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A review by leahsbooks
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Wow, I grabbed this at the library on a whim and wasn't quite prepared for how amazing this story would be.
Growing up in the US, we really never learned much about Iran other than the revolution and ongoing tension. I knew there was a revolution that had occurred there before I was born, but I didn't know much more about it. Until now. Marjane Satrapi takes us through the events leading up to the revolution and beyond, as she saw it during her own childhood.
Growing up in a progressive and well-educated family worked both for and against Marjane during these times. She's clearly smart, and her parents didn't generally sugarcoat things just because she was a child. I guess growing up during a revolution and subsequent war makes it hard to shield your kids from the harsh realities of life. But the repressive regime created a dichotomy between what was okay to say and do within the boundaries of her home and what was okay outside of the home, like while she was in school. Marjane developed a rebellious nature and often had difficulty adjusting to what was expected of her within the strict confines of society.
My heart broke for Marjane. Seeing her creative and outgoing nature become stifled by religious and political repression was devastating, but she also loved her country as it used to be. I can't even imagine how difficult it must be to see everything in your life change so quickly, and have to adjust to dramatic changes to your freedom and society. By the time I finished, I was ready to request the sequel just to find out what happens to this smart and resilient girl.
Growing up in the US, we really never learned much about Iran other than the revolution and ongoing tension. I knew there was a revolution that had occurred there before I was born, but I didn't know much more about it. Until now. Marjane Satrapi takes us through the events leading up to the revolution and beyond, as she saw it during her own childhood.
Growing up in a progressive and well-educated family worked both for and against Marjane during these times. She's clearly smart, and her parents didn't generally sugarcoat things just because she was a child. I guess growing up during a revolution and subsequent war makes it hard to shield your kids from the harsh realities of life. But the repressive regime created a dichotomy between what was okay to say and do within the boundaries of her home and what was okay outside of the home, like while she was in school. Marjane developed a rebellious nature and often had difficulty adjusting to what was expected of her within the strict confines of society.
My heart broke for Marjane. Seeing her creative and outgoing nature become stifled by religious and political repression was devastating, but she also loved her country as it used to be. I can't even imagine how difficult it must be to see everything in your life change so quickly, and have to adjust to dramatic changes to your freedom and society. By the time I finished, I was ready to request the sequel just to find out what happens to this smart and resilient girl.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Cancer