Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return by Marjane Satrapi

13 reviews

strawberrytheauthor's review

challenging dark informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

The second part of Marjane Satrapi’s life. In this memoir she discusses her journey in Europe, the events that led her back to Iran, and eventually to France. 

I really enjoyed reading this book. I love the format, if I had to choose one format for memoirs to read forever it would be graphic novels. It gives the reader a unique experience to see more than words and adds to the identification with the main character. Having this book and her first in graphic novel format helped me to see and understand what her life was truly like. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Islamophobia, Cursing, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Violence, Addiction, Blood, Confinement, Misogyny, Drug use, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, and Sexism

Moderate: Sexual content, War, Grief, Infidelity, and Gun violence

Minor: Murder and Medical content

siobhanward's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

 If I had any major complaint about this book, it would be that there is no third part to follow Satrapi into the present day. I was so engrossed in her life that the sudden cut off with her departure for France felt jarring. I know a great deal has happened in her life since then and would love to know more, but I also understand I'm not entitled to the content of peoples' lives.

That aside, this was a great follow up to the first volume. Often sequels fall short of the first story, but this was a great example of one that was just as strong, if not stronger. Satrapi's stories of navigating a move to Europe, finding her place in the world, moving back to Iran, becoming an adult and figuring out what her life could look like was so well-told. I feel as though I know so little about Iran's history, but Satrapi is able to bring readers up to speed without overwhelming you with information. Absolutely a great read and I wish there had been more. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Drug use, and War

lizzie24601's review against another edition

emotional funny informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

Satrapi is a great cartoonist and memoirist. She balances very well between detailing the emotions and faults of her youth and providing added context in hindsight. There's something here for every reader to relate to (regarding this coming of age), as well as a lot to learn about life in 1980s-90s Iran.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Police brutality, Violence, Drug abuse, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Death, Torture, Xenophobia, War, and Alcohol

cozy_academic's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Gun violence, Death, Police brutality, Drug use, War, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Suicide attempt, and Sexual content

lanid's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Drug abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Police brutality, Body shaming, and Homophobia

lindsayerin's review

dark funny reflective sad fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Police brutality and Drug use

Minor: Suicide attempt

mim72's review against another edition

dark funny informative medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Drug use

harriet_dolby's review

dark funny informative reflective fast-paced

2.75

I found this second book slightly underwhelming after enjoying the first book so much. I think that was partly due to the first book covering the time before and during the iranian war, which the poltical an dhistorical aspect interested me the most. However, this second book more focused on the narrators life, which while important, I found less engaging and interesting than the first. As I was reading this book, I was highlighting all of the interesting moments, facts and events that take place (which I would like to write up so I can help learn that content better) and it was really clear the difference in amount of highlighting in the first book than the second.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, War, and Drug use

marissasa's review

challenging dark emotional funny reflective fast-paced

4.0

Part 2 of Marjane's story continues where the first left off with her arrival in Austria, in her parents' attempt to free her from the oppressive life in war-torn Iran at the time. We see her go through huge life changes both physically and mentally, as she ages 4 years before her decision to return to Iran. She doesn't shy away from her experiences with drugs, alcohol, partying, racism, good and bad influences from friends, formative dating experiences, poverty, and homelessness that shaped her time in Austria. The difference between the young Marji in part 1 and the grown Marjane in this part is astounding, but we see and empathize with her struggles with loneliness, identity, and depression along the way. She continues to change even after her return, getting a degree and even getting married and eventually divorced. Although this is the story of her return home after time abroad, it ends on a melancholy note with her conscious decision to leave Iran for France for good in seek of freedom from the government's strict rules, with the knowing support of her parents and grandmother.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Drug use, Grief, Infidelity, Torture, Alcohol, Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Cursing, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Blood, Police brutality, and Racism

thalassaio's review

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Xenophobia, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Police brutality, Drug use, and Drug abuse

Minor: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Islamophobia