So You Think You Can Prophesize Marjane is ten years old in 1980 when the novel begins. She goes by the name Marji, and she's not your average girl. You might think of girls her age still playing w...

Revolutionary Road The first thing we learn about Marji's mom is that she's pretty revolutionary: "Her photo was published in all the European newsletters" (1.15) after a political protest. Marjane...

No More HeroesMarjane's dad is a photographer, and he often finds himself in dangerous situations, photographing political protests. Although he's playing a small role in the revolution (someone ha...

Lavender and Ice WaterGrandma is a very influential figure in Marji's life. She lies to the soldiers about having diabetes so that they can dump all the wine in the toilet; she keeps her bra fresh...

Back in the U.S.S.R. Marji's Uncle Anoosh has had a crazy life. His uncle helped Azerbaijan declare its independence, and he himself was a revolutionary who escaped Iran for the Soviet Union.His pe...