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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
informative
fast-paced
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Read for English. Was very insightful and interesting but graphic novels just aren’t my fav.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
informative
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medium-paced
challenging
dark
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informative
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sad
fast-paced
Great companion novel! The story was just as compelling as the first half. I recommend reading this if you have read Persepolis.
Persepolis 2 picks up right where the first volume left off, with Marjane Satrapi beginning her misadventures in Vienna. If you're invested in Marjane's story, you should definitely read this part, but I have to say that it's a lot less interesting than the first volume.
Half of this book sees Marjane struggling to find herself in a foreign land, whose culture is, in many ways, the opposite of her own. In 2003, this might have made for a compelling enough story, but 20 years (!!!) later, and I dunno, half the books that came out this year are about the same thing. This is a story that has been told many times, both in fiction and in non-fiction, and Persepolis 2 just feels like another one, y'know? What made the story of Persepolis unique was her perspective on Iran, and that perspective doesn't really serve us well in the story of her life in Austria.
Things get a little better when Marjane returns to Iran. The war with Iraq is over now, and the regime is settling into its position of power. People's acts of protest have gone from rioting in the streets to women showing inches of their hair. Even without the benefit of hindsight, it's clear that the country isn't in transition anymore - she's witnessing the new status quo. Marjane yells at a few people in this book, but she's so powerless in the face of the Guardians of the Revolution that she often doesn't even get arrested for her insolence.
I'd say that around half of Persepolis 2 is as compelling of a read as part one. As a whole, I'd say Persepolis isn't quite the masterpiece that it's made out to be, but the quirky art stands the test of time. But would that still be true 20 years from when I'm writing this? We'll find out when we find out!
Half of this book sees Marjane struggling to find herself in a foreign land, whose culture is, in many ways, the opposite of her own. In 2003, this might have made for a compelling enough story, but 20 years (!!!) later, and I dunno, half the books that came out this year are about the same thing. This is a story that has been told many times, both in fiction and in non-fiction, and Persepolis 2 just feels like another one, y'know? What made the story of Persepolis unique was her perspective on Iran, and that perspective doesn't really serve us well in the story of her life in Austria.
Things get a little better when Marjane returns to Iran. The war with Iraq is over now, and the regime is settling into its position of power. People's acts of protest have gone from rioting in the streets to women showing inches of their hair. Even without the benefit of hindsight, it's clear that the country isn't in transition anymore - she's witnessing the new status quo. Marjane yells at a few people in this book, but she's so powerless in the face of the Guardians of the Revolution that she often doesn't even get arrested for her insolence.
I'd say that around half of Persepolis 2 is as compelling of a read as part one. As a whole, I'd say Persepolis isn't quite the masterpiece that it's made out to be, but the quirky art stands the test of time. But would that still be true 20 years from when I'm writing this? We'll find out when we find out!
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
I enjoyed this, just like the first. In fact, it feels just like a part 2 of the first, the continuity is great. Hard to put it down when you start, but Persepolis manages to treat a lot of things: being a young woman alone in a country that isn't your own, hiding your identity, feeling disconnected to your culture and family, rebellion, culture shock, depression, rediscovering oneself and more. It does so thoughtfully while still being witty, sarcastic and fun. I found it so easy to connect with Marjane even if I haven't experienced a lot of the same things to the same extent, what a girlboss.
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced