MAUS (#1-2) by Art Spiegelman – Comic review (Spoiler-free)

I read this book in one-sitting because I couldn’t put it down.

Title: Maus the complete MAUS (Maus I: A Survivor’s Tale and Maus II– And Here My Troubles Began)

Summary: Combined for the first time here are Maus I: A Survivor’s Tale and Maus II – the complete story of Vladek Spiegelman and his wife, living and surviving in Hitler’s Europe. By addressing the horror of the Holocaust through cartoons, the author captures the everyday reality of fear and is able to explore the guilt, relief and extraordinary sensation of survival – and how the children of survivors are in their own way affected by the trials of their parents. A contemporary classic of immeasurable significance. (Goodreads)

Originally published: January 1st, 1986

Review: This book shows the power of comic books; it added a “light” aspect to the topict since we’re not used to reading about WW2 under that form. It’s a beautiful testimony and a good way to discover or get a more precise idea of The Holocaust through the eyes of someone who lived it. The art style is very smart and Art Spiegelman’s metaphor of using animals: Mice as Jews and Cats as Nazis/Germans was a very good idea; I read on another review that cat on mouse violence is such an old topic that we’re desensitized by it, and that’s what made Art’s choice effective. I also loved the back and forth between the past and present because it’s not only Vladek’s story (the main character) but also his son’s, Art and the relationship they shared. This is such an incredible story and I can’t possibly fathom the pain all these persecuted people went through and it made me shed a tear or two.I’m not gonna lie, there was a certain part I did not enjoy but that is due to my personal ethnicity…I highly recommend MAUS, it will change your life.