Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Embroideries | 2003 | Marjane Satrapi | Buy |
| 2 | Chicken with Plums | 2004 | Marjane Satrapi | Buy |
These two graphic works by Marjane Satrapi expand on the world she introduced in Persepolis, offering different perspectives on Iranian life and family. Embroideries (2003) depicts a gathering of Iranian women, including Satrapi’s mother and grandmother, sharing frank stories about marriage, love, and sex over afternoon tea. The title refers to the euphemism for cosmetic surgery that some of the women discuss.
Chicken with Plums (2004) tells the story of Nasser Ali Khan, a musician based on Satrapi’s great-uncle, who decides to die after his wife breaks his beloved tar instrument. The book follows his final eight days as he reflects on his life and lost love. Both works were published during the same period as Persepolis and share its black-and-white visual style, but they are more contained in scope, focusing on individual characters and domestic settings rather than national history.