About: Wise, funny, and heartbreaking memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah's regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran's last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country. Review: Persepolis describes daily life in Iran; through Marjane's experiences we learn about the history of not only Iran, but also her family's. This was the first memoir-in-comic-strips that I have read and I was so exited. I just couldn't stop reading, actually it didn't take me a long time to finish it but I devoured every single line of it. Actually you get to see the world from the eyes of a child but without feeling like you are reading a children book.
About: In 1984, Marjane flees fundamentalism and the war with Iraq to begin a new life in Vienna. Once there, she faces the trials of adolescence far from her friends and family, and while she soon carves out a place for herself among a group of fellow outsiders, she continues to struggle for a sense of belonging.
Review: The second book is more exiting for me, actually to be honest is a little different. Marjane is older now and she has some pretty shocking experiences. The struggle of growing up and the mixed feelings she has about her life, her country are very strong in this book.
To sum up both books are great and I totally recommend them. To be honest if you try the first I im pretty sure you will buy the second too! You will read a great story, you will learn and feel things that you may have not known and you will enjoy the black-and-white comic strip images.
Author Biography: Marjane Satrapi was born in 1969 in Rasht, Iran. She grew up in Tehran, where she studied at the Lycée Français before leaving for Vienna and then going to Strasbourg to study illustration. She currently lives in Paris, where she is at work on the sequel to Persepolis and where her illustrations appear regularly in newspapers and magazines. She is also the author of several children’s books.
Both of them sound like something I would really like to read. I've never read a memoir-in-comic-strips; it sounds great! Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeletei enjoyed these two. both different yet told in the same style.
ReplyDeletebtw, i just awarded you:
http://vvb32reads.blogspot.com/2011/02/one-lovely-blog-award.html