The English translation first appeared in 2003, done by her spouse, Mattias Ripa. Marjane Satrapi’s first book, Persepolis, is an autobiographical graphic novel about the author’s experience as a young girl growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Once we understand each other, we cannot make war with one another.” -Marjane Satrapi, Author of Persepolis I would recommend this series if you are interested in learning about life in the Middle East in a way that is easily accessible.“The moment we can laugh together is the moment we understand each other. My only complaint is that there is no closure here which leaves the reader feeling a bit at a loss at the end. It was engaging and interesting to watch her try to adjust to a totally different country and type of life. Overall I enjoyed reading the second half of Marjane’s autobiography. I guess since it’s an autobiography this kind of makes sense, but the ending still seemed very abrupt to me. The book just kind of ends without much closure. This is kind of one of those car wreck scenarios…you just can’t help being engaged as Marjane’s struggles get more and more desperate. The contrast between the war torn country of Iran and Marjane’s loving family to the peaceful country of Austria but an indifferent family was intriguing. It was interesting to watch how Marjane adjusted (or didn’t adjust) to life in Austria. Things get progressively worse for her until she finally decides to return to Iran and tries to find a place there. At the boarding school she has trouble finding friends and a place for herself and ends up getting kicked out.

Marjane is in Austria, when she arrives she finds herself immediately shipped off to a boarding school. I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as the first book.

I found it intriguing to read about Marjane and how she adjusted to life in Austria. This is the second book in the Persepolis series. However, the repression and state-sanctioned chauvinism eventually lead her to question whether she can have a future in Iran.” Marjane allows her past to weigh heavily on her until she finds some like-minded friends, falls in love, and begins studying art at a university. Her difficult homecoming forces her to confront the changes both she and her country have undergone in her absence and her shame at what she perceives as her failure in Austria. Once there, she faces the trials of adolescence far from her friends and family, and while she soon carves out a place for herself among a group of fellow outsiders, she continues to struggle for a sense of belonging.įinding that she misses her home more than she can stand, Marjane returns to Iran after graduation. “In 1984, Marjane flees fundamentalism and the war with Iraq to begin a new life in Vienna. Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in the Persepolis series series

Persepolis book 2