redwidowz reviewed on 8/11/2013 + 15 more book reviews

Being one for historical facts, I don't particularly like "survivor tales" from the holocaust. I find that they tend to be very emotional, one-sided, and mushy, with distorted facts and perceptions. This book is not so; it is by far the most pointed, dis-associative recount of one man (Vladek Speigelman)'s journey through life during Hitler's reign.

Some things I wish I would have known prior to reading: this book is a graphic novel but it is entirely in black and white. The cover portrays a colored comic; I felt that the monochromatic scheme distracted from the story, and in a few instances the actions being pictured are hard to decipher.

Secondly, [SPOILER ALERT] this isn't the complete story, this is just basically Maus: Part 1. You have to purchase the follow up book to read what happens at the end of Vladek Speigelman's story. I'm sorry, but I found this to be a cheap cliffhanger, hence I deducted a star.

However, overall it is a very solid story, and I appreciate the injection of how Art (Vladek's son) attained the story from his father. The book does cover a huge range of Vladek's story, from 1938 to 1944, and also informs of what happens to all the other members of the Spiegelman family. Worth the read if you are a Holocaust/Hitler historian.

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