Review: Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi’s memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. It was an eye-opening, heartbreaking and thought provoking book— I had many thoughts and feelings while reading, so much so that I had to put it down multiple times to take a breather.

I was in a haze for a very long time after finishing it— and I kept questioning everything in my surroundings.

Here are some instances that made me put down the book and think for a while (they contain spoilers):

(Those final moments broke my heart.)

“He never got to see his son” resonated with me deeply.

The relationships between the families, especially between Marji and her mother, also hit home for me.
There was one instance in particular that stayed with me— when her mother was willing to sew posters into her own coat just to bring them back to her daughter without marks.

(It actually hurt when she thanked her father first.)

And the feelings of fear and terror and bravery Marji felt during the war were captured in such an honest way that I couldn’t help but feel them with her.

The incredibly supportive women and men in Marji’s life were inspiring. They all held a significant part in her journey, and it just made me tear up towards the end, especially when Marji left for Vienna.

(I just… I keep looking at that last frame and tearing up.)

All in all, this graphic novel was a complete game-changer for me, and I seriously cannot believe it took me so long to pick up.

4/5 stars

Note: I’m an Amazon Affiliate. If you’re interested in buying Persepolis, just click on the image below to go through my link. I’ll make a small commission!