Art Spiegelman's
series of
graphic novels which details in beautiful but simultaneously horrible pictures his father's journey through
Nazi Germany and its
concentration camps. The
series is divided into two books:
1) Hiding from the
Nazis and attempting to escape them.
2) Being captured and sent to a
Auschwitz and life there, as well as living through
Auschwitz and what happened to those that didn't.
To avoid making the novels too graphic to read, Spiegelman uses creatures to represent the various different
ethnicities involved in the story. The
Jewish people are
Mice,
Germans are
Cats. There are also dogs, pigs, and other "barnyard" creatures. The books are entirely in black and white which gives them a very dark tone, and lends them an
oppressive feel. Readers will certainly find the books good, but it is very hard to actually enjoy something grounded in reality and dealing with such a heavy subject.