In 1979 ten-year-old Marjane is living in Iran forward thinking parents. Smart and blessed with a rich imagination, Marjane has a happy childhood that is marked not just by normal childhood experiences but also by the rumblings and changes occurring in her country. Like many in Iran, Marjane’s parents protest against the Shah’s regime and demand change. When that does happen, Marjane’s life is changed forever. As the Ayatollah ushers in a new tyrannical regime Marjane and her family find themselves in challenging circumstances that ultimately leads them to make an impossible decision.

I’ve heard many good things about this graphic novel and I’ve been meaning to pick it up for a long time. So when I saw it as part of a “Banned Books” display at Barnes & Noble I decided now was the time to grab a copy.

I don’t read many graphic novels so the format was a change for me but I would consider it a strong strength of the book. The additional detail Ms. Satrapi can provide but using illustrations adds another layer to the story and helps you step into Ms. Satrapi’s shoes as she goes from a fun loving, carefree child to a teenager who values her independence so much she openly defies the generation, much to the concern and worry of her parents.

One of the other great strengths of this story is that Ms. Satrapi does not attempt to hide anything in her retelling. She freely admits that her family wanted a revolution to occur, a fact that some post-revolution accounts leave out, but when it does happen it leaves the family wondering if they had wanted the right thing. Ms. Satrapi also shows how the family attempted to live under the new restrictions of the government until it ultimately became impossible and a threat to Ms. Satrapi’s often safety.

This is an excellent account of life in Iran during the late 1970s and 1980s and I would highly recommend it, even one isn’t a fan of graphic novels. Which once more lead to the absurd question of why this book has been banned in the past. Ultimately one could argue some political reasons but I’m not going to get into that. Instead, I would urge you to share this piece with anyone. While the book might not be suitable for very young children as the subject matter can be quite terrifying and there are a few (very minimum) swear words, I would say if you a family member who is around ten that it would be an excellent chose for them to understand this event in history. Books like these should be protected and that I why I recommend Persepolis.

5 out of 5 stars