The Complete Persepolis
by Marjane Satrapi
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Book Summary Information
Author: Marjane SatrapiEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-10-30
ISBN: 0375714839
Number of pages: 341
Publisher: Pantheon
Book Reviews of The Complete Persepolis
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.
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