2 Sisters

2 Sisters, the graphic novel by Matt Kindt, opens in ancient Rome where a female slave quietly unlocks her ankle chains and escapes while surrounded by men at the baths. In the 17th c., a young female captive becomes a pirate to save herself and quickly proves her worth as she plots her escape. But the main part of the story concerns quiet shy Elle, a volunteer ambulance driver, who has spent much of her life trying to gain the attention if not the affection of her sister and their father. After Elle’s boyfriend is killed in WWII, she is recruited as a spy. The various storylines intertwine, held together seemingly only by the fact that the slave and the pirate look very much like Elle and her sister as well as a mysterious ancient show more artifact that seems to have two separate but joined parts. But although these stories seem unrelated, they mirror each other as the lives of each of the female protagonists move from confinement by others whether by the threat of violence or deception to an awareness of their own strength and abilities to fight back and win on their own terms. However, Kindt doesn’t go for the easy happy ending – the women survive but at great cost to their spirit.

2 Sisters covers a lot of ground both in time and space - pretty amazing given that there is almost no narrative or dialogue. At times I admittedly found the story confusing – the quick changes in storyline throughout seemed rather jarring as did the art which also seems rather jarring with lots of sharp lines and shadows. But, in fact, this seemingly crude style only serves to enhance the atmosphere and feel of a tale told mostly in pictures proving that a picture is worth, if not a thousand words, certainly a great many if done to match the story being told. Through the use of this slightly off-kilter and sparse art, Kindt conveys the sense of loneliness and isolation that these women are feeling as well as their ability to overcome this to not only save themselves from dire situations but to overcome even the worst circumstances even if the outcome is not perfect.

This graphic novel is fairly long at over 300 pages and it would be tempting and certainly easy to flip through 2 Sisters quickly but you really shouldn’t. The story may seem a simple if somewhat confusing jumble of images but it is a very complex tale that requires thought and emotional commitment from the reader. But for the reader who is willing to take the time to absorb the impact of this story, it is well worth it. show less

I was provided a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I was very excited to read this graphic novel, and it did not disappoint. It was quite fast paced, confusing (as expected) and had quite the twist. I read this in one sitting and really enjoyed the story, and the art was incredible. I feel that there were a few too many things going on, and some plots that weren't really tied up or explained near the end. Overall, this was an incredible read and I plan to read more by Kindt!

I was provided a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I was very excited to read this graphic novel, and it did not disappoint. It was quite fast paced, confusing (as expected) and had quite the twist. I read this in one sitting and really enjoyed the story, and the art was incredible. I feel that there were a few too many things going on, and some plots that weren't really tied up or explained near the end. Overall, this was an incredible read and I plan to read more by Kindt!