I wanted to read Persepolis simply because it talks about the political revolution that is still occurring in Iran. But what struck me the most was that this was a true story of a Iranian women living and surviving through the Iranian revolution. What is so neat about this book is that Marjane Santrapi is the main character of the book and also the author of the book. So it's kind of a autobiography or a memoir on her childhood and her experience of coming of age.
The book starts out with Marjane being ten and having big dreams of becoming a prophet. She later on grows out of her dreams and starts realizing what kind of a country she is living in. When things start to get really bad her mother and her father get her out of the country and into Vienna Italy where she will be in school. She later on struggles to find herself as a women and moves several times. What Marjane is experiencing is her coming of age but in a much different way that the average American child does. She has to let go of her childhood at a very young age which gives her a much higher maturity level. Which gives her an advantage later on in life.
What makes Marjane's coming of age experience so special is her courage and how brave she is. It really leaves a big impression on me, because she is so brave throughout her entire childhood. The other thing is that the amazing people who she knew in Iran and how they were willing to die for what they believe in. Makes me just wonder how it feels to feel so strongly about something as simple to an American as freedom.
Marjane Santrapi has one of the most amazing coming of age experiences, it makes me just wonder all the untold stories of kids that lived in Iran coming of age during the revolution. With Marjane's experience of coming of age not only amazes me, but also makes me feel grateful to be living in America the place where you don't have to die for freedom.
