Persepolis I & II  (English, Paperback, Satrapi Marjane)

Persepolis is an autobiographical graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi.

Summary of the Book

Marji is a young girl in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. Society quickly morphs into an orthodoxy, where the veil is a compulsory garment for women and secular education is quickly banned. Marji believes that she can solve these problems by becoming a prophet at the age of six. She recalls the teachings of Zarathustra and the Zoroastrian holidays she once enjoyed with her parents. She watches events like the overthrow of the Shah, the success of the Islamic Revolution and the destructive effects of the war with Iraq. Through a young girl’s eyes, readers are drawn into a portrait of life in Iran. Marji’s narrative brings out the sharp contrast of life at home and life in public, and the black and white art further strengthens the contrast. This is a story of growing up in a country where grim reminders of war hang around people’s lives like black curtains cutting off any sunlight.

About Marjane Satrapi

Marjane Satrapi is a French graphic novelist and illustrator born in Iran.

Persepolis was adapted into a French-American animated film, written and directed by Marjane and Vincent Paronnaud. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film of the Year and a Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film.