Artist: Marjane Satrapi
Set in Iran during the Islamic Revolution, Marjane Satrapi’s coming-of age story is fraught with the fear and devastation that the new regime, and subsequent war with Iraq, brought to her family, friends and neighbors in Tehran. Though peppered throughout with humor, the crushing blows to personal freedoms inflicted by religious fundamentalists—especially for women—are profoundly articulated and deeply felt by the young Satrapi, who’s fiery spirit refuses to be quieted. The tiny, private revolutions Satrapi, her family and her friends make (secret parties, listening to black-market American music) help them to hold on to their identities and persevere. Through Satrapi’s eyes, Persepolis skillfully captures a complex time and place.
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