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torismazarine's review
5.0
Graphic: Antisemitism, Child death, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, War, Racism, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Grief, Violence, Self harm, and Police brutality
Moderate: Deportation
Minor: Vomit, Excrement, and Terminal illness
ezra_tm's review
4.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, War, Death, Torture, Gun violence, Self harm, and Racism
Moderate: Blood
oceanwriter's review
5.0
Comic writer and illustrator Art Spiegel tells his father's WWII survival story in a series of two books (combined into one edition in this printing). Though not illustrations of humans, the imagery of the concentration camps (and what Jewish people went through in general) is as grim as you'd expect them to be. This isn't a watered-down narration that tried to spare the reader from the horrors. It's a raw and honest account.
The book is told brilliantly going back and forth between Art's conversations with his father as he relayed his story to that story unfolding on the pages. There are some abrupt starts and finished here and there, but it added to the tone of the book. There is still so much we don't know about what happened during the Holocaust that we may never learn.
In addition to being a book about the Holocaust (namely in Poland), it's also a book about the relationship between a father and son. Intergenerational trauma is a fascinating psychological phenomenon. This has often been seen among children with parents who have had traumatic experiences before their children were born. This along with the natural generational gap between parents and children makes up a lot of the subtext in Art and Vladek's story.
Perhaps it's needless to say that this book is going to stay with me for a long time. It's right up there with The Diary of a Young Girl and The Boy on the Wooden Box. The stories of these victims must be kept alive.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Racism, Murder, Blood, Genocide, Violence, Antisemitism, Mental illness, Gun violence, Excrement, Confinement, and War
Moderate: Animal death
lynxpardinus's review
4.5
Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Suicide, Death of parent, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, War, Xenophobia, Violence, Antisemitism, Child death, Confinement, Medical content, Self harm, and Torture
Moderate: Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Blood, Classism, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Dementia and Car accident
rosalind's review
5.0
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Murder, Xenophobia, War, Torture, Antisemitism, Grief, Genocide, and Violence
Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Suicidal thoughts
bootrat's review
5.0
Graphic: Xenophobia, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Genocide, Religious bigotry, Racism, Murder, Child death, Antisemitism, War, Hate crime, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Death
tinyjude's review
5.0
The story is a recollection of the horrors, sorrows and hopes of an Holocaust survivor many years after the events. The novel is devised by his son, with whom he has a complicated relationship over the years. Therefore, the topics and their depiction are brutally honest and fundamental in the study and general knowledge of this moment in history. The objective is not to like the characters, but understand what they have been through and put it out in the world so their stories are finally told and not forgotten.
Although it is extremely unfortunate that he was not able to use his mother's diaries and see her perspective as a Jewish woman and a survivor, the story is nonetheless crucial. I hope to read more about the topic from Jewish people (or any of the other minorities affected and decimated by the Nazis) and especially, about the experiencies, thoughts and after effects of those women.
Graphic: Violence, Torture, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Gore, Child death, Death, Antisemitism, War, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Sexism, Gun violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Hate crime, Genocide, and Death of parent
jassieex's review
3.75
Graphic: War, Genocide, and Violence
Moderate: Torture and Terminal illness
Minor: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts
haseki_sultana's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Hate crime, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death, Confinement, Antisemitism, Racial slurs, War, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Murder, and Grief
velokei's review
5.0
It was so beautiful and raised so many questions that are unable to be answered. It handled the holocaust in a striking way and was open and honest about the uncomfortability on profiting off of generational trauma
Read for a second time for essay in January: I can’t recommend this book enough!!
Graphic: Mental illness, Deportation, Death of parent, Death, Child death, Murder, War, Violence, Antisemitism, Racism, Torture, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Medical content, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Gore, and Genocide