Chicken with Plums by Marjane Satrapi

Review by Pilar Canón Ríos

The Short:

Chicken with Plums relates the story of Nasser Ali Khan, a musician that decides to let himself die after his wife breaks his prize tar (drum) in the middle of an argument. The book tells the reflections, epiphanies, and memories of the character during this journey.

The Long:

After Nasser’s beloved tar is irreparably broken and despite the attempts to find a new one, none of them sounds right to him. Convince he would never find joy again, he decides not to leave his bed and refuse to eat, waiting for death to come and take him.  The relationship with other members of his family, and the flashbacks he experiences guide the reader through the story and give a further understanding of Nasser’s decision. Satrapi has produced a brilliant reflection about life where there are no good or bad characters but rather different life situations that intertwine and affect each other.

To read or not to read:

I highly recommend reading Chicken with Plums. It is a very interesting graphic novel whose vignettes create a deep bond between the reader and the story. The plot twist will make you connect with the main character and understand how isolated, and, at first glance, nondramatic events may trigger such a tough decision to make.