Is Marjane Satrapi's "Persepolis" appropriate for a 14 year old girl?

Question

I wanted to buy a book for my sister's birthday as one of her gifts. She's a very bright kid & is usually not interested in books written for her age group. I haven't actually read Persepolis myself but I've looked through it and it seems very interesting. It's written in a graphic novel/comic book format, which may seem childish, but Satrapi writes about very deep subjects, albeit in a playful and amusing manner.

Here's an editorial review for it from Amazon:

Wise, funny, and heartbreaking, Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi’s memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah’s regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran’s last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country.

Answer 1

Aycora, this is the review from the animated movie that was released in late June. It was an awesome film. I think it is a very thoughtful book especially for a mature young woman to have a view of the life struggles of people that have such distant lives than what we live.

Marjane Satrapi grew up wearing sneakers and beating up boys. She wanted to grow up to be a saint. When she was ten years old, her world changed overnight. Girls and boys had to use different doors to enter the school. She had to cover herself with a long dark robe. Grownups around her began to disappear. Marjane has several close encounters with the country's morality police and her teachers at school. Iraqi bombs fall on the street where she lives. Eventually her parents send her abroad to receive a European education, but she is miserable: she loves her family and country, despite their flaws, too much to stay away for long. After a brief return and a failed marriage, Marjane leaves Iran for good.

This is a heartbreaking true story of a childhood coinciding with regime change and war in Iran. It's a story that everyone who counts themselves as a human being should read or watch.

  

Answer 2

If she can be mature, then I think it would be a very good gift.