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I admit, I've never been a fan of comics/graphic novels, and to my mind have only ever read two or three of them. I'd been thinking of reading this for some time, and now was the time to get on with it. Dealing with the harrowing wartime experiences of his father, Vladek, a Polish Jew and survivor of Auschwitz, and Spiegelman's troubled relationship with him, what we have here is a blend of biography, autobiography and memoir, cleverly told in the graphic novel format.
Not wanting to overly dramatize Vladek's story, Spiegelman presents it in a straightforward cartoon way, with Jews represented as mice, and Nazis as cats. This is a book meant for everyone, not just comic readers. The cartoon style and anthropomorphic characters allow the reader to approach otherwise horrific situations in a simple and direct way, without the use of realistically explicit images or melodrama, while still grabbing hold of the reader in a most power way.
He tells the story dispassionately and honestly without any knowing winks to comics-literate readers. Nor does Spiegelman glamorise his father as some kind of hero. Vladek comes across as irritating, manipulative, exasperating, and even bigoted. He is simply trying to tell an important story, by documenting his father's wartime experiences. I was surprised to find a little humour in there, something you wouldn't associate with the Holocaust, but it is in there, albeit wry and situational. Maus has the power to take your breath away, with its stunning visual style, and sombre reminder that while we can never forget the Holocaust, we may need new ways to always remember. Essential reading.