Title: Chicken With Plums
Author: Marjane Satrapi
Publication Year: 2006
Pages: 96
Genre: Non-Fiction, Graphic Novel
Source: Purchased from Chapters
From the cover:
Acclaimed graphic artist Marjane Satrapi brings what has become her signature humor and insight, her keen eye and ear, to the heartrending story of a celebrated Iranian musician who gives up his life for music and love.
When Nasser Ali Khan, the author’s great-uncle, discovers that his beloved instrument is irreparably damaged, he takes to his bed, renouncing the world and all its pleasures. Over the course of the week that follows, we are treated to vivid scenes of his encounters with family and friends, flashbacks to his childhood, and flash-forwards to his children’s future. And as the pieces of his story fall into place, we begin to understand the breadth of his decision to let go of life.
The poignant story of one man, it is also stunningly universal — a luminous tale of life and death, and the courage and passion both require of us.
This is probably my least favourite of Satrapi’s graphic novels.
I get that it’s supposed to be about the deep and hard reasons why the main character decides to just let himself die once he has lost his instrument, but all I kept thinking was … what are you DOING? Grow up!
To be fair, I think part of the point is for the reader to feel Nasser’s frustration and the emptiness that he feels once his musical career is over. And I did feel a certain amount of empathy for him, especially as the story progresses and the cause of the broken instrument is revealed. Still, though, it just didn’t quite work for me. Maybe I’m just too cynical to really “get” the kind of story and emotion that Satrapi was trying to create.
The graphics in Chicken With Plums, on the other hand, are just as beautiful and heart-wrenching as I expected after reading Persepolis and Embroideries. If you enjoy Satrapi’s work, you might want to give this one a shot; just because I didn’t particularly like it doesn’t mean that you won’t. In the end, though, it’s not something I would give as high a recommendation as the rest of her work: I’d tell you to try out the others way before this one.
- 21/? for the Middle East Reading Challenge
Rating:
Tags: graphic novels, marjane satrapi, published:2006, rating: maybe read it, read:2010
I just finished Persepolis and really enjoyed it — this book immediately went on my to-read list. I hadn’t heard about Embroideries, though, so maybe I’ll try that one first?
Hmm… I’m unsure about this. Sounds interesting, but I might not get it either.
i have been planning on reading this. I have greatly enjoyed other GNs by Satrapi.
I hope i do not have the same concern you will, but i bet i will.
if you no longer have your instrument and want to die, go get another instrument… it’s called “dedication to the art”
i dunno.
thanks for the review
apparently i are bad grammars.
I know! I’ve heard lots of great reviews of this book, but it just didn’t do it for me.
I tried leaving a comment when you posted this but the comment graphic wouldn’t appear, so I am back! I think this one isn’t going to make it onto my TBR shelf. However I still plan on reading Embroideries.
Embroideries is definitely the better one.