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Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (Persepolis, #1)

Marjane Satrapi,

Mattias Ripa (Translator)

Start date: April 1, 2021

Finish date: April 29, 2021

Discussion: Monthly Group Reads

Why we're reading this: Colourism (aka shadeism)

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (Persepolis, #1) by Marjane Satrapi
[close] Colourism (aka shadeism)

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (Persepolis, #1) by Marjane Satrapi

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What Members Thought

Dec 03, 2011 Richard Derus rated it liked it

Rating: 3.75* of five graphic novel, 5* of five film

The Book Report: So this is the lightly fictionalized life story of Iranian emigre Satrapi, as she grows up in the waning days of Shah Reza Pahlavi's rule, the revolution, and the subsequent theocracy. She emigrates first to Vienna, for school at the Viennese Lycee Francaise, and then after a time back in Tehran, off to Paris. We meet her delightfully outspoken grandmother, her neither-fish-nor-fowl mother, her drippily emotional father, and a Rating: 3.75* of five graphic novel, 5* of five film

The Book Report: So this is the lightly fictionalized life story of Iranian emigre Satrapi, as she grows up in the waning days of Shah Reza Pahlavi's rule, the revolution, and the subsequent theocracy. She emigrates first to Vienna, for school at the Viennese Lycee Francaise, and then after a time back in Tehran, off to Paris. We meet her delightfully outspoken grandmother, her neither-fish-nor-fowl mother, her drippily emotional father, and a host of family members of varying degrees of inimicality to the various horrible regimes Iran has suffered in the past 100 years.

Oh, oh, oh how I hate to write these words, knowing how many people will flee screaming into the distance as I do: This is a coming-of-age story.

Wait! Come back! It's not that bad, I promise! Well, the film isn't, anyway. I suggest viewing the film instead of the graphic novel.

My Review: I don't much like graphic novels, seeing them as pretentious cousins to the comic book. And I never got the hang of comic books. Something that takes me ~10min to read does not make much headway with me. So when I found that my local liberry had both the graphic novel and the film of this title, I thought I'd do a fair test: Read the graphic novel first, then view the movie; compare and contrast.

Movie. Definitely. Movie is as beautiful as the graphic novel, but more deeply involving because it's more nuanced in its storytelling style.

But make no mistake, both versions are aesthetically sophisticated and artistically beautifully realized. I focused very little on the words of the graphic novel, because they were so-so literature and because the images were so glorious. The same, well not identical but similar, words accompanying the moving images...! Orders of magnitude of difference. Had I only experienced the graphic novel, I doubt I would have bothered to write any sort of review. The film is, well and truly, a masterwork, and possibly even a masterpiece. I know it left me wrung out and still curiously uplifted. I can't say it enough: Rent this film. Watch it with an open heart. It will reward you. ...more

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Mar 10, 2019 Kris rated it really liked it

Wow. I knew nothing about the Iranian revolution, and so this was an education from scratch for me. And there is no one I would rather learn it from than Marjane. This girl is smart and funny and bold and loudly idealistic, and I think my younger self would have gotten along with her just fine, thankyouverymuch.

3 likes · Like · see review

Sep 03, 2007 Krista the Krazy Kataloguer rated it it was ok

Shelves: read-translated-children-s-books, read-ya, read-graphic-novels

As a graphic-format memoir, it wasn't bad, but I would have prefered it in a traditional text format. ...more

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Oct 03, 2017 Becca rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2017-read-in-colour, favorites, nonfiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Marjane recounts her experience as a child growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. As a young child, Marjane sees the changes from the permissible to the fundamentalist behaviors taking over, and she is confused. With progressive (but now staying under the radar for their safety) parents, she walks the very fine line between what is permissible in her world and what is regarded as "okay" in her home. As we see her mature in understanding, our heart breaks with her as she makes the inev ...more

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May 22, 2020 Lindsay rated it did not like it

DNF. I read about 50% before I couldn't read anymore. It was a fascinating narrative on Iran's culture and history, but the art style, combined with the immature reflections was just a little too much after a while. ...more

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