If you loved
Persepolis
Marjane Satrapi · Film · 2007
What hooked you in Persepolis was the way it balances the seismic shifts of political history with the fragile, intimate reality of growing up.
Start with the source
Books on the same thread
Answer to History
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (Shah of Iran) · Book · 1980
Shares a thread with Persepolis: Iranian Revolution.
While Persepolis offers a young girl's perspective on the Iranian Revolution, this memoir provides the opposing, high-level account from the Shah himself, grounding the historical upheaval in personal perspective.
Fun Home
Alison Bechdel · Book · 2007
Explores: Father-Daughter Relationship, Sexual Identity, Family Secrets.
Like Persepolis, this graphic memoir masterfully uses the medium to explore the complex, often painful relationship between a child and their parents while navigating a personal coming-of-age journey.
The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale (Pantheon Graphic Library)
Art Spiegelman · Book · 2022
Explores: The Holocaust, Family Trauma, Intergenerational Trauma.
Just as Persepolis explores the weight of history on a single life, this graphic novel masterfully links intergenerational trauma to the broader, devastating context of the Holocaust.
The Colonel
Mahmoud Dowlatabadi · Book · 2012
Explores: Oppression, Torture, Political Dissidence.
If you appreciated the unflinching look at Iranian political reality in Persepolis, this novel offers a similarly powerful, deeply grounded exploration of the human cost of systematic oppression.
Series on the same thread
Invincible
Series · 2021
Explores: Father-Son Relationship, Superhero Legacy, Brutal Superhero.
Persepolis captures the tension of maturing under a complicated parental legacy; this animated series mirrors that dynamic, focusing on how a young person navigates their father's immense, world-altering influence.
The Heroes
Siavash ZarrinAbadi · Series · 2008
Explores: Heroism, Morality, Good vs Evil.
Persepolis rooted its narrative in the cultural heritage of Iran; this series continues that exploration by examining the moral and ethical traditions that have long shaped the Iranian experience.
BoJack Horseman
Raphael Bob-Waksberg · Series · 2014
Explores: Existentialism, Depression, Celebrity Culture.
Much like the self-reflective and often bleak humor found in Persepolis, this series uses animation to examine the existential struggles and flaws of a person shaped by their past.
BEASTARS
Series · 2019
Shares a thread with Persepolis: Coming-of-Age Drama.
Persepolis depicts the struggle of finding one's identity amidst societal prejudice; this series similarly follows a protagonist navigating a complex, restrictive social hierarchy while discovering their true self.
Podcasts on the same thread
Revolutions
Mike Duncan · Podcast · 2025
Explores: societal collapse, power dynamics, cyclical history.
Persepolis thrives on the intersection of individual biography and revolutionary history; this podcast offers an expansive, analytical deep dive into the very patterns of upheaval that defined Marji's life.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Dr. Jordan B. Peterson · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Existentialism, Individual Responsibility, Cultural Critique.
The intellectual rigor found in the cultural critiques of Persepolis finds a direct parallel here, as this podcast investigates the personal and societal values that shape our individual identities.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Persepolis based on a book?
Yes, the 2007 movie Persepolis is an adaptation of the graphic novel of the same name. Both versions follow the life of Marjane Satrapi as she navigates the Iranian Revolution and the subsequent rise of an Islamic fundamentalist regime during her childhood and adolescence.
What is the historical setting of Persepolis?
Persepolis is set in Iran during the 1970s and 1980s. The story begins during the Iranian Revolution of 1979, which saw the defeat of the Shah, and continues as the protagonist witnesses the country transition into a repressive tyranny under the rule of Islamic fundamentalists.
Should I read the book if I enjoyed the Persepolis movie?
If you enjoyed the movie, reading the book Persepolis is recommended. As the source material for the film, the book provides the original perspective of Marjane Satrapi as she grows up witnessing the political shifts in Iran and the personal impact of the country's move toward fundamentalist rule.
Does Persepolis follow the same story in both the movie and the book?
Yes, both the movie and the book Persepolis cover the same narrative arc. They depict the experiences of Marjane Satrapi living in Iran during the 1979 revolution and her transition into adulthood while facing the realities of life under a new, repressive fundamentalist government.