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Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi
Iranian Satrapi covers the overthrow of the Shah, the Islamic fundamentalist rise to power, and the war with Iraq in her powerful autobiography. Only nine years old when the historic and tumultuous events unfolded, the young girl struggles to understand why her beloved Uncle Anoosh is imprisoned and killed, neighbors and friends' homes are bombed and the luxurious lifestyle she became accustomed to is slowly unraveling. Her eye-opening story is told through stark black and white comic art.
Review from School Library Journal:
Adult/High School-Marji tells of her life in Iran from the age of 10, when the Islamic revolution of 1979 reintroduced a religious state, through the age of 14 when the Iran-Iraq war forced her parents to send her to Europe for safety. This story, told in graphic format with simple, but expressive, black-and-white illustrations, combines the normal rebelliousness of an intelligent adolescent with the horrors of war and totalitarianism. Marji's parents, especially her freethinking mother, modeled a strong belief in freedom and equality, while her French education gave her a strong faith in God. Her Marxist-inclined family initially favored the overthrow of the Shah, but soon realized that the new regime was more restrictive and unfair than the last. The girl's independence, which made her parents both proud and fearful, caused them to send her to Austria. With bold lines and deceptively uncomplicated scenes, Satrapi conveys her story. From it, teens will learn much of the history of this important area and will identify with young Marji and her friends. This is a graphic novel of immense power and importance for Westerners of all ages. It will speak to the same audience as Art Spiegelman's Maus (Pantheon, 1993).
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