The Best Graphic Memoir - Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

“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 liveable?
What's going on in the political prisons?” - Marjane Satrapi

Persepolis

My rating

5 Stars

Author

Marjane

Publisher

Vintage books

Genre

Graphic Novel/Memoir

Number of Pages

343

Buy It on Amazon

“As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

Summary

Persepolis is the story of a girl, who lived in Iran, who was bold, intelligent, and wise beyond her years. Her great-grandfather was the prince of Iran. Her family although living in an orthodox and oppressive regime were forward-thinking and wanted nothing more than the safety and best education for their only child.

My review

Through this novel, we get to see the history and growth of a nation, Iran, at the same time we are exposed to the workings of the country that were overbearing, unjust, and sometimes absolutely ridiculous. We see the importance given to oil reserves, we see the rise of the Burqa, the fleeing of the citizens to European countries, the unjust treatment of by the European citizens to foreigners, the imprisonment and death of so many soldiers and so many more radical extremist events.

And to live in a war-torn and repressive nation in your growing-up years, can it be an easy task? Marjane always had one solution to any unjust or difficult situation. Educate yourself, read books and learn. She wasn’t someone to shy away from point out their faults to the authorities. Nor was she a docile woman. At one time just for the sake of love, she became the dealer of drugs in her college.

This book is an eye-opener to the privileges and best of everything we receive and consume. The author wants us to not judge a nation by the actions of a few extremists. The book is packed with so many moral lessons and although it is an excellently depicted graphic novel, the story was every bit detailed and poignant.

Final verdict

The physical transformations Marjane went through are shown brilliantly. In every picture, the central emotion of that picture is captured remarkably.

Those interested in the history of our world or readers having a penchant for memoirs should definitely read this.

Marjane Satrapi

Marjane Satrapi is an Iranian-born French contemporary graphic novellist, illustrator, animated film director, and children's book author. Apart from her native tongue Persian, she speaks English, Swedish, German, French and Italian.

Top Quotes from Persepolis

“It's fear that makes us lose our conscience. It's also what transforms us into cowards.”

“When we're afraid, we lose all sense of analysis and reflection. Our fear paralyzes us. Besides, fear has always been the driving force behind all dictators' repression.”

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

“In every religion, you find the same extremists.”

“Where are you going on vacation?”
“Nowhere. I’m going to read. I love reading.”

“I learned that you should always shout louder than your aggressor.”

“I rushed to the living room to protect myself from I don't know what, behind my best friend, a book.”
“Guns may shoot and knives may carve, but we won't wear your silly scarves!”

“To educate myself, I had to understand everything. Starting with myself, me, Marji, the woman.”

“To die a martyr is to inject blood into the veins of society”