The Complete Persepolis ~ Marjane Satrapi

Persepolis is the story of Satrapi's unforgettable childhood and coming of age within a large and loving family in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution; of the contradictions between private life and public life in a country plagued by political upheaval; of her high school years in Vienna facing the trials of adolescence far from her family; of her homecoming--both sweet and terrible; and, finally, of her self-imposed exile from her beloved homeland. It is the chronicle of a girlhood and adolescence at once outrageous and familiar, a young life entwined with the history of her country yet filled with the universal trials and joys of growing up.

Edgy, searingly observant, and candid, often heartbreaking but threaded throughout with raw humor and hard-earned wisdom--Persepolis is a stunning work from one of the most highly regarded, singularly talented graphic artists at work today.

I do not read many graphic novels, let alone memoirs in the form of a graphic novel; however, I made the exception for The Complete Persepolis. Although the book was originally published in the early 2000s, I had not heard anything about it until last year. Last year, I noticed some of my favorite booktubers mentioning that they had either read it and enjoyed it or had wanted to read it.

I read the entire novel in two days. It really was eye-opening. In school, we never really learned about any war that didn't pertain to the United States in a huge way (i.e. the World Wars or the Revolutionary War or the Civil War or the Vietnam War).  Therefore, I knew very little about the Iranian Revolution, which Marjane lived through. The book starts when she is very young and follows her throughout her early adulthood. It gives a unique look into a family whose views were vastly different from their country's, who were unafraid yet careful in how they rebelled, etc.

The artistic style of the illustrations reminds me a lot of a simple cartoon in a newspaper, but it worked really well for this story. There was no color which allowed for your imagination to take over, but still, have a guide of what was really happening. Although the main theme of the book revolved around the Iranian Revolution, you also witness Marjane deal with personal conflicts that have little to do with the Revolution yet everything to do with the Revolution because it is her life; such as, her relationships, friendships, identity struggles, grief, etc.

Pages: 341                                                                                                                               Rate: 5/5