Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #144418 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Customer Reviews

My first graphic novel mesmerised me
This is a graphic novel about Marjane's childhood and early adulthood in Iran. It combines the joy of reading a comic book with a real insight to life in Iran - through her eyes. It was no effort to read - in fact it was a absolute page turner but at the end of it I still felt I had a much better understanding of recent Iranian history and its impact on ordinary people than before. It is very funny, and winsome but she never loses sight of the pity of it all. Imagine, her liberal family with fine revolutionary credentials suddenly had to wear a veil/grow a beard and live in a religious state. How do they adapt? She describes her family and friends's reluctant conformity with great wit but in a manner that is sensitive to the background thunder of political executions, fear, torture and war. I cannot wait for the film.

Highly reccommended!
Amazing read! Through the narration of the author's spirited, likeable and slightly mad younger self growing up in Iran, the reader learns so much about life there from an insider's perspective, without ever feeling even remotely lectured to. The illustrations are original and witty, and draw you into the world Marjane Satrapi vividly evokes. The characters of her family, friends and neighbours are very well portrayed and there are definitely more than a few laughs despite (because of?) the serious subject matter.

If you know French, I really recommend getting the original, because the graphic novel format makes it very easy and motivating to read and the conversational style will be a nice change from textbooks and newspapers! If not, the English translation is very good and was supervised by Marjane Satrapi herself, whose English is good enough to make sure the sense has been captured exactly by the translator (a friend of hers, I think I remember reading).

Also, the Amazon price at the time of writing is an absolute bargain, if you are getting all four books in one! I bought mine separately for about that price each!

Wonderful story and instructive over recent history of Iran seen through a child's eyes
This is a wonderful story through pictures of Marjane's childhood. It shows Iran during the revolution and after through Marjane's eyes. I expect if you are Iranian then a lot of this recent history is known to you and perhaps Marjane's individual story may not accord with yours as one reviewer suggests), however for many of us outside of Iranian society it gives a glimpse in to the life, dreams, hopes and struggles of the people of Iran, over the last 50 years.

There is a great deal of hope in the book and Marjane doesn't shy away from the difficulties, she and her family had - but she expresses the ideas of hope and the feelings of loss and disappointment from a singularly fascinating point of view. It also makes me think, I could have done with such a formidable and gentle grandmother around, when I was growing up!

The drawings are characterful and expressive. I believe the book translates to film well and if you've only seen the film, I would recommend going back to the book as a way of absorbing the story at a slower pace.
Highly recommended.