A review by dariayune
The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman

dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

4.0

I was amazed by this book and its format. What I loved most was the way in which certain parallels were drawn throughout the story. Not only did it have a constant back and forth between past and present: a father, son perspective. It also showed a clear change in the portrayal of the dad through both of these perspectives: As a hero, resourceful, clever, brave and resilient... And as stingy, bitter, feeble and old. It makes the reader wonder if it is time which has changed the man or if it's the perspective that makes the difference. Is it possible they are both the same person: during and after the war. It makes our main character more complex and layered than if we'd only hear about his past.
Another interesting and beautiful choice in Art Spiegelman's stoytelling can be found in the people being portrayed as different animals and how sometimes one would be wearing a mask of another: it just so clearly visualised the visibility that certain groups (especially Jews) faced in these times. And don't get me started on the harshness of such a story being told by drawings. Drawings which are often characterised in our heads by being innocent and mild. And the foreshadowing we would get during the time jumps that showed the artists perspective... It is great storytelling in quite an accessible format if a time that must be remembered. And I would dare to argue: now more than ever...
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