A review by melodyseestrees
The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman

dark emotional sad medium-paced

5.0

This is an interview done by a Holocaust survivor's son in the form of a graphic novel. There is a ton of deliberate choice in the symbolism throughout the pages. This is the sort of story best read in groups because you will miss symbolism others will pick up on and vice versa. This, like all survivor stories, is bleak and tragic and focused on survival. This has additional slight framing through the relationship difficulties Spiegelman's father had with everyone after experiencing such cruel events, some of which feel so much lighter than the other material that they come across as comedic relief even though they aren't actually funny.
There are a lot of applicable content warnings within this story but I urge all of those who can possibly find themselves strong enough to read this book to read this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Confinement, Gun violence, Antisemitism, and Death

Moderate: Violence, Hate crime, Suicide, Murder, and Torture

Minor: Animal death and Animal cruelty

There is a moment within the last half of the book where someone being shot to death is related to that of a dog that had been shot to death.