"Persepolis"

I had my expectations set too high. It was alright and something new, but I won't be reading it again.

Summary:

An autobiographical tale in graphic novel form, Marjane relives her journey as a child of Iran during the Islamic Revolutions and following war. Part 1 explores the political unrest and the start of turmoil and major cultural shifts in the country. Part 2 followed Marjane through her high school years in Vienna, away from her family and experimenting with drugs, boyfriends, and freedom. Additionally, it shows her return home and her early adult years, relearning the culture and how she fit into it.

Verdict: 5/10

Everyone raves about this book so maybe I went in with higher expectations than needed. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't the best graphic novel I've ever read.

I valued the insight that Satrapi could provide from her first-hand experience. Especially as much of the Middle Eastern unrest always felt so foreign on this side of the Atlantic. As a 90's-2000's kid, we only ever heard about the war in Iraq and not about all the lead up to it. So it was eye-opening to see the full history and how it affected its people.

But, I was not expecting it to be about all the politics and found it hard to catch my bearings of who was good and who was bad. Part of that is purposeful as the author and her family rooted for one revolution, only to find that it was no better than the last. But when I'm unfamiliar with the context itself, it was a little hard to wrap my mind around.

I also wasn't a huge fan of the style. The black and white comics kept things simple and showed how lifeless life had become, but it didn't capture my eye like others that I've seen. A bit Charlie Brown-esque but far more serious.

I found Part 2 to be more interesting, looking at boarding school and cultural shifts back and forth with Satrapi's various moves. I was especially intrigued on how her liberal upbringing and traditional culture affected her friendships and romances.

However, this romantic section also brought out one of the cliches I hate most in feminist beliefs and literature: that marriage is a prison. Yes, some marriages can be restrictive or take away from a person - but that's ultimately because you didn't select a person that was really a good match for you. I hate the fact that some feminists see marriage as "settling down" or "giving up". You can be an independent woman and still have a healthy partnership with a spouse.

The format of this autobiography made it much more relatable and accessible to many. I appreciate hearing a side of history I never have before. But ultimately I just didn't connect with it. I'm glad others have latched onto it and had very emotional response (laughing, crying, etc.), but I wasn't one of them. I learned more about the country and people, but unfortunately I wasn't as moved.