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Jan 21, 2009

Valerie rated it:

Reading this graphic novel was like being invited to tea with a group of Iranian women, except that the talk turned (interestingly enough) to arranged marriages, cheating husbands, and faking your virginity. The images strengthened the words in such a way that when I was done reading it I actually felt like I knew and had spent a little time with these women.

It's interesting, because their conversation makes it seem like they have some power (while living under harsh social restricti More...

10 comments like (8 people liked it)

Mar 23, 2008

Hilda rated it:

I was disappointed by Marjane Satrapi's follow up to the fantastic two volume "Persepolis".

In "Embroideries", the setting is an after-dinner tea party between several women of different ages telling their stories abut love and sex. The potential is fantastic to really delve into the beliefs and traditions surrounding these topics. But rather than tell the complete stories with depth, she merely flits over them, so that you get a taste but little substance. She te More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Mar 11, 2010

HappyHippo rated it:

Story about various Iranian women. They're sit back and relax in the afternoon while sipping a hot cup of tea. But not just that, they all have a tale to tell.
And the story begin...

"To speak behind others' backs is the ventilator of the heart."
Huwahahaha...

Pertama-tama ketika nge-mark as to read gw pernah komen "Mari ngebordir", yang dikasi komen sama Lita di message #1 dan saya ngasi komen "wah, rok mini mah cepet keknya ngebordirn More...

91 comments like (14 people liked it)

Aug 05, 2011

Seth rated it:

The embroideries of the book’s title refer to the surgical restoration of one’s vagina to a state similar to that of a virgin. Whether this includes hymen reconstruction or merely the tightening of an age-and-use-worn genitalia, Satrapi’s book never makes clear. In the end, it doesn’t really matter, probably. What is equally unclear is the reason for naming her extended anecdote in this way. Really, I just don’t know.

Embroideries by Marjane Satrapi

Embroideries covers the ground of a single afternoon’s More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Jun 06, 2008

Pipitta rated it:

Seumur hidup gw, baru kali ini deh menyengaja beli komik—eh, boong deh, pas jaman SD gw koleksi komik Candy-Candy lengkap kok, malah nomor 5 dan 6 punya dobel gara-gara ada yang ngasih. Tepatnya, baru kali ini gw dengan penuh kerelaan beli novel semodel komik. Betewe, novel grafis tuh sama ama komik ga sih? Secara isinya gambar melulu dilengkapi balon kata-kata, menurut gw sih sama hehehe… tapi di plastik pembungkus bukunya sih dibilang novel grafis. Harganya lumayan juga, euy, untuk ukuran komi More...

4 comments like (1 person liked it)

Apr 15, 2008

Abigail rated it:

A brief comic-book memoir from Marjane Satrapi, the author/artist who created the wonderful Persepolis books, Embroideries offers a snapshot view of a group of middle-class Iranian women, as they gather for tea and an afternoon of discussing (what else?), men and sex...

Though by no means the equal of Satrapi's earlier work, this was an enjoyable reading experience, whose primary attraction lies in its further exploration of characters the reader has come to love through Persepolis an More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Nov 14, 2007

Talia rated it:

In Marjane Satrapi's latest book, Embroideries, she takes on the sex lives of Iranian women. Like in her past books the author brings to life colorful, lively women who discuss their most inner secrets about men, love, and "getting your virginity back," as where the title of the book comes from. The stories range from a woman getting plastic surgery to keep her man interested in her to another woman who finds out her husband is gay only after her arranged marriage to him. The stories a More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 30, 2009

Kate rated it:

Really good graphic novel. I haven't read her other stuff but I'd really like to now after reading this. It's nice because you can read this in a few hours. The stories that are told between the women talking are really interesting and deal with a lot of social issues. Her drawings are interesting to look at as well, she has a talent for it.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 09, 2009

Rika rated it:

ha! akhirnya nemu juga buku ini setelah mencari-cari agak lama (nyarinya di bagian graphic novel, nemunya di bagian novel biasa). Lumayanlah, tapi aku lebih suka persepolis dari segi topik. Bordir ini lebih fokus ke masalah perempuan saja, kalo persepolis kan ada sejarah iran, ada pergulatan keagamaan, dll. Yah 3,5 bintang...:-)

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 16, 2009

Kira rated it:

For anyone who doesn't know, and "embroidery" is when they stitch up yer hyman so it seems like you're a virgin again! (oh my!!) If that's not enough to make you read this, I don't know what is. Just as great as Satrapi's other books, this one is a series of little vingiettes involving stories of sex, scandal, etc in her extended family of female friends and relations. A highlight: a girl loses it before her wedding (a huuuge deal in traditional Iran) and tries to "fake" her More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Aug 26, 2007

Trin rated it:

A series of vignettes, almost, about women's lives in Iran, connected by bridging segments of after-dinner tea and conversation with Satrapi's mother, grandmother, and their relatives and friends. The embroideries of the title do NOT have to do with arts and crafts, but rather refer to what some Iranian women do to, um, regain their virginities. (OW!) This book is seemingly lighter than either volume of Persepolis, but there's an underlying weight and seriousness, and Satrapi as usual is great More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 25, 2011

El Templo de las Mil Puertas added it

"Si te suena el nombre de Marjane Satrapi, será por su conocida novela gráfica Persépolis, pero esta historietista iraní tiene más obras publicadas. Si en Persépolis, obra autobiográfica, nos narra las dificultades de vivir bajo un estado teocrático, en Bordados se centra en las dificultades que tienen las mujeres en este tipo de regímenes. Es este cómic, Marjane Satrapi nos abre las puertas del universo femenino iraní. La historia es un duro retrato sobre la situación de la mujer en Or More...

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Jun 13, 2011

Penelope rated it:

This is a quick, entertaining, and enlightening read. Not as prolific as Persepolis, and I know it won't stick with me like Persepolis did, which is why I knocked it down to 4 stars. However, I don't think Embroideries really attempts to "match" Satrapi's larger work, and for what it is--and what it tries to be--I think it's an excellent little book. Embroideries examines one facet of the lives of Iranian women, namely sexuality, and the various topics that go along with it: virgini More...

0 comments like

Sep 05, 2010

R. rated it:

Suite au succès retentissant de l'adaptation au cinéma de son oeuvre autobiographique Persepolis, tout le monde connaît désormais Marjane Satrapi. Sur les conseils de mon libraire, j'ai fait l'acquisition de ce petit volume nommé Broderies. C'est, selon lui, l'un des cadeaux qu'il conseille le plus souvent lorsqu'un client souhaite faire un cadeau à une dame. Et il rajoute, c'est bien mieux que toutes ces co....ies que dessinent les blogueuses (je n'y suis pour rien je cite). Hé oui il est comme More...

0 comments like

Jul 18, 2010

an rated it:

awal na bingung dengan judul na. bordir. kirain diskusi selama kisah ini berlangsung ketika acara membordir bersama, atau mungkin kegiatan membordir (yang notabene kebanyakan dikerjakan oleh perempuan) membuat para perempuan ini saling bercerita, ngobrol dengan peserta lain. ternyata... jauh banget hubungan na.

kegiatan ini dilakukan bukan saat membaut bordir tapi saat minum teh. dan bordir di sini menggunakan media yang berbeda. tidak hanya sekedar obrolan, tapi kalau dicermati lebih More...

22 comments like (6 people liked it)

May 25, 2010

Becky rated it:

Embroideries is an interesting, and often funny look into a group of Iranian women chattering about their lives, loves, and sexual histories. Taken from some of the characters we know from Persepolis, there is a feeling of already knowing some of the characters introduced in the story, and there is a sense of irony and satire built into the stories they tell, as the women go around the circle, bemoaning their lost loves, nagging husbands, and sexual dissatisfaction. One key theme that ran throug More...

0 comments like

Jan 07, 2010

Tatiana rated it:

Marjane Satrapi is the author of widely known graphic memoir "Persepolis" (which I am yet to read). Looking through my library catalog, another title of hers caught my eye - "Embroideries." Naturally, I was captivated by the synopsis - "gloriously entertaining and enlightening look into the sex lives of Iranian women" - and had to check it out.

Well, the book didn't quite live up to this synopsis. You will not find any explosive or controversial details o More...

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

Dec 05, 2009

D.m. rated it:

I picked up this little book, a graphic novel, for some light entertainment and I was not disappointed, for it contained more in its pages than what I had thought. I was aware of the author because of the movie made by the author's other graphic novel 'Persepolis' I have not seen that movie but after reading 'Embroideries' I wouldn't mind seeing that.

It surprised me that there was so much insight to be found in 'Embroideries' - a title that pertains to the stories of its characters: More...

0 comments like

Nov 25, 2009

owl rated it:

Pinjem dari Mas Wiro(tomo), dibaca ngebut waktu acara jelajah Giganto.

Entah kenapa, aku justru ngeliat obrolan seperti itu (seks, operasi plastik, keperawanan, dll) sebagai hal biasa. Dan melihat para ibu yang bediskusi itu gak sebagai ngegosip belaka. Tapi bingung juga memaknainya kek apa. Mungkin, sharing pengalaman dan menceritakan pengalaman hidup orang lain yang tidak datang dalam diskusi santai itu, hehe. Obrolannya pun bagi saya tidak vulgar2 amat. Namun alasan saya memb More...

5 comments like

Oct 20, 2009

htanzil rated it:

Ketika para wanita bertemu dalam satu kesempatan dan saling bertukar cerita satu dengan lainnya biasanya selalu menjadi obrolan yang menarik dan tak berkesudahan, berbagai topik bisa dibicarakan mulai dari cerita diri sendiri hingga kisah orang lain yang biasanya disertai bumbu-bumbu cerita yang membuat obrolan semakin seru. Tak heran obrolan ini bisa meluas ke berbagai topik dan membuat mereka betah duduk berjam-jam sambil bercerita hingga lupa waktu.
Apakah obrolan yang sering disebut gos More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 15, 2009

Jennifer rated it:

Much more light than Persepolis, Embroideries was fun to read, somewhat of a cross between My Big Fat Greek Wedding and a "Desperate Housewives" slumber party. Satrapi does a great job capturing the funny, gossipy nature of just hanging around with family and close friends telling amusing stories. In this case, the stories just happen to be about things like girls and women losing their virginities, getting divorced, becoming mistresses, and getting plastic surgery.

While More...

0 comments like

May 25, 2009

Turner rated it:

I was babysitting a friend's two children one night, and stumbled upon this book, after I had promptly sent the children off to bed (a good 15 minutes early, for good measure!). The aforementioned friend has one of the most amazing collection of books I have ever seen. Pretty much every wall in her house is covered in bookshelves filled with books, and it's a pretty big house. So I picked this book up because I had heard of Marjane Satrapi (a few of my friends read The Complete Persepolis and l More...

0 comments like

Mar 28, 2011

Poonam rated it:

The title of the book 'Embroideries' is an euphemism for the virginity-restoration surgery which women in Middle-east undertake since men insist of marrying virgins.

Marjane Satrapi's 'Embroideries' is conversation of women over tea about sex and secrets. Marjane, who responsible for samovar, is privy to this conversation between her grandmother and her friends. She also adds to their conversation by narrating incidents about her young friends. Book is an interesting mix of memoir and More...

0 comments like

Mar 04, 2010

Raisu rated it:

Marjane Satrapi is, without a doubt, one of my favorite writers at the moment. It's amazing how much humor, warmth and humanity is in this little book.

The setting is simple. Nine women drink their afternoon tea and tell stories. Some of them are familiar from Satrapi's previous work, like her grandmother. I have to confess: I'm a little bit in love with that woman. In Persepolis, she was perhaps a bit idealized, the beloved grandmother of a child. Here, Marjane herself is older and t More...

0 comments like

Jul 17, 2009

Sam rated it:

very honest,
sejak pertama kali baca g penasaran apa mksd judulnya itu... tnyata 'bordir' tuh itu yee :p

ternyata gosipan minum teh <campur sikit opium> wanita Iran dashyat ya,
semua diceritakan... dari mulai menikah terlalu dini, dijodohkan, cinta-yg-katanya-sejati ternyata pun ga berakhir bahagia, sampai kisah si Bibi yg belum pernah merasakan kebahagiaan <seksualitas> ato mereka yg ditipu mentah-mentah, hingga menjadikan anak sendiri boneka kebahagiaan..
More...

7 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 01, 2009

Endah rated it:

Sebelum aku menulis tentang buku ini, aku ingin berterima kasih kepada Susi alias Ibutio alias Tukang Kue, yang telah membarterkan buku ini. Kalau tidak terjadi pertukaran tersebut, mungkin saja aku tidak pernah mengenal Marjane Satrapi, penulis cewek asal Teheran yang juga menulis komik Persepolis itu. Aku sih belum baca komik tersebut, tetapi gara-gara Embroideries ini, aku akan membacanya (dan juga Chicken with Plums).

Baiklah, kini aku akan ngoceh sedikit ihwal Bordir.

More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Aug 02, 2011

Reetta rated it:

Ehkä loistavin kirja tänä vuonna! Kehyskertomuksena novellimaisille tarinoille toimii sukulounas, jonka jälkeen miehet vetäytyvät levolle jättäen naiset tiskaamaan - ja juomaan teetä.

Teekupillisten aikana käsitellään jokaisen naisen hurjia, surullisia, hilpeitä ja rakkaita muistoja. Eri sukupolvien kuva elämästä noudattelee osin Iranin poliittista ja uskonnollista historiaa, mutta myös ikä tuo vapauksia. Mummon tarinoita on vaikea lukea punastelematta...

Usein tarinoiden keskiössä on naiseus, oma More...

0 comments like

Feb 26, 2009

Dan rated it:

This book is a graphic novel that takes the form of several Iranian women (in Iran) sitting together discussing their sex lives. The book is the classic short stories as told by narrators in another story structure. The book provides an interesting look at how women feel about their lives, station in life, and sexuality in a repressive religious theocracy. The characters in the story are upper class women, so it is a look at how women in the educated and upper classes feel about this stuff. More...

0 comments like

May 28, 2008

Shannon rated it:

Very cool. Full of funny little lines, one of my favorites being "Of course, you know, my child, men's pride is situated in their scrotums. When one finds oneself with a bloody testicle, it is preferable to keep one's mouth shut."

Also, when I realized what the title referred to (not embriodery in a traditional sense) I was like.. oh, gross.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 25, 2010

SmarterLilac rated it:

While it was fascinating to catch a glimpse of the rich inner lives of Iranian women, this is a book I couldn't really say I enjoyed because the stories are by turns humorous and heartsickening. The lives lead by these characters are constrained by such misogyny, and yet they have found ways to carve out a form of independence for themselves. Sort of.

Pearls of wisdom from the conversations in Embroideries:

'Marriage is like roulette: Sometimes one wins, often one loses. E More...

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