Book review: Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (vol. 1)
By Marjane Satrapi
As our nation emerges from years of isolation from Iran and attempts to engage a nation whose actions are frightening, this autobiographical graphic novel serves as an excellent primer on the history of Iran’s theocracy. For readers not tuned into graphic novels, don’t be deceived by the comic book format. Satrapi, born in 1969, is a child of the revolution but also the child of progressive, well educated parents who are at first elated by the overthrow of the Shah. They are quickly disillusioned when the Islamic regime evolves into the same sort of totalitarianism and fear suffered under the Shah. Marjane’s story continues in Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return.
- Phyllis
Themocracy
I have read all the earlier books so I was looking forward to this one. I was not disappointed. the narrow view of her world and the sheer mundaness interspersed with fear is very powerful. It gave me yet another lesson (I grew up a foreigner in Kuwait) how circumscribed life is whatever the regime.