I recently sat down to watch the animated movie Persepolis based on the acclaimed graphic novel, which was so good that it drove me to re-read the book.
The graphic novel follows Marjane Satrapi growing up in Iran and later in Europe in the 80s and 90s. Marjane readily claims that she is not a historian, but the book is like having a personal guide through a tumultuous time in the country’s history. Her story captures tender personal moments of her grandmother wearing lilacs for the scent. The book relays the brutality of a tyrannical government that tortures its prisoners with clothes irons. It shows the sometimes ludicrousness of buying Kim Wylde tapes on the black market or sneaking Iron Maiden posters through customs in the lining of a jacket.
Persepolis does everything a great graphic novel can by inviting you to gain new perspective and insight into a rich culture while also helping walk you through a dark point in another country’s history. The mass protests which have recently erupted in Iran give this book a new relevance. If you haven’t read it, I couldn’t recommend it enough. If you have read it, it’s a good time to give it another go.