chicken crockpot recipes: Book Review: Persepolis by Marjane Satarapi

Every once in a while, you come across something extraordinary through the sea of monotony and crappy paranormal romance novels. Persepolis, for me at least, is one of the best if not the best book that I’ve ever read period. This was a book that I had to read for school, and I was drawn in by the incredible true story of a woman named Marjane Satarapi right on the get-go. It’s a story about life, sacrifice, war, family, friendship, separation, love, and kindness, even in the darkest of places. Sit back, relax, and read on as I review my new favorite book, Persepolis by Marjane Satarapi (who is now my idol).

The Setup:

The story begins in late 1970s-early 1980s in Iran. Much earlier, the CIA eliminated the democratically elected president Mossadeg, and a new leader known as Shah Palevi took over Iran. In alliance with the USA, the Shah enacted many policies through his military police, called the SAVAK, and to put it lightly it caused a lot of problems for those who weren’t “Westernized”. Soon, people sought refuge in the religion of Islam, and a good percentage of them became extremists. In 1979, the Iranian public overthrew the Shah, and in a matter of weeks a theocracy was established. Now, Iran is completely controlled by the religion. Women had to wear veils whenever they went out in public, men and women were separated, and anyone who showed any sympathy towards the West or defied the religion were imprisoned and most likely executed. Enter Marjane Satarapi, a young girl at the time, who witnesses these events unfold through the eyes of a child. Honestly, that’s all you really need to know about this setup, because otherwise the story would lose its impact.

The Characters:

Where exactly should I begin? Marjane is my new favorite book character of all time. Considering that this book is an autobiography, Marjane sure knows how to characterize; but, then again, she’s spent her entire life with the majority of the main characters, and she really knows who she is. Marjane has such a relatable and fleshed-out personality; she’s curious, kind, stand-offish, isn’t afraid to speak her opinions, determined, stubborn, emotional, loves a good story, has a great sense of humor, and these characteristics are the tip of the iceberg. She's a progressive mind in a world where everyone lives in the same fashion. In the first book, she’s an innocent child that was introduced to a harsh reality far too early. In the second book, she’s come to accept reality and struggles with depression and wondering where she truly belongs in the world. She’s just so…human. It is so hard to find a main protagonist nowadays that is just plain human, and that’s what truly makes her stand out. The side characters also feel human, with their own conflicts and personality traits; though none are as developed as Marjane. Then again, that’s kind of the point, I suppose; this is Marjane’s story. It shows how she overcame the adversity in her life, from her personal issues to the major conflicts going on within her society; a story of lost freedom, and taking back your rights and making your own life choices.

The Story:

It’s a little hard to describe the pacing of the story because it’s a recollection of events; but Marjane knew what events she needed to tell the audience and what events she should leave out. The pacing of Persepolis is spot-on, and there’s never a boring moment. I attribute this to the fact that this is a character piece, and becoming invested into Marjane’s character is essential to enjoying this story. This aspect especially becomes apparent in the second book, as that book focuses less on the Iranian Revolution and more on her life and struggles. The first book, on the other hand, is pretty much an insight into Iranian life during the Islamic Revolution and the following war between Iraq and Iran. This insight is my favorite aspect about Persepolis, and this is where the experience with this book gets rather personal and sensetive. Iran (and most Arab countries for that matter) has always had this negative annotation, like a radicalized country that hates America, Jews, and everything that has to do with the West. This book is basically an argument against this stereotype; it says that while people like that do exist, Iran as a whole is not inherently evil. The world isn’t that black and white; there are people who just want to peacefully live their lives who reside in Iran, and we seem to forget that. History can be really one-sided, and that’s because people can be biased. I don’t mean to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but it’s the harsh truth. That is why I love Persepolis so much; it tells the harsh truth of the events Marjane has lived through with pure honesty, yet at the same time retains its humanity. Nothing in this book is sugar-coated, and you’re never treated like you’re stupid or won’t understand the true message. That is the true beauty of this book.

The Writing Style/Art/Grammatical Errors:

I loved the writing style of Persepolis; it was straight to the point, witty, and clever. All in all, it was unique. I felt like it reflected the thoughts of Marjane perfectly, and had a very clear voice. Now, for the art. Yes, Persepolis is a graphic novel. In the second book we learn that Marjane took classes in art, and it shows. This book has a very distinct art style, with very little shadowing. It uses harsh blacks and stark whites to depict every scene, and while the characters didn’t look all that realistic, they were memorable. There were some grammatical errors, but they were barely present and a small determent to what is overall a fantastic presentation.

Final Judgment:

I can’t think of any other word to describe this book with other than masterpiece. It’s a blunt, short, and witty book, but it tells a story that should be remembered throughout the ages. I give Persepolis a 5 out of 5, and an obvious recommendation to READ IT NOW, YOU FOOL! Like always, though, it is up to you to decide your own opinion.
ScoreCard (notice: This is a true story, and a perfect one at that. Therefore, because these events have actually happened, the story can't be truly altered, and in my opinion can be perfect. So, that's why the scorecard contains 10s across the board; there's no reason not to):