Graphic novels are not all Manga, and some are actually non-fiction. Take Persepolis, for example. Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi's memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah's regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq.
In Persepolis, you can learn about daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life and of the enormous toll repressive regimes exact on the individual spirit. It is a reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. But it is also the story of a little girl.
If you like Maus, by Art Spiegelman, you will most likely love Persepolis.
As always, I'd like to know what you think!
