Snapping, Iranian Wit

To much of my chagrin, I’m not well read in world literature nor in graphic novels. So coming across Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis, I felt like I was killing two birds with one stone.

I’ve enjoyed the few graphic novels I’ve read and this one was no different. Much of it is due to Satrapi’s ability to take a story with so many layers and keep it moving forward and organized while adding her own wit and sarcasm to it. I honestly started reading and lost myself in the story and time in general.

Iran has become a new area of interest to me since the protests a few years ago. I feel like I should know more about the country, but I don’t. Satrapi’s memoir gives a glimpse into the 1980′s Iran undergoing its revolution. Her childhood was chaotic with the tearing down of the Shah’s regime and the ushering in of the religious regime that is still in power. I was confused by the historical and cultural shifts and I am left wanting to understand the “why” of the events she describes. Maybe it’s because history interests me, or maybe because as a child, she didn’t understand it and wants her readers to get that same feeling. I prefer to believe it’s the latter because it wold just add to her writing credit.

Whether it’s because you like graphic novels or because you’re curious about Iran and it’s people, I recommend this work. It’s an intriguing read and the writing is something that is quality and fulfilling.