Title: The Complete Maus
Author: Art Spiegelman
Genre: Graphic Novel
Format: Paperback
Length: 296 pages
Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: 1986
My Rating: ★★★★★ (5 stars)
Goodreads | Storygraph
Synopsis:
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.
My Review:
The Complete Maus contains Maus I: A Survivor’s Tale and Maus II, and is the story of Vladek and Anja Spiegelman, who lived and survived in Hitler’s Europe. It’s written and illustrated by their son Art Spiegelman.
This graphic novel was on my reading list for university and we are going to discuss it later in the year, but I decided I wanted to read it ahead of time. Why? It interested me. Out of all the books that are out about the Holocaust, I can see why this one won the Pulitzer Prize. You are not only reading about the Holocaust, you are seeing it, experiencing it through the pictures. It’s an honest portrayal of the horror that went on during the war and what they had to go through. They experienced betrayal, separation, loss, starvation, torture and they survived although their experiences most likely shaped their personalities. It would be naive to think that their experiences didn’t affect them.
It was brutal what happened over 60 years ago, people may think that if this terrible act was to happen again we would know how to respond and act, but Spiegelman’s story shows just how difficult it was, to know who to trust, who to help and the decision to help others or save yourself. Who would help you and who would turn you into the Gestapo. People would help hide you but only if you paid them. It doesn’t shy away from the horror of what happened to people, even children.
It’s not just the story of the Holocaust, however that interested me. I loved that Art was honest in his portrayal of his relationship with his father. It added light humour to what is a horrifying story. In the second book, there is a picture of Art’s deceased older brother, who didn’t survive the war, and his father and it broke my heart.
It’s a book that I am glad was on our reading list. Reading about Vladek’s experience broke my heart. The most terrifying thing is that although these events are a part of history, it wasn’t that long ago. It’s not a pleasant story but it’s absolutely incredible. It was a truly moving story and I would recommend it to everyone.
