Graphic Novel Review - 'Woman, Life, Freedom' by Marjane Satrapi (Writer, Artist), Abbas Milani (Writer), Jean-Pierre Perrin (Writer), Farid Vahid (Writer), Various Artists

Yes. Everybody should read this.

'Woman, Life, Freedom' - The title really explains everything.

It is a reminder that every dictatorship, every tyranny, every example of totalitarianism, every aspect of fascism - the very idea of it, the root of it - and every aspect of capitalism, greed, ego, and hunger for power over people, uses absolute hatred and subjugation of women in order to exist. Misogyny - the hatred and fear of women, the bravest and most powerful and unstoppable of rebels.

Evil cannot exist without desperate and unhinged misogyny. The beating down and destruction of half the human race.

Reading 'Woman, Life, Freedom' is deeply harrowing, upsetting and depressing*. It is a lot to process.

I simply cannot believe, nor understand why, so many countries like this exist in the world, whose governments are still in power despite them murdering millions of their own people. Where the leaders and politicians really are just criminals with more money and therefore better protection. Where ordinary, innocent civilians live in constant fear; in constant war.

But people survive, and keep going. No matter what, they will keep going, and keep protesting and rebelling against countless horrifying, inhuman injustices committed by those who are supposed to protect them.

Hope for freedom, peace and love is on the horizon, always.

For oppression, fanaticism, reigns of terror, brutality, murder, and massacres, are not normal, and should never be made normal. Literally no one can live under those conditions.

I bought 'Woman, Life, Freedom' because I wanted to check out Marjane Satrapi's more modern works after loving 'Persepolis', and I wanted to learn more about Iran. Some of the stories explain the history of Iran and Persia in very interesting and engaging ways. Despite the darkness, it is a gripping, investing, arresting, and funny read, as well as a thought-provoking one.

It is relevant.

I wanted to know more about Iran, and perhaps, in my own little, hopefully significant way, help the country and its people, especially right now.

And help others like it.

The comic anthology certainly was worth the £30 I spent on it at my local bookshop.

My favourite stories/news accounts/history lessons in this collection are: 'A Persian Tale of Good and Evil', 'Sparking a Revolution', 'The Birth of a Slogan', 'In the Hellhole of Evin Prison', 'The Winter of Executions', 'They're Watching You', 'Nowruz with the Family', 'Who Rules Iran?', 'Feared and Hated', 'The Rich Kids of the Regime', 'The Madness of Censorship', 'Names That Will Go Down in History', 'The Art of Rebellion' (so beautiful and hopeful it made me cry), 'Male Turf', and 'Women Saying No'.

Remember and celebrate all the thousands of erased, forgotten and unsung heroines. The ordinary women who just wanted to live. And the men, too.

Thank you, thank you to Marjane Satrapi and all the other #ownvoices writers and artists who bravely created this collection, this tome, this bloody cry - relieved and reprieved of suffocation - for art and freedom.

That's my contribution to 'Woman, Life, Freedom'. I'm sort of scared to write and post this review. Which is exactly why I'm doing it.

Be brave, everyone. Keep going. Keep rising up. Keep remembering. Keep rebelling. Keep revolting.

Keep living.

Keep hoping.

Final Score: 4.5/5

*Sadly I can't say I'm that shocked by the accounts disclosed in 'Woman, Life, Freedom'. Nothing shocks me anymore, which is itself shocking, unsettling, disturbing and depressing.