Translator: Anjali Singh
Yes, this is the second volume in Satrapi's autobiography. No, I have not read the first volume. Persepolis is one of those comics that I've wanted to read for some time, yet never confident enough to spend the money to read it. I blame the art work. But the other day I found a damaged copy (the dust cover was ripped to shreds) at Barnes and Noble for a dollar--a single dollar because of damage to the dust cover. So I bought it. I'm glad I did.
Persepolis 2 chronicles Satrapi life after she left Iran in her teens, her bouncing from place to place, and her eventual return. It's a fascinating story largely focusing on inter- and intra- cultural conflicts. More importantly, it is simultaneously about topics common to all cultures (teenage rebellion, finding an identity) and topics uncommon to modern anglo-american culture (fundamentalist government, war). The fact that Satrapi is going through both sides of this equation at the same time makes her story accessible, yet alien. The draw of this kind of autobiography is clear.
What is not so clear is why the art is appealing. It is in a very similar style to fellow L'Association artist David B in it's similarity to woodcuts. Yet, Satrapi's art lacks any of the intricate and complex symbolism that fills David B's art. At the same time, they are clearly of the same school of thought. Why does this style of art work? Part of its charm is its cartoonish nature. Because it is so far from realism it is able to convey movement and emotion in a more fluid manner--such art doesn't have to worry about breaking the illusion of reality--exaggeration is an incredibly effective tool.
Beyond the art, the storytelling itself is very well done. Like most autobiographical comics of the big picture variety (as opposed to slice of life autobiographies), Persepolis 2 is very word heavy and a large percentage of the storytelling consists of fairly static panels (depicting actions during conversation) or scene to scene jumps accompanied by narration. Overall, this tends to not make Persepolis 2 an impressive comic book, but it doesn't take away from the impact of the story itself. Realistic art would have served to keep the reader at arm's length from the story, but Satrapi's use of cartooning gives the story an immediate impact that makes it all the more effective, while allowing Satrapi a shorthand way of conveying action and emotion that would not have otherwise been available. I think I'll have to pick up volume 1 now.
Status: Bookshelf
Beyond the art, the storytelling itself is very well done. Like most autobiographical comics of the big picture variety (as opposed to slice of life autobiographies), Persepolis 2 is very word heavy and a large percentage of the storytelling consists of fairly static panels (depicting actions during conversation) or scene to scene jumps accompanied by narration. Overall, this tends to not make Persepolis 2 an impressive comic book, but it doesn't take away from the impact of the story itself. Realistic art would have served to keep the reader at arm's length from the story, but Satrapi's use of cartooning gives the story an immediate impact that makes it all the more effective, while allowing Satrapi a shorthand way of conveying action and emotion that would not have otherwise been available. I think I'll have to pick up volume 1 now.
Status: Bookshelf
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