Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return

In my graphic novels paper I provide a short annotation of Persepolis by Marjane Starapi. This first book tells of Marjane’s life in Iran before and during the war, ending with her parents sending her to Austria for school and safety. Persepolis 2 is about her life living in Austria for four years and her unlikely return to her homeland.

I did not enjoy the second book as much as the first, while the book is well written and illustrated, I simply could not relate to Marjane. Marjane shows how she felt as an outsider in either of her homes (Austria or Iran). The lessons she learned are important and the content true, as she remembers. Each story shared is different though all show the dark paths which she took on her journey to discover herself.

From a literary stand point, the book is decent, the graphics drawn in a rough black and white. The dialogue is real and shows the humanity of the characters, but many feel they lack depth. The book feels forced, perhaps because the author does not want to recall many of her trials and mistakes, or perhaps because the reader feels left out of the scenes. The novel made little use of the gutters or style to convey a story which compelled readers to interact with or feel sympathy for characters. While the first installment had caused me to learn and feel a part of the story this left me feeling the outsider (though this might have been purposeful because the author felt that way). The sad truths revealed show what can happen when freedoms are taken.

When saying I did not like the book I do not want to downplay it’s message. As a work of non-fiction, it is important to share her story but I would not call it one of the great works. This book will interest those who want to learn more about living in Iran or a Muslim nation, though I caution some of the material is suited only for older audiences.

Reference

Goodreads. (2017). Persepolis 2 [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9517.Persepolis_2?ac=1&from_search=true

NewYork Times. (2004). Satrapi slideshow [Page image]. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2004/08/22/books/20040822_SATRAPI_SLIDESHOW_1.html 

Satrapi, M. (2004). Persepolis 2: The story of a return. New York: Pantheon.

A Court of Wings and Ruin (Review)

There are Spoilers if you have not read books 1&2.

This is the fourth book in Sarah J. Maas’ series A Court of Thorns and Roses, in this extension of the classic fairy tale style story Feyre has become the High Lady of the Night Court and unwitting savior of her new world. Maas uses the same style of writing for this book as the rest of the series with well-rounded and enchanting characters. This story rounds out the tale with the final battle looming and Feyre’s anger for Tamlin (her captor/suitor from the first book) and Hybern (a Fairy king who transformed her sisters through the deadly Cauldron).

This tale is not for the faint of heart or young, Maas shares many adult/mature themes (sex, death). The story is a fantasy with elements of romance and war. This book is good and you will not want to put it down, though I do recommend starting with the first book in the series to understand the dynamics of many of the characters. The world which Maas has created is wonderfully filled with colorful characters who each have their own personalities and ideals. What began as a fairytale retelling has become a delightful and enchanting world in its own right. Each story has added to the tale with the next being better than the last. Feyre is a determined woman in this book, instead of the lost girl she was when she entered Prythian with Tamlin. The determination and drive she shows, however, leads her down a dark path, almost costing them the war. She is now the High Lady alongside her mate/husband Rhys who is determined to protect her at all costs if she would but let him. He alongside their friends have decided they will win this war by joining forces with all the High Lords against Hybern, even those who do not trust him because of the deeds he did Under the Mountain and before (to protect his own).

Maas’ tale shares the hard choices which must be made and shows the forging of a new determined woman. This story is empowering for all who dare to read it. Again, I caution those who are faint of heart not to read this because some scenes are more graphic (specifically of war in this volume). Maas’ storytelling skills shine forth in her world she created to complement traditional fairy legends/myth. Each volume has been more developed than the last.

References

Goodreads. (2017). A court of wings and ruin [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23766634-a-court-of-wings-and-ruin?ac=1&from_search=true

Maas, S. J. (2017). A court of wings and ruin. New York: Bloomsbury.

Book(let) of Mythicality! Review/Intro

This post is a bit different and I should follow up with the complete book review later this year. The pictures are a bit out of focus because I took them, I’m not very good at taking photos of books, oh well. 

So, I recently won a copy of Rhett & Link’s Book(let) of Mythicality.😆 Thank you, Rhett & Link and Crown Publishing. This fun booklet includes one chapter of their upcoming Book of Mythicality (set for release October 10, 2017).

Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal are the hosts of Good Mythical Morning on YouTube. I actually just recently began watching the show and when I saw that I could win a copy I entered, not expecting anything. To my surprise, I was notified that I won! I have come to enjoy the show and wanted to see about their book. I will say that I am excited about the complete Book of Mythicality and can’t wait for it to come out. The single chapter included in the Book(let) shares their experiences of learning to dance confidently.

This chapter entitled “Unleash a Signature Dance Move” includes ideas on how to be confident and show mythicality. I loved the way the chapter/Book(let) was put together visually with many full-color images and this full title chapter introduction. The chapter came with a "confidence" badge for when you complete it 😊

Chapter Title Page

Rhett and Link define Mythicality as “the quality or state of being that embodies a synergistic coalescence of curiosity creativity and tomfoolery…ideally experienced in the context of friendship…” (back cover, 2017). The welcome provided explains that this is simply one chapter in the larger book and if it’s any indication the full book will be mythical! This preview seems to indicate that the book will be great. The comedic elements of the stories fit the style Rhett & Link have in their show. The writing is fun and whimsical and is easy to read. Reading this one chapter makes it hard to wait for the full book to come out! I highly recommend getting the book when it is available.

Image of Inside the Book(let)

References

Martin, A. (2017). Images.

McLaughlin, R. & Neal, L. (2017). Rhett & Link’s book(let) of mythicality: A field guide to curiosity, creativity & tomfoolery. New York: Crown Archetype.