Persepolis Review

So for this week, I decided to read Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. It is an autobiography of the author who lived through her childhood till her life when she is about to leave Iran for France. Her childhood life was filled with dark, scary life of the victim of the war. she is also the odd child as she lived through her live absorbing all the knowledge from her parents which makes her have a more mature point of view than her surrounding. The constant  fear of the becoming the victim of bombing of the war between Iraq and Iran and attacked from the Islamic regime afterwards made her parents sent her to Austria when she was in high school to live a better life. In Austria that she encountered cultured that is different than hers as she was raised in an Islamic society which prohibited some of the cultures she had encountered. There in Austria that she went through her phase that made her depress and decided to went back to Iran, hoping that everything would be normal again. Her journey back in Iran led her to a whole new relationship that by 1991 she married after 2 years relationship with the ex-Iranian soldier while she was still under study in the University for the graphic design. Her married life ended up in a disaster after a month and though they are still struggling with it, Marjane decided to ended it 3 years after and she moved to France to continue her studies

This autobiography graphic novel is really an interesting book to read. This is my first time hearing this graphic novel. After seeing how some of the classmates are really into this graphic novel it really piques my interest to give it a shot and I’m glad that I read it. I admit, it is quite some experience reading this. This certainly opens my knowledge on what is happening in Iraq and Iran. Well, I know some of the information but to be able to see from the perspective of the Iranian who had to gone through such a hardship really open my eyes to the whole war experience. Reading this graphic novel to be honest is quite a challenge because the context itself is really dark as it also talked about what is happening in Iran and Iraq and for me who doesn’t really have quite the knowledge of the background depicted in this story really makes me read the history before continuing the graphic novels which makes it interesting because now I gain more valuable knowledge about Iran and Iraq. The point of view of Marjane  herself is really interesting as she really live a rich life although she has gone through such an experience but I feel all her adventure Is really interesting and I actually glad that she made it into a graphic novel so that her knowledge and her influence can be reached to everyone.

Not only her point of view on certain things makes this graphic novel interesting, the art style that are shown in this graphic novels is really different than any comic I read so far. in a way it is similar with Art Spiegelman’s Maus, with his simplified and stylized drawing but in a way her art style is quite different than Maus as well. it is simple but the way each panel are portrayed is  like a modern art where everything is made flat and simplified. It is interesting in its way because it is simple and it is easy to read. Although the context is pretty heavy, the art style makes it easy to read which is really enjoyable for me, although reading the 2 books in one go really quite a challenge but enjoyable as the same time.

Overall. I really enjoys reading this graphic novel. The heavy topic and the complicated situation of her really gave me a challenge reading this as I am not really used to read this but overall, this is still quite an experience. I cant really wait to read her other works.