octavia_cade 's review for:

Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return by Marjane Satrapi

4.0

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While this was an excellent read, it didn't hit me as hard as the first volume. It's very much in two parts: Satrapi's adolescent experiences living on her own in Europe, and then her return to Iran. In both cases it's a story of dislocation, as she has trouble fitting in to a new culture, and doesn't realise, until she has returned, just how much she has assimilated to that culture without realising it. It's homesickness all the way, and alienation, and while we'd all like to think that in similar circumstances we'd rise above, truthfully I think Satrapi's own reaction is the more likely one. Depression, indecision, and an inability to move forward are really understandable responses, but she does work through it all eventually. The most appealing thing, as last time, is the sense of humour that leavens all this dim misery. It can't have felt very funny at the time, but looking back she manages to make it so.

I can't help but hope, though, that the nasty old woman who lost her brooch reads this book and sees herself. And that the man Satrapi has hauled away by the morality police is alright, because it looks like the poor bastard didn't do anything and she dobbed him in to save herself. Granny's temporary disapproval of her actions doesn't really cut it.