Illustrated Revolution

[dotinthesky]

Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood, 2004
Marjane Satrapi was ten-years-old when the Islamic revolution took away her freedom and rights, thrusting Iran back into the Dark Ages. Through simple but elegant illustrations, Satrapi tells the story of her childhood in Tehran during this time in her country's history. She shows the horrors and deprivations caused by the rise of religious extremists, as well as the bitter humour and courage that each ordinary citizen found to survive such a period.

The amazing thing about this graphic novel is how Satrapi can convey and stir emotions through illustrations. The themes she explores are universal - families torn apart, innocents persecuted, evil gaining power - but she makes them all the more powerful by injecting her young self's punk humour into the storytelling and making the reader care for her and her family. There's a sequel, which I can't wait to read, as well as a film, which is being touted as 2008's winner of the Best Foreign Language Oscar.

With Iran so often villified in the media, it's good to be reminded that the people in that country are just like you and I: not necessarily the choosers of their regime; and certainly not deserving of any bombs coming their way.

Comments

[geosh.livejournal.com]

sounds really interesting and worthwhile.

not unlike your NEW ICON!!! :p

[desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com]

Oh, I've really wanted to read this! Maybe I can find it in the library. Have you read Maus? That's really great.

[vyxle.livejournal.com]

This is one of my all time favorites. Her illustrations are so simple and at the same time incredibly innovative and powerful. She seems to have more of a graphic design background than your average graphic novelist. I can't wait for the movie!

[rag-and-bone.livejournal.com]

peace-lovin', frog-licking liberalist wacko.

(my high school government teacher actually called me that once, when i said something similar to the last line of this entry re: war in general)

[evil-onna-stick.livejournal.com]

Oh, I loved this. I just sent out my extra copy for a friend to read. The sequel is just as good!

[theairwebreathe.livejournal.com]

oh, I love Marjane Satrapi! Have you ever read any of her interviews? She's fantastic, she says things like 'comic artists are the bisexuals of the publishing world; if you illustrate that's great, and if you write that's great, but if you do both it's much harder to get any respect.'

[belacane.livejournal.com]

my favorite book EVAR!!!

...one of my students was reading it (in class, but I had to give her a break, it's persepolis after all), and it made my heart glow.

[psyfi.livejournal.com]

I love Satrapi. After this one, u should read The Story of a Return and Chicken with Plums. So far, my favourite is Chicken with Plums, in which she tells the story of her great-uncle, an Iranian musician Nasser Ali Khan who's been wanting to die since his beloved musical instrument was broken by his wife.

[gorecky22.livejournal.com]

I loved it... one of my comics of this year!! :D