This book goes through multiple different settings. It begins in post-revolutionary Tehran when Marjane was ten. The book soon goes back in time to pre-revolutionary Tehran where Marjane is ignorant of the rest of the world and seeks that knowledge. In that pursuit, she begins to think for herself. Next, the book goes back to post-revolutionary Tehran where Marjane begins to form her own opinions. Then the book moves to the setting of her high school life in Austria where she deals with the issues of adolescence. The book ends by returning to post-revolutionary Tehran where Marjane has reached adulthood.
In pre and post revolutionary Tehran, the book talks a lot about how life was like with the shah in power and the lives and deaths of the protesters to convey an unstable atmosphere supported by the shading of the background. In dangerous or distressful times, the background is usually dark in shading. This background color modification is usually an indicator of significance to the protagonist. For example, on page 69 where she is at the last meeting with her uncle, the background is darkened to show a feeling of sadness and dread. If the background was a lighter shade, the same feeling wouldn't be conveyed.
In the second half of the book, this idea of the black background is retained but used much less. Instead of darkened frames, the book utilizes pacing and urgency to convey the mood. Like in the party scene on page 153 of the second book, a lot of the scene has a bright white background, but it still feels like the same dark, unstable atmosphere.
