odetojersey's review
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Antisemitism, Racism, Child death, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Murder, Genocide, Violence, Racial slurs, Suicide, Confinement, Hate crime, Death, Police brutality, and War
Moderate: Cursing and Medical content
mark70's review
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Slavery, Antisemitism, Genocide, Religious bigotry, and War
Moderate: Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Cursing, Grief, Self harm, Racism, Racial slurs, Suicide, and Death
oldtoadwoman's review
5.0
At first, I didn't understand why the author chose to make the Jewish characters mice, but... it would have honestly been too horrible with people. The author also clearly acknowledges that the mice aren't really mice. There's a clever meta discussion at one point, where he and his wife debate whether he should draw her as a mouse (Jewish) or a frog (French) since she is a convert. (She is depicted as a mouse even as they have the conversation of which she should be.) It also underscores the racial lines that were perceived at the time. The Polish are depicted as pigs and the Germans as cats and the French as frogs, but the Jews are always depicted as mice regardless of nationality.
The principal character, the author/artist's father Vladek, is not a likeable person at all. I appreciate that Spiegelman didn't try to gloss over this or make excuses for him. (More than once, he points out that other Holocaust survivors that he knew growing up did not share all of Vladek's unpleasant quirks and thus it cannot be solely blamed on trauma.)
This is not a light read at all. It's a book about the Holocaust. There is no happy ending. But it's a good book and I recommend that you read it if you can.
Graphic: Racism, Antisemitism, Death, Murder, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Suicide, and Child abuse
Minor: Blood and Cursing
victor_gannon's review
4.5
It shows the horrors of what was happening in a way that could be seen as disturbing but also in a way that makes it easier for those who don't like violence.
I wish that people understand how important this book is and hopefully read it when they can.
The fact that some people want to ban it is disgusting, this book is so important to so many people and the claim that they want it banned because of 'nudity' is honestly stupid. They're mice! They're not really known for wearing clothes.
Anyway, I enjoyed this book, the art was nice and simple while I was able to understand everything that was happening.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Racism, War, Antisemitism, Forced institutionalization, Animal death, Genocide, Hate crime, Mental illness, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Cursing, Gun violence, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, and Suicide
Minor: Child death