Sometimes when you think you understand something, or at least have a decent grasp of the major issues, you encounter something that completely changes your perspective. That occurs more often than not when hearing or reading a personal account told through the eyes of someone who lived it. In this case, the eyes are those of a precocious ten-year-old (when we meet her). Marjane Satrapi's autobiography in the form of a graphic novel tells her own story, of a child and then young adult living through some of the most tumultuous times of the latter half of the twentieth century. This touching memoir describes her experiences of living in Iran during the Islamic Revolution, and then the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s.
This creative and unique account reveals some important details about life in Iran, before and after the Revolution, from a rare perspective. The author tells of daily life, including her friendship with the family's illiterate maid, and the sad account of the death of her formerly-imprisoned uncle, who was executed as a Russian spy during the revolution. The overarching themes are essentially loss and resilience, something the Persian people have been forced time and again to demonstrate for millennia. Marji's life is marred by tragedy, but she doesn't allow the loss to consume her. In fact, the novel demonstrates in agonizing detail that very few people she knows have not lost someone: from school friends, to her parents' friends, to close relatives. She recounts through the eyes of a (once) child the constant fear of rapid change and constant upheaval, and, eventually, the ever-present threat of being killed or a family member being arrested and tortured.
Not surprisingly, this ended up on the Banned Books list: perhaps its greatest contribution is that it humanizes a highly politicized subject, and makes the material highly accessible, to readers young and old. I wasn't expecting the humor, but the author's dry wit is very refreshing, considering the often-dark subject matter. This one is the first in a series, which I will be checking out as soon as I'm able. Highly recommended.
This creative and unique account reveals some important details about life in Iran, before and after the Revolution, from a rare perspective. The author tells of daily life, including her friendship with the family's illiterate maid, and the sad account of the death of her formerly-imprisoned uncle, who was executed as a Russian spy during the revolution. The overarching themes are essentially loss and resilience, something the Persian people have been forced time and again to demonstrate for millennia. Marji's life is marred by tragedy, but she doesn't allow the loss to consume her. In fact, the novel demonstrates in agonizing detail that very few people she knows have not lost someone: from school friends, to her parents' friends, to close relatives. She recounts through the eyes of a (once) child the constant fear of rapid change and constant upheaval, and, eventually, the ever-present threat of being killed or a family member being arrested and tortured.
Not surprisingly, this ended up on the Banned Books list: perhaps its greatest contribution is that it humanizes a highly politicized subject, and makes the material highly accessible, to readers young and old. I wasn't expecting the humor, but the author's dry wit is very refreshing, considering the often-dark subject matter. This one is the first in a series, which I will be checking out as soon as I'm able. Highly recommended.
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