In her acclaimed Persepolis books and in Embroideries, Marjane Satrapi rendered the events of her life and times in a uniquely captiv...
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Dec 16, 2009
This is a story of eight days in 1958 Tehran. A cranky old man has taken to bed to die. There are flashbacks and flash-forwards from several perspectives. The man's regret and sorrow are taken to his grave but revealed to us. As in her three previous novels, Satrapi portrays brilliantly funny and resolute characters. The main one here is more distantly related to her than the ones in her earlier stories. In addition, he is a man and I think that gender plays a part in Satrapi's characteriz
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Aug 04, 2011
Amanda
rated it: 
(4.5 stars)
In Chicken With Plums, Satrapi writes a biography of her great-uncle, the famous Iranian musician Nassar Ali Khan. When Khan’s tar breaks, he falls into a depression and lays in bed wishing for death for a week. At the end of that week, he dies (this isn’t a spoiler, it says so right at the beginning). Satrapi presents each day of his final week, with flashbacks to earlier parts of his life that lead up to his current predicament. Through these memories, we come to understan More...
In Chicken With Plums, Satrapi writes a biography of her great-uncle, the famous Iranian musician Nassar Ali Khan. When Khan’s tar breaks, he falls into a depression and lays in bed wishing for death for a week. At the end of that week, he dies (this isn’t a spoiler, it says so right at the beginning). Satrapi presents each day of his final week, with flashbacks to earlier parts of his life that lead up to his current predicament. Through these memories, we come to understan More...
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Mar 09, 2010
Myra
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Another brilliant, graphic novel from Satrapi. This one is not long at all - in fact, I read the whole thing in less than an hour's time.
Chicken With Plums is a story about Satrapi's great-uncle, Nasser Ali Khan. Nasser Ali Khan is a musician who decides to die after his beloved tar is broken by his wife. His marriage is pretty much a disaster, and as the novel progresses, we find out exactly why this is so - and it just so happens to be the same reason for why Nasser Ali Khan is s More...
Chicken With Plums is a story about Satrapi's great-uncle, Nasser Ali Khan. Nasser Ali Khan is a musician who decides to die after his beloved tar is broken by his wife. His marriage is pretty much a disaster, and as the novel progresses, we find out exactly why this is so - and it just so happens to be the same reason for why Nasser Ali Khan is s More...
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Aug 23, 2011
Andrew Shuping
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"Chicken with Plums" is based on the true story of Satrapi's great-uncle, Nasser Ali, a famous Iranian musician, whose Tar is destroyed by his wife. After deciding that he has nothing else to live for he takes to his bed and waits to die. Eight days later he dies. In between Nasser's wife, brother, sister, and children all try to convince him to stay in the living world as he dreams of what the future might be.
"Chickens with Plums" has the same great artwork of Pers More...
"Chickens with Plums" has the same great artwork of Pers More...
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Aug 20, 2011
Carlos
rated it:
It was short, but our time together was just wonderful. I don't think it was as focused and fleshed out like Persepolis, but I don't fault Marjane for it. Persepolis was a personal story that Marjane LIVED, Chicken with Plums is also a very personal story, but it's about events well before her time. It's incredible she was able to weave such a compelling personal tale, with what was probably second hand information. Scraps here and there from different people, all of a man she never knew; and ye
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Jan 22, 2011
Travis
rated it:
Having completely loved Satrapi's graphic novel memoir, Persepolis, I was excited to discover Chicken with Plums among the new releases at the Oldham County Public Library the last time I was there. True, the hardback was published nearly three years ago, but since I hadn't read it yet I didn't care. This time, the writer/illustrator tells an embellished account of her mother's uncle, Nasser Ali Satrapi, who died 22 November 1958.
Chicken with Plums offers glimpses into Nasser's life, p More...
Chicken with Plums offers glimpses into Nasser's life, p More...
Jul 28, 2009
Abraham
rated it:
This graphic novel has much the same feel and tone to it as Persepolis, but it has certain qualities that elevate it, in my mind at least. Whereas Persepolis tried to deal with too much at once which made it confusing at times, Chicken with Plums centers very astutely on just one character during a reasonably small part of his life. It flows very nicely, with the frequent reminiscences gradually morphing into the main focus of the story - a very novel and appropriate technique that Satrapi handl
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Jul 14, 2011
Shane R.
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Dec 23, 2009
Chad
rated it:
Whereas Marjane Satrapi's most main-stream work, "Persepolis" is a graphic novel, "Chicken with Plums" is more of a graphic short story. The limited page count belies the power of the story, and indeed forces a precision upon the bittersweet musician's tale that brings the point home all the more effectively.
The story ostensibly covers eight days in the life of Satrapi's great-uncle and renowned tar player, Nassar Ali, but the use of flashbacks provide insights i More...
The story ostensibly covers eight days in the life of Satrapi's great-uncle and renowned tar player, Nassar Ali, but the use of flashbacks provide insights i More...
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Jul 17, 2009
Sam
rated it:
satraappiii!!! dapet pinjeman dari Ronny... thx yaaa..
brpun dibilang buku ini isinya kisah org stres, g teteup kekeuh mo baca! in the end yg g temukan dari buku ini adalah kisah 'keteguhan' hati sang paman, Mr. Nasser Ali sepanjang hidup... demi cinta dan musik.
hidup seperti dlm penggambaran satrapi lainnya adalah perjuangan,
bagaimana menjadi seorang yg jujur dan berani.. suatu hal yg dipaksakan pada akhirnya tidak akan berbuah manis. Prasangka pun tidak akan melahi More...
brpun dibilang buku ini isinya kisah org stres, g teteup kekeuh mo baca! in the end yg g temukan dari buku ini adalah kisah 'keteguhan' hati sang paman, Mr. Nasser Ali sepanjang hidup... demi cinta dan musik.
hidup seperti dlm penggambaran satrapi lainnya adalah perjuangan,
bagaimana menjadi seorang yg jujur dan berani.. suatu hal yg dipaksakan pada akhirnya tidak akan berbuah manis. Prasangka pun tidak akan melahi More...
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Mar 19, 2009
Anugrah
rated it:
Chicken with Plums, mengambil latar belakang kota Teheran pada tahun 1958 mengisahkan tentang Nasser Ali Khan, paman buyut dari Marjane Satrapi, yang terkenal sebagai salah satu musisi tar (sejenis alat musik perkusi asal Iran) terbaik di Iran pada masa itu. Cerita berpusat keinginan Nasser Ali untuk mengakhiri hidupnya karena suatu sebab pada tanggal 15 November 1958. Tepan delapan hari kemudian, yaitu pada tanggal 22 November 1958, Nasser Ali pun meninggal. Selama delapan hari itu, sambil menu
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Jul 27, 2011
Wes
rated it:
Every once and awhile you come across a story that is so tragic that it goes beyond a story and becomes a beautiful work of art. The story that Marjane Satrapis has given us is such a work, combined with her art this story leaves the reader touched and unable to feel anything but the beauty and the tragedy of the characters. From the lessons she offers on life, and love, to the simplistic lessons of faith and the tragic condition that so many find themselves in, this book will leave even the mos
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Jul 22, 2010
Benjamin
rated it:
Another short but engaging piece from Ms. Satrapi. Like Persepolis I was pleasantly surprised to find myself being subtly informed of Iran's recent history via the lenses of her family members. The story is serious but also humorous. I enjoyed the way it deals with marriage and family, passion for art, and how all this gets caught up in day to day complexities. From the get go, you know the story is going to be bittersweet at best. Not any real departure in the illustration style, at least not
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Sep 15, 2009
Susan
rated it:
So apparently the last time I read this was before I had an account. This is another book we've been told is naughty by the central offices, only this time they removed the record from the catalog before we could "evaluate" it and see if we wanted to keep it on the shelf. So even if we do keep it, no one will know we have it and no one will be able to find it. All because of two panels of boobs. I had no idea they were so scary. I'm walking around with weapons of mass destruction
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Jun 14, 2011
Penelope
rated it:
Chicken with Plums is like the tragic accompaniment to Satrapi's other short graphic novel, Embroideries. Love, unrequited love more specifically, is a prominent theme but this time we experience the story from a man's perspective (where Embroideries is pretty much exclusively told from various female perspectives). Chicken with Plums is also a darker, sadder story. As always, Satrapi manages to weave humor into the narrative, but all in all it's a sad tale.
I read Persepolis a few More...
I read Persepolis a few More...
Nov 23, 2009
Ollie
rated it:
This is not as long as Satrapi's more famous works Persepolis 1 and Persepolis 2 but it carries the same emotional punch and beauty. It's more of a short story that can be read over a few hours, with a final scene that takes you by surprise with its poetic beauty and tragedy. Chicken with Plums is the favourite dish of Nasser Ali Khan, a renowned master of the tar and a distant relative of Marjane's. The story follows the 8 days Nasser lay in his bedroom in 1958 (11 years before her birth), i
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Jul 29, 2008
Kerry
rated it: 
I was just really disappointed by the book. I do really enjoy the author's illustrations, but I just didn't really like the story. It was sad and depressing as if follows a musician who has become a stranger to his wife and children, despite the fact that he lives with them. I just thought it was a big downer. I don't really want to read about a comic who as given up on life.
May 04, 2011
Elizabeth
rated it:
As with Embroideries, it's not entirely clear whether Chicken with Plums is memoir or fiction. There's a character that looks just like Marjane from Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return, which would make the protagonist the author's uncle, but it's not clear.
Depressing. The protagonist's unhappiness all seems to stem from not marrying the woman he loved and marrying a woman he didn't love, and while that's a fine lesson to take away, couldn't he still have found some way of finding More...
Depressing. The protagonist's unhappiness all seems to stem from not marrying the woman he loved and marrying a woman he didn't love, and while that's a fine lesson to take away, couldn't he still have found some way of finding More...
May 25, 2010
Becky
rated it:
Chicken With Plums is actually quite a complicated story to put into words. In this tale, Sarjane Satrapi tells the story of a great-uncle who was a musician, who during an argument, had his tar (Iranian instrument he played) snapped in half by his wife. From the moment his instrument was destroyed, he began the search for a new one, and realized it could not be replaced, so he laid down to die. The remainder of the story examined, day by day, why he wanted to die, how he wanted to die, and when
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Aug 25, 2009
e.c.h.a
rated it:
Bukanya dag dig dug karena halaman-nya sudah lepas-lepas, maafkan saya Mas Tomo. Saya terima sudah begitu ya keadaannya :-)
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Di buku ini, Marjane menceritakan kisah kehidupan Pamannya, Nassar Ali. Yang mencintai seseorang tetapi bertepuk sebelah tangan dan harus menjalankan hidup dengan orang yang tidak di cintai. Saya melihat Nassar Ali ini orangnya gampang menyerah, sampai harus meminta kematian menghampirinya. Waktu penantian m More...
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Di buku ini, Marjane menceritakan kisah kehidupan Pamannya, Nassar Ali. Yang mencintai seseorang tetapi bertepuk sebelah tangan dan harus menjalankan hidup dengan orang yang tidak di cintai. Saya melihat Nassar Ali ini orangnya gampang menyerah, sampai harus meminta kematian menghampirinya. Waktu penantian m More...
Jan 27, 2009
Palsay
rated it:
Hasil malak dari om tomo..hihihi..
Chicken with plums adalah kisah mengenai salah seorang paman Marji yang bernama Nasser Ali. Ia adalah seorang pemusik tar (alat musik tradisional Iran) yang sangat berdedikasi pada musiknya.
Suatu saat tar milik Nasser Ali dipatahkan oleh istrinya yang tengah emosi melihat kelakuan Nasser Ali, dan sejak saat itu Nasser Ali mengalami gundah, sampai suatu saat ia memutuskan untuk mati.
dalam kegundahannya, seminggu sebelum kematiannya, More...
Chicken with plums adalah kisah mengenai salah seorang paman Marji yang bernama Nasser Ali. Ia adalah seorang pemusik tar (alat musik tradisional Iran) yang sangat berdedikasi pada musiknya.
Suatu saat tar milik Nasser Ali dipatahkan oleh istrinya yang tengah emosi melihat kelakuan Nasser Ali, dan sejak saat itu Nasser Ali mengalami gundah, sampai suatu saat ia memutuskan untuk mati.
dalam kegundahannya, seminggu sebelum kematiannya, More...
Apr 30, 2009
Rick
rated it:
The creator of the acclaimed Persepolis returns with a new family story. After his wife destroys his beloved tar (a Persian lute),musician Nasser Ali Khan decides to die. Satrapi recounts the eight days until his death, manipulating time as she relates the futures of his children and grandchildren. Along the way, Satrapi accomplishes the seemingly impossible by turning the bitter, unlikable Nasser into a truly sympathetic character. Through her masterful use of layout, design, and shadow, Satrap
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Jan 13, 2009
Chris
rated it:
While this book isn't quite as enjoyable as Persepolis, it does have some amazing qualities of its own. The main character seems like a narcissistic jerk throughout but the end of the story, while not necessarily redeeming him, helps to explain him in a way that makes his decision to die and his personality much more understandable. I would imagine this book is more fictionalized than Satrapi's previous works since much that went on in the mind of her uncle 50 years ago is probably unknown. Howe
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Feb 22, 2010
Marisa
rated it:
This book didn't live up to my expectations of a Marjane Statrapi graphic novel. While I still really enjoyed the art work and Satrapi's famous wit -- I didn't find the storyline compelling or even the main character, her uncle Nassar Ali, very endearing. The book depicts the story of a man who you are told wants to die and will do so in 5 days (don't worry -- I'm not giving anything away that the reader doesn't know within the first few pages of the book)and why he has come to this conclusion -
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Oct 19, 2009
indri
rated it:
Chicken with Plum
Kematian yang ditunggu dan diharapkan. Lucu banget si Nasser Ali ini, karena alat musiknya patah jadi ia memutuskan untuk mati, karena tidak ada lagi yang membuatnya bangga akan dirinya.
Gw kaget yang waktu skimming ketemu bagian mimpi makan ‘chicken with plum’ itu haaa… masa iya ini sejenis Embrodiers juga?? Makanya jadi buru2 gw baca sampai tuntas.. geleuh euuyy..
Kisah 8 hari menjelang kematian toohh..
Dasar, kayaknya keluarganya si Marjanne More...
Kematian yang ditunggu dan diharapkan. Lucu banget si Nasser Ali ini, karena alat musiknya patah jadi ia memutuskan untuk mati, karena tidak ada lagi yang membuatnya bangga akan dirinya.
Gw kaget yang waktu skimming ketemu bagian mimpi makan ‘chicken with plum’ itu haaa… masa iya ini sejenis Embrodiers juga?? Makanya jadi buru2 gw baca sampai tuntas.. geleuh euuyy..
Kisah 8 hari menjelang kematian toohh..
Dasar, kayaknya keluarganya si Marjanne More...
Mar 05, 2010
Angelia Fransisca
rated it:
Chicken with Plums is a story about Satrapi's uncle, Nasser Ali Khan, who was a musician. His wife had broken his tar and the more he tried to find the replacement of his tar, the more his desire to end his life grew.
Firstly, I thought he was lame for being so melancholic. However, as the story goes, I actually found out why he chose to end his life. It was kinda ironic, especially the part where the one who prayed for him was his son whom he didn't love as much as he loved her daug More...
Firstly, I thought he was lame for being so melancholic. However, as the story goes, I actually found out why he chose to end his life. It was kinda ironic, especially the part where the one who prayed for him was his son whom he didn't love as much as he loved her daug More...
Aug 03, 2011
Fredrik
rated it:
Wow! Bener-bener suka ceritanya dan penyajian plotnya. Sangat manusiawi dan menyentuh... xD
Ceritanya tentang Nasser Ali yang "kehilangan sebagian jiwanya" karena alat musik tar-nya dipatahkan oleh sang istri. Nasser Ali akhirnya depresi berat dan memutuskan untuk bunuh diri. Nah, pembaca kemudian dibawa masuk ke dalam masa lalu, masa kini, dan masa depan akan kisah kehidupan seputar Nasser Ali.
Secara teknis, novel grafis ini mungkin memang gak sampai "WAH" More...
Ceritanya tentang Nasser Ali yang "kehilangan sebagian jiwanya" karena alat musik tar-nya dipatahkan oleh sang istri. Nasser Ali akhirnya depresi berat dan memutuskan untuk bunuh diri. Nah, pembaca kemudian dibawa masuk ke dalam masa lalu, masa kini, dan masa depan akan kisah kehidupan seputar Nasser Ali.
Secara teknis, novel grafis ini mungkin memang gak sampai "WAH" More...
Nov 25, 2009
Christy S
rated it:
I love Marjane Satrapi’s storytelling, art, and sense of humor. Her graphic novels have put Iran in historical, cultural, and political perspective for me. Chicken With Plums isn’t her best– its story was less meaningful to me, the main character (her great uncle) less accessible. Perhaps it’s that Marjane hasn’t put herself into the story, and she was the most likeable part of Persepolis, Persepolis II, and Embroideries. It is because of those titles that I will always be one of the first to gr
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Aug 27, 2011
Sam
rated it:
First I have to say that in reading and evaluating this book, try not to compare it to Persepolis. It is a completely different type of book. Whereas Satrapi's most well known novel is a memoir recounting her entire life and simultaneously giving the reader a crash course in Iranian history, Chicken with Plums is a very short story about her great uncle Nasser Ali Khan. Despite its brevity I found it engaging and poignant. I found it most interesting that although Satrapi never met him, the stor
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Dec 20, 2008
Charlaralotte
rated it:
I give this book five stars because it haunts me. I think of it as a children's book, but reading it to a child would be abusive and scary. The images and story are of such desperation and loneliness, that to recommend it to anyone could be dangerous. And yet the idea of people grappling with long-ago loves and present day hurts is universal. Watching someone kill themselves over it is tough. I am proud of Satrapi for refusing to make this into a longer story than it needed to be. It is the perf
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