents for years, and this was very hard for her. One thing I thought was sad about her living on her own was that she sometimes wanted comfort from her parents and that was not possible since they were still in Iran. You can sympathize for her because it is always nice to be around your family.
Later on in the book, when Marjane is older, she returns to Iran. When she returned, she had forgotten some of her cultural norms. She forgot that she would have to wear her veil, but she easily got back into the habit of doing so. Something I thought was interesting was that Marjane seemed to be very religious as a kid and even wanted to be a martyr, but while she was in Europe she broke a lot of her religion's rules. She had sex before marriage, and when she told her friends from Iran about this, they were ashamed of her. You learn about the cultural norms and religious beliefs about different places, and it helps you to realize what life is like for these people.
Also when she returned she met a guy named Reza who she fell in love with. It was hard for them to be together because they could easily get in trouble because men and women were not allowed to be seen in the streets or cars together unless they were married. Since they were not married it made things hard for them. During this time they both went to the same school. At the time it was very hard to get into schools so they were very lucky. Boys and girls were separated and Reza and Marjane had to pretend they were not a couple because they could get kicked out. The author described this part of her life very well and detailed that you can almost put yourself in her shoes.
Since things were hard for them being in a relationship, Reza asked Marjane to marry him. She ended up marrying him, but since the day they got married and moved in with each other, their love for one another faded. Marjane told Reza that she didn't think things were working out and they should get a divorce. He said that he still loved her and that they should move to France together. Instead they got the divorce and Marjane decided to leave Iran. This time when she left Iran it was her decision and for her freedom. This taught me that people in other countries do have similarities to people in the United States.
Overall I would recommend this book to people of all ages. It was fun to read and the author makes it easy to understand a different culture and religion. I think Marjane, the main character, is a complex character and reading this book really makes you understand how the war forced her to grow up fast.
Book Review: A Beautifully-Executed Memoir.
Summary: 5 Stars
"Persepolis" is a unique trip into the past by Marjane Satrapi, who uses the graphic novel approach to give us a rich narrative full of happiness, heartbreak, suspense and wicked comedy. These are her illustrated memories of her childhood in Iran during the brutal reign of the Shah and then her and her family's experiences during the 1979 Islamic Revolution and afterwards as fundementalists come to power and Satrapi's world changes forever. Like the best memoirs Satrapi's are strikingly honest and objective. This is neither a protest against Iran's system or an endorsement, it is the record of a woman's life during important historical events and how these events individually affect people, lives and personal histories. With beautiful, comic illustrations Satrapi brings her family's fascinating story to life, we see her grow-up with educated, Leftist parents who raise her knowing about the PLO, Fidel Castro, Che Guevara and Iran's own martyrs. They despise the U.S.-backed, or better put, the U.S.-INSTALLED regime of the Shah and passionately take to the streets to protest the Monarch. Marjane watches all this with wonderous curiosity as she imagines Marx and God debating. When the Shah falls there is cheering in the streets, but soon the country finds itself divided as the Islamic Republic is born and friends, families and loved ones are torn apart by the new way of life and a brutal war with Iraq. Satrapi chronicles all this and more, including her early years as an exile in Europe with a sharp eye for details big and small, with great humor and a style that makes this a universal story. Many of us will find ourselves relating to so much of what Marjane goes through, the way she explores her inner thoughts, worries and moments of joy is impressive because of the heart and psychological depth she displays. This edition of "Persepolis," where parts 1 and 2 are combined due to the upcoming release of the motion picture edition should be the definitive edition for readers to purchase. Once you start reading you get hooked, and there's no sense in having to look for part two when you can have the complete story here. "Persepolis" is one of the best recent memoirs about those who experienced the Islamic Revolution, and one of the best memoirs in general. Satrapi's book is also a cultural gem, because in our tense times it is important to read the stories that display the humanity of "the other side." Satrapi does not condone much of what the Islamic regime did in the years immediately following the revolution, but she also makes a point of why the revolution happened. She doesn't shy away from showing how friends of her family were tortured by the Shah's secret police, the Savak or from the fact that the Savak were trained by the CIA. In her introduction Satrapi clearly mentions that in 1953 the CIA overthrew Iran's Prime Minister, Mohammed Mossadeq, because he planned to nationalize the country's oil, and installed the Shah as supreme leader. Satrapi shows an impressive, objective look at history, something we need now more than ever when talking about the Middle East. "Persepolis" is a masterpiece, a grand effort that deserves to be read more than once.Book Review: Very powerful, engaging read
Summary: 5 Stars
I had heard SO many good things about both Persepolis I and II, and for some reason I kept putting off reading them, so when I found this book at my library I finally just bit the bullet and took it home. I was definitely nervous about reading it - first of all, I have very little experience with graphic novels, and secondly, I was very aware of my high expectations for the book based on all the positive reviews it's garnered recently. I shouldn't have worried, though, because The Complete Persepolis was overall very enjoyable for me.
I say overall because I have to admit that there was one thing about the book that bugged me - the writing was SO tiny! I'm glad that this wasn't my first graphic novel, because I think I would have become frustrated with the genre if it was. I had a difficult time sometimes reading everything that was written, and I think the black and white pictures also worked against my eyes - they were trying to take in so much, and some of it was really hard to see!
Besides that minor complaint, I thought the book was pretty awesome. It was a highly educational experience for me - I really have no knowledge of this period of Iran's history (well, I don't have much knowledge of Iran, period), and to see these events through Marjane's eyes (with her explaining the history all along) was captivating. I also was interested in the history for a personal reason - one of my uncles (by marriage) was born in Iran and didn't come to the U.S. until he was twenty-two. In fact, I don't know his exact age but I think he came here at about the same time The Complete Persepolis takes place (late 1970's, early 1980's). My uncle has a lot to say about his dissatisfaction with his native country's history, but I never truly knew the facts of that history. Reading the book made me realize how ignorant I am about the history and culture of one person in my life who is very important to me. It also made me want to learn even more about Iran's history.
While I found Satrapi's story to be a great learning experience, I also found the book highly entertaining and very accessible. Satrapi writes so candidly, so casually and at times hysterically that the reader can't help but understand her and sympathize with everything she's been through. Also, she wrote the book in such a way that really made me want to be friends with her - she was seriously hilarious at so many points throughout the book, yet still so dead serious about the events that took place. Really, the way she crafted her story was just lovely, and I pretty much loved every minute of reading it.
I definitely recommend this one. Even though I had a rough time with the physical act of reading the book, The Complete Persepolis was more than worth the strain it put on my eyes. If you enjoy or want to try graphic novels, or like history, or like memoirs, read this book!
Book Review: Growing Up Anywhere
Summary: 5 Stars
*For Foucaultians, I use 'Satrapi' to reference the author, and 'Marjane' to reference the character in the book.
We tried having the freshmen at our school read this book over the summer, thinking that they might have less resistance to a graphic novel than an onslaught of straight text. We forgot, of course, that they are freshmen and will resist all attempts to read/learn over the summer regardless.
However, loving graphic novels, I checked it out myself and loved what I found. First of all, Satrapi's simple style of illustration was perfect for setting the tone of this coming-of-age story. Subtle variations in the appearance of the characters reveals more than the story on the page. The backdrop, largely set against the Iranian Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War, comes to life through the experiences of these people, not just a historical run down.
Major coming-of-age themes are present; rebellion, alienation, identity, isolation, and disillusionment all factor heavily in Satrapi's story. What is particularly well-served by the graphic novel format is Marjane's struggle between the external forces dictating her situations and the internal convictions she relies on to respond to them.
Satrapi's story is more exciting and tumultuous than many people's experience growing up (certainly mine), but she doesn't stress these external events. It would have been easy for her to succumb to the tendency of memoirs to force oneself onto the historical timeline of one's time; yet for all that is going on around her, that doesn't represent Marjane's conflict. The heart of the graphic novel is about that confusing experience of self-identification, stretching across countries, cultures, and all of history.