This is my first foray into the genre of ‘graphic novels.’ I picked this one on the glowing recommendation of Nuke, and because I’d heard that even non-comic-book people enjoy this author/artist’s work.

In fact, I did enjoy the book a lot. Reading a graphic novel was an adjustment for me. At times, I found it choppy and hard to focus on what was going on. But the story – a memoirs of Marjane Satrapi’s childhood in war-torn Iran – was so compelling that it held my attention.

The art is excellent – it illustrates the story without being overwhelming. As I became absorbed in the story, I soon forgot I was reading a graphical novel and the images and words merged to create a mood as well as a story.

This was a quick read, but by no means a frivilous one. The book is honest, hard-hitting and, at times, heartbreaking. I genuinely enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to starting the sequel.