Persepolis

I'm loving Marjane Satrapi and her graphic novels. I read Persepolis and Persepolis 2 in, like, two days because they were easy to read and very engrossing.


The first book is about a young girl growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution and the war with Iraq. It's a humorous yet poignant take on Iran and its internal crises.

The second novel continues her story but this time she's a migrant in Austria. It tells of her feelings of displacement and adventures in a western world as an Iranian. It also chronicles her return back to Iran. Funny as well but I think I preferred the first one. Still a must-read though.

I related to her story, having lived in the Middle East and actually having to wear a veil while I was a teenager. I not only connected with her feeling of displacement while she was abroad but also with how she felt when she went back home. It was so familiar, it was eerie.

I'm not a great big fan of graphic novels but her take on it is completely different which makes her novels readable.

I highly recommend reading Persepolis 1 and 2. I've heard they made it into a movie as well -- I'll have to go get my hands on a copy.