Persepolis

Persepolis

By: Marjane Satrapi

Satrapi, M. (2003). Persepolis. New York, NY: Pantheon Books.

Summary and Response:

This graphic novel is truly two stories in one. We follow young Marjane Satrapi from the age of 6 to 14 as she tries to figure herself out through clothing, music, and her voice. She is considered a rebel and always testing the world and society around her. As we see her begin to grow up, we are told about the environment she is enduring. The Islamic Revolution is happening in Iran at this time and she is often surrounded by bombings and fundamentalist power. The two are intertwined wonderfully through the black and white drawings. They are comic strip style and bring forth the emotion, the strife, and the social consequences. By the end of the novel Marjane's parents decide to send her to Austria alone to have a better life and education. It definitely makes you want to read the next installment to see where life takes her next. This would be a great book to discuss the impact our societies can have on our own identities and growth.