I picked this up because I want to complete my goodreads goal, and I thought reading a graphic novel would be easy. I could just fly by it, so simple. But boy-oh-boy I was so wrong.
I’ve always loved reading books based in an Islamic country. Khaled hosseini is my favourite author, I can (not really, I’m always left weeping and heartbroken at the end of his books) handle a book with a war setup. Hence I thought I could handle Persepolis. Wow!
Persepolis tells an honest and poignant story of a well-to-do modern family during the political turmoil in Iran from the perspective of a little girl Marjane Satrapi. Marjane has beautiful portrayed the important highlights of her life in Iran during the difficult times. There are some dark tragic moments mentioned from the eyes of a child. There are also generous dose of light humour, Marjane and her family is stuck in a country at war, but they are trying hard to have as normal life as they can.
The ending broke my heart. I don’t want to spoil anything here. But it was so sad and yet so beautifully done. It’s an absolutely beautiful story told in black and white drawing.
The book quality is amazing and the drawings are beautiful.
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Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (Pantheon Graphic Library) Paperback – Illustrated, 1 June 2004
by
Marjane Satrapi
(Author)
Marjane Satrapi
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Print length160 pages
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LanguageEnglish
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PublisherPantheon
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Publication date1 June 2004
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Dimensions15.24 x 1.27 x 22.45 cm
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ISBN-10037571457X
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ISBN-13978-0375714573
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Lexile measureGN380L
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Review
“Delectable. . . Dances with drama and insouciant wit.” –The New York Times Book Review
“A stunning graphic memoir hailed as a wholly original achievement in the form. There’s still a startling freshness to the book. It won’t age. In inky shadows and simple, expressive lines— reminiscent of Ludwig Bemelmans’s “Madeline”—Satrapi evokes herself and her schoolmates coming of age in a world of protests and disappearances . . . A stark, shocking impact.” — Parul Sehgal, “The 50 Best Memoirs of the Past 50 Years” The New York Times
“A dazzlingly singular achievement. . . . Striking a perfect balance between the fantasies and neighborhood conspiracies of childhood and the mounting lunacy of Khomeini's reign, she's like the Persian love child of Spiegelman and Lynda Barry.” –Salon
“A brilliant and unusual graphic memoir. . . . [Told] in a guileless voice . . . accompanied by a series of black-and-white drawings that dramatically illustrate how a repressive regime deforms ordinary lives.”–Vogue
"Odds are, you’ll be too busy being entertained to realize how much you’ve learned until you turn the last page.”–Elle.com
“[A] self-portrait of the artist as a young girl, rendered in graceful black-and-white comics that apply a childlike sensibility to the bleak lowlights of recent Iranian history. . . . [Her] style is powerful; it persuasively communicates confusion and horror through the eyes of a precocious preteen.” –Village Voice
" This is an excellent comic book, that deserves a place with Joe Sacco and even Art Spiegelman. In her bold black and white panels, Satrapi eloquently reasserts the moral bankruptcy of all political dogma and religious conformity; how it bullies, how it murders, and how it may always be ridiculed by individual rebellions of the spirit and the intellect." --Zadie Smith, author of The Autograph Man and White Teeth
"You've never seen anything like Persepolis—the intimacy of a memoir, the irresistability of a comic book, and the political depth of a the conflict between fundamentalism and democracy. Marjane Satrapi may have given us a new genre."
--Gloria Steinem
I grew up reading the Mexican comics of Gabriel Vargas, graduated to the political teachings of Rius, fell under the spell of Linda Barry, Art Spiegelman, and now I am a fan of Marjane Satrapi. Her stories thrummed in my heart for days. Persepolis is part history book, part Scheherazade, astonishing as only true stories can be. I learned much about the history of Iran, but more importantly, it gave me hope for humanity in these unkind times.
—Sandra Cisneros, author of The House on Mango Street and Caramelo
I thought [Persepolis] was a superb piece of work, not only for the child's eye view—the developing child's eye view—of a society unknown to many of us in the west, and feared and suspected in proportion to being unknown.... Satrap has found a way of depicting human beings that is both simple and immediately comprehensible, AND is almost infinitely flexible. Anyone who's tried to draw a simplified version of a human face knows how immensely difficult it is not only to give the faces a range of expression, but also to maintain identities from one frame to the next. It's an enormous technical accomplishment."
--Philip Pullman, author of The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass.
"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, author of Palestine and Safe Area Gorazde
This witty, moving and illuminating book demonstrates graphically why the future of Iran lies with neither the clerics nor the American Empire.
--Tariq Ali Author of The Clash of Fundamentalisms: Crusades, Jihads and Modernity
"I found the work immensely moving with depths of nuance and wisdom that one might never expect to find in a comic book. It’s a powerful, mysterious, enchanting story that manages to reflect a great swath of Iranian contemporary history within the sensitive, intimate tale of a young girl’s coming-of-age. I didn’t want it to end!"
—Diana Abu-Jaber, Author of Crescent and Arabian Jazz
"A rare and chilling memoir that offers every reader a personal, honest portrait of Iran's recent political and cultural history. Ms. Satrapi's provocative, graphic narrative of life in Iran before and after the Islamic revolution is an extraordinary testament to the level of human suffering experienced by Iranians tossed from one political hypocrisy to another. Aside from the humanistic dimension, the beautifully minimalist Persepolis gives further evidence of Marjane Satrapi's sensitivity and superb skill as an artist."
--Shirin Neshat, visual artist/filmmaker
"Readers who have always wanted to look beyond political headlines and CNN's cliches should plunge into this unique illustrated story. Let Marji be your trusted companion, follow her into the warmth of a Persian home and out along Tehran's turbulent streets during those heady days of revolution. Persepolis opens a rare door to understanding of events that still haunt America, while shining a bright light on the personal humanity and humor so much alive in Iranian families today."
-- Terence Ward, author of Searching for Hassan
Blending the historical with the personal is not an easy task, to blend the individual with the universal is even more challenging. But Marjane Satrapi has succeeded brilliantly. This graphic novel is a reminder of the human spirit that fights oppression and death, it is a witness to something true and lasting which is more affective than hundreds of news broadcasts.
--Hanan al-Shaykh, author of Women of Sand and Myrhh
“A stunning graphic memoir hailed as a wholly original achievement in the form. There’s still a startling freshness to the book. It won’t age. In inky shadows and simple, expressive lines— reminiscent of Ludwig Bemelmans’s “Madeline”—Satrapi evokes herself and her schoolmates coming of age in a world of protests and disappearances . . . A stark, shocking impact.” — Parul Sehgal, “The 50 Best Memoirs of the Past 50 Years” The New York Times
“A dazzlingly singular achievement. . . . Striking a perfect balance between the fantasies and neighborhood conspiracies of childhood and the mounting lunacy of Khomeini's reign, she's like the Persian love child of Spiegelman and Lynda Barry.” –Salon
“A brilliant and unusual graphic memoir. . . . [Told] in a guileless voice . . . accompanied by a series of black-and-white drawings that dramatically illustrate how a repressive regime deforms ordinary lives.”–Vogue
"Odds are, you’ll be too busy being entertained to realize how much you’ve learned until you turn the last page.”–Elle.com
“[A] self-portrait of the artist as a young girl, rendered in graceful black-and-white comics that apply a childlike sensibility to the bleak lowlights of recent Iranian history. . . . [Her] style is powerful; it persuasively communicates confusion and horror through the eyes of a precocious preteen.” –Village Voice
" This is an excellent comic book, that deserves a place with Joe Sacco and even Art Spiegelman. In her bold black and white panels, Satrapi eloquently reasserts the moral bankruptcy of all political dogma and religious conformity; how it bullies, how it murders, and how it may always be ridiculed by individual rebellions of the spirit and the intellect." --Zadie Smith, author of The Autograph Man and White Teeth
"You've never seen anything like Persepolis—the intimacy of a memoir, the irresistability of a comic book, and the political depth of a the conflict between fundamentalism and democracy. Marjane Satrapi may have given us a new genre."
--Gloria Steinem
I grew up reading the Mexican comics of Gabriel Vargas, graduated to the political teachings of Rius, fell under the spell of Linda Barry, Art Spiegelman, and now I am a fan of Marjane Satrapi. Her stories thrummed in my heart for days. Persepolis is part history book, part Scheherazade, astonishing as only true stories can be. I learned much about the history of Iran, but more importantly, it gave me hope for humanity in these unkind times.
—Sandra Cisneros, author of The House on Mango Street and Caramelo
I thought [Persepolis] was a superb piece of work, not only for the child's eye view—the developing child's eye view—of a society unknown to many of us in the west, and feared and suspected in proportion to being unknown.... Satrap has found a way of depicting human beings that is both simple and immediately comprehensible, AND is almost infinitely flexible. Anyone who's tried to draw a simplified version of a human face knows how immensely difficult it is not only to give the faces a range of expression, but also to maintain identities from one frame to the next. It's an enormous technical accomplishment."
--Philip Pullman, author of The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass.
"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, author of Palestine and Safe Area Gorazde
This witty, moving and illuminating book demonstrates graphically why the future of Iran lies with neither the clerics nor the American Empire.
--Tariq Ali Author of The Clash of Fundamentalisms: Crusades, Jihads and Modernity
"I found the work immensely moving with depths of nuance and wisdom that one might never expect to find in a comic book. It’s a powerful, mysterious, enchanting story that manages to reflect a great swath of Iranian contemporary history within the sensitive, intimate tale of a young girl’s coming-of-age. I didn’t want it to end!"
—Diana Abu-Jaber, Author of Crescent and Arabian Jazz
"A rare and chilling memoir that offers every reader a personal, honest portrait of Iran's recent political and cultural history. Ms. Satrapi's provocative, graphic narrative of life in Iran before and after the Islamic revolution is an extraordinary testament to the level of human suffering experienced by Iranians tossed from one political hypocrisy to another. Aside from the humanistic dimension, the beautifully minimalist Persepolis gives further evidence of Marjane Satrapi's sensitivity and superb skill as an artist."
--Shirin Neshat, visual artist/filmmaker
"Readers who have always wanted to look beyond political headlines and CNN's cliches should plunge into this unique illustrated story. Let Marji be your trusted companion, follow her into the warmth of a Persian home and out along Tehran's turbulent streets during those heady days of revolution. Persepolis opens a rare door to understanding of events that still haunt America, while shining a bright light on the personal humanity and humor so much alive in Iranian families today."
-- Terence Ward, author of Searching for Hassan
Blending the historical with the personal is not an easy task, to blend the individual with the universal is even more challenging. But Marjane Satrapi has succeeded brilliantly. This graphic novel is a reminder of the human spirit that fights oppression and death, it is a witness to something true and lasting which is more affective than hundreds of news broadcasts.
--Hanan al-Shaykh, author of Women of Sand and Myrhh
From the Inside Flap
Originally published to wide critical acclaim in France, where it elicited comparisons to Art Spiegelman's Maus, Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi's wise, funny, and heartbreaking memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah's regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran's last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country.
Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran: of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life and of the enormous toll repressive regimes exact on the individual spirit. Marjane?s child's-eye-view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a stunning reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, through laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love.
From the Hardcover edition.
Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran: of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life and of the enormous toll repressive regimes exact on the individual spirit. Marjane?s child's-eye-view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a stunning reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, through laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love.
From the Hardcover edition.
From the Back Cover
A "New York Times Notable Book
A "Time Magazine "Best Comix of the Year"
A "San Francisco Chronicle and "Los Angeles Times Best-seller
Wise, funny, and heartbreaking, "Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi's memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah's regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran's last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country.
"Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life. Marjane's child's-eye view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, "Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, with laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love.
A "Time Magazine "Best Comix of the Year"
A "San Francisco Chronicle and "Los Angeles Times Best-seller
Wise, funny, and heartbreaking, "Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi's memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah's regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran's last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country.
"Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life. Marjane's child's-eye view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, "Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, with laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love.
About the Author
Marjane Satrapi was born in 1969 in Rasht, Iran. She grew up in Tehran, where she studied at the Lycée Français before leaving for Vienna and then going to Strasbourg to study illustration. She has written several children’s books, and her illustrations appear in newspapers and magazines throughout the world, including The New Yorker and the New York Times. She currently lives in Paris.
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Product details
- Publisher : Pantheon; Reprint edition (1 June 2004)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 160 pages
- ISBN-10 : 037571457X
- ISBN-13 : 978-0375714573
- Item Weight : 281 g
- Dimensions : 15.24 x 1.27 x 22.45 cm
- Country of Origin : USA
-
Best Sellers Rank:
#21,305 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #18 in Middle Eastern History (Books)
- #18 in Women in History
- #53 in History of Civilization & Culture
- Customer Reviews:
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4.7 out of 5 stars
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2,248 global ratings
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Reviewed in India on 2 October 2018
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4 people found this helpful
Helpful
Reviewed in India on 12 October 2018
The added bonus was I got this at a discounted rate of 600 and considering it a hardcover and came in perfect condition , it's totally worth the money !
About the book itself, it a graphic novel and amazing . It gives a good insight about the Iranian lifestyle and beautiful written.
Verified Purchase
The book came on time and condition was just amazing! Like perfect condition & no dents , no creases and no scratches , just beautiful!!
The added bonus was I got this at a discounted rate of 600 and considering it a hardcover and came in perfect condition , it's totally worth the money !
About the book itself, it a graphic novel and amazing . It gives a good insight about the Iranian lifestyle and beautiful written.
The added bonus was I got this at a discounted rate of 600 and considering it a hardcover and came in perfect condition , it's totally worth the money !
About the book itself, it a graphic novel and amazing . It gives a good insight about the Iranian lifestyle and beautiful written.

5.0 out of 5 stars
A must buy!
By KL on 12 October 2018
The book came on time and condition was just amazing! Like perfect condition & no dents , no creases and no scratches , just beautiful!!By KL on 12 October 2018
The added bonus was I got this at a discounted rate of 600 and considering it a hardcover and came in perfect condition , it's totally worth the money !
About the book itself, it a graphic novel and amazing . It gives a good insight about the Iranian lifestyle and beautiful written.
Images in this review

One person found this helpful
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Reviewed in India on 10 May 2016
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I'm not going to analyse the graphic novel. The hardback cover is hard and had no creased edges. The pages are thicker than normal paper thus they feel nice.
Reviewed in India on 17 June 2019
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It's really heart wrenching to read about the things Iran has went through.
Reviewed in India on 17 February 2018
Verified Purchase
Comic strip format is interesting. Book is fine.
Reviewed in India on 30 May 2018
This graphic novel is interesting yet informative. You get a closer look at the Iranian Revolution and the lives of their people. I flew through the pages and finished it in a day.
I recommend this book highly.
I recommend this book highly.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Carno Polo
5.0 out of 5 stars
magnificent graphic account of a real life story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 January 2012Verified Purchase
Very original format: telling the story of a revolution, a major event in world history, through a graphic story about a little girl coming of age. She is from a middle class family in Tehran and tells us about the fall of the Shah and the rise of the islamic republic thourgh the eyes of a child. A child who is very aware of what is going on around her and is not afraid to speak up. Through the microstory of her family, her school, her relatives and neighbors we learn a lot about everyday life in Tehran in that period.
The book ends with her departure for Austria in 1983 where her parents sent her to be safe from the dangers of war with Iraq and of internal repression. I am looking forward to reading the sequel Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return
PS I am not sure why the author chose the title Persepolis for this book, does anyone know?
The book ends with her departure for Austria in 1983 where her parents sent her to be safe from the dangers of war with Iraq and of internal repression. I am looking forward to reading the sequel Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return
PS I am not sure why the author chose the title Persepolis for this book, does anyone know?

Page Turner
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fantastic read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 October 2007Verified Purchase
It does not make sense but Marjane Satrapi's decision to recount her memoir about growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution using a comic strip actually renders the tale more rather than less poignant. Her artwork propels the reader so quickly through the horrors which have accompanied each recent regime change in Iran that the impact is maximised. It also proves to be the right medium to represent the quickened loss of innocence which Satrapi experiences as a result.
Satrapi herself is revealed as a spirited teenage rebel not averse to confrontation with her own parents and to her credit these encounters are candidly, and often comically, repeated no matter how self-absorbed they reveal her to have been.
This is a must read.
Satrapi herself is revealed as a spirited teenage rebel not averse to confrontation with her own parents and to her credit these encounters are candidly, and often comically, repeated no matter how self-absorbed they reveal her to have been.
This is a must read.
One person found this helpful
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penny
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 May 2019Verified Purchase
Bought as present for a friend and she said it was brilliant :)

Guy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Without doubt a classic
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 December 2015Verified Purchase
Persepolis has always been a favourite. So simple in its comic style telling a tale so deep. Great read for anyone looking for that 'something different' and will leave you wanting to read the second part.

Dimitris Doukas
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 January 2018Verified Purchase
Great to read this side of the modern Iran story. Makes one reflect on the things happening in their own societies too.
One person found this helpful
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