Persepolis

Reviews / Votes

Satrapi grew up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution and its aftermath; Persepolis is the story of her childhood. Through Marji's youthful (though not-always-innocent) eyes and mind, we see a turbulent moment in history unfold, and we witness the tremendous impact that local and global events and politics can have on even the most intimate moments of personal lives... And we get a very real sense of what it was like to be a woman in Iran during this intense time of cultural and political transition. ... Satrapi's deceptively simple, almost whimsical drawings belie the seriousness and rich complexity of her story--but it's also very funny too. * Emma Watson * Telling the story of Satrapi's childhood in Iran, this is funny, wise and sad. * Stylist * Persepolis...has an outward simplicity that utterly beguiles: her black and white drawings resemble old-fashioned woodcuts; her narrative is almost breezily concise. * Royal Academy Magazine * A poignant, deeply moving and - at times - utterly hilarious work of art. * Evening Standard * If you haven't read a graphic novel before, then start here * Herald * This touching, funny, illuminating memoir deserves a much wider audience. -- Kate Figes * Guardian * The magic of Marjane Satrapi's work is that it can condense a whole country's tragedy into one poignant, funny scene after another. -- Natasha Walter * Independent on Sunday * Persepolis is a stylish, clever and moving weapon of mass destruction. -- David Jenkins * Sunday Telegraph * Marjane Satrapi's books are a revelation. They're funny, they're sad, they're hugely readable. Most importantly, they remind you that the media sometimes tell you the facts but rarely tell you the truth. In one afternoon Persepolis will teach you more about Iran, about being an outsider, about being human, than you could learn from a thousand hours of television documentaries and newspaper articles. And you will remember it for a very long time. -- Mark Haddon I cannot praise enough Marjane Satrapi's moving account of growing up as a spirited young girl in revolutionary and war-time Iran. Persepolis is disarming and often humorous but ultimately it is shattering. -- Joe Sacco