Anyone who wants to learn about Iran’s history, especially now, has a good book and thus a solid foundation with Persepolis. With beautiful illustrations and easy-to-understand texts and dialogues, this book offers a good overview of Iran’s history, even though it contains a few small mistakes. Although the book uses difficult or technical terms that you might not know if you have never dealt with this topic before, this should definitely not discourage you. Look up these words and their meanings and keep reading, because once you have finished the book, you will understand Iranians and their silent suffering much better — what they have had to go through and still have to go through, while everyone looks away and continues to support this terrible regime; a regime that has been sacrificing and killing countless young people since 1979. A must-read for anyone who wants to engage more with Iran and better understand this country, its history, and how it became what it is today.

Die Geschichte eines Landes und die eines Mädchens, das zwischen den Seiten zur Frau wird: Geprägt von Krieg, Unterdrückung, Revolution, Emanzipation und Erwachsenwerden erzählt Satrapi ihr junges Leben mit Witz, Melancholie und Leidenschaft. Persepolis ist eine bioraphische, intelligente Erzählung, die berührt und auch vor Fehlern der Protagonistin nicht zurückschreckt. Diese Grafic novel sollte von jedem reflektierten Wesen zumindest einmal angeschaut werden.

I'm amazed by the fact that this book deals with serious issues so easily. As reader you can get a glimpse of how daily life in Iran might have felt like back then. Of course, it seems that the conditions of this particular view were extraordinary because of wealth and open-minded family members. But still this is a story so worth reading, because of the importance to know a few basics of how different cultures can be affected by corporate interests and how quickly a society can change. Also topics like prejudice, family values and depression are handled very well. While reading the versatile little chapters I felt sort of touched (sometimes sad, sometimes shocked or even amused). And overall I find the art really impressive, although I'm not the biggest black-and-white fan. The reason why I'm not giving 5 out of 5 stars is the second part, which comes off a bit too long or, at least, is less fun to read.

Mit den heutigen Augen, die eine erneute Revolution im Iran verfolgen und sehen, welche Verbrechen das iranische Regime an ihrer Bevölkerung verübt, liest sich das Buch nochmal ganz anders als vor Kurzem! Lest alle diesen aufschluss- und bildreichen Comic! #DownWithTheIslamicRepublicOfIran