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Loading... Maus II : And Here My Troubles Began (original 1991; edition 1991)by Art Spiegelman
Work detailsMaus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began by Art Spiegelman (Author) (1991)
Once I started reading this graphic novel last night, I could not put it down. I finished a little before midnight. Maus is not really a book; it's art that tells a story. Spiegelman very courageously tells the story about his family, then and now. It is brutal in its honesty. Here is the tale of Vladek and Anja, Spiegelman's parents, who struggled for survival and togetherness in Auschwitz near the end of WWII. At one point I had to put it down and recollect myself before reading on; some of the details can be horrifying. Vladek's experience in Auschwitz has left indelible marks on him and it makes him difficult to deal with at times. The author, Artie, confesses that his dad "drives him nuts" and then feels guilty because of it. As he tells his son his story, it becomes very clear what the root of those scars are and we vicariously live through the death camp with Vladek. It becomes impressively clear how incredibly intelligent and resourceful he was. The love Spiegelman's father had for his mother also shines through brightly. I would have to say it was one of the most romantic stories I've ever read. I've read a few other non-fiction Holocaust survival stories but for some strange reason, this graphic novel where the Jews are mice, Germans are cats, and the French are frogs seemed more real to me than any of those. On the back flap of my copy is a pargraph by Umberto Eco: "Maus is a book that cannot be put down, truly, even to sleep." That turned out to be true for me. Highly, highly recommended. (  ) avidmom | May 16, 2013 |  The second half of Spiegelman’s graphic memoir with mice continues his father’s story, with the action resuming as Vladek and Anja are captured and held at Auschwitz. EverettWiggins | Apr 9, 2013 | This is the continuation of the true story of Vladek Spiegelman's survival as a Jew in WWII Poland. Most of what I wrote in my review of Maus I still stands, but there’s a bit more of the author’s feelings included. You can see the catharsis he’s going through as he writes this novel. He’s painfully honest about the conflicting feelings he has toward his father and his mother. Again, most of Vladek’s survival relied on luck, but I was left in awe of his ingenuity and his talent for survival. But the man would drive me crazy. I was left wondering if he was the way he was because of what he went through or if he was just born that way. This book touches on prejudices we still have today, even people who should know better. I have to admit that I was welling up before I had read one word of the story--and I'm not a crier. Maus I and Maus II are just such powerful books. Still highly, highly recommended. (  ) JG_IntrovertedReader | Apr 3, 2013 | This book was a fascinating read, but there were some parts that I was either confused and/or jarred by (which is what gave it the four star rating). The historical detail in the book was mind-blowing as well as gruesome (obviously.) I also found the father-son relationship to be fascinating. What continued to bug me was the feeling that I was missing something, which in all actuality, I probably was because I did not read Maus I, so I'm guessing that the confusing parts of the story may have been cleared up if I had been required to read the first part as well. The unique presentation of the story (comic strip) made me understand why it is so vital in Holocaust lesson plans, because the format is much more child-friendly (even if the content is not.) Overall, I'm glad I was required to read it because I'm not sure I would have otherwise. (  ) leftik | Apr 3, 2013 | The conclusion of Vladek Spiegelman's story of surviving the Holocaust. Wow. Incredible stuff. The last volume was everything up to the time he was put in a concentration camp, and this volume was about living in a concentration camp, and how he finally got his freedom back. The thing that really sticks with me is how incredibly resourceful and smart Vladek was. He used every tiny piece of knowledge he had (and he knew a lot of stuff) to make life easier. He might have been stubborn and stingy in his old age, but as you see what he went through during WWII, you start to realize WHY he saves everything and never wastes anything... I can't imagine what I would have done in Vladek's situation. I can't imagine the feelings he must have felt. I doubt I would have fared as well. His son did an excellent job of capturing his father's story. I feel like I understand better than I did before, and that means a lot to me. ( ) saraferrell | Apr 3, 2013 |
 Perhaps no Holocaust narrative will ever contain the whole experience. But Art Spiegelman has found an original and authentic form to draw us closer to its bleak heart. By writing and drawing simply, directly and earnestly, Mr. Spiegelman is able to lend his father's journey into hell and back an immediacy and poignance... In recounting the tales of both the father and the son in "Maus" and now in "Maus II," Mr. Spiegelman has stretched the boundaries of the comic book form and in doing so has created one of the most powerful and original memoirs to come along in recent years. Is contained in
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