Spiegelmans Writing

Maus has been one of the best things I have ever read. Art Spiegelman's writing style has blown me away. The way the author was able to portray one of the most tragic events in the world's history while still separating the reader from the powerful events makes Maus an amazing read. The usage of animals is an interesting aspect of the novel and it contributes to the distancing of the reader from the harsh reality of the Holocaust. Spiegelman is also able to incorporate humor in the book, which seems difficult as the the topic is far from humorous. I admire the ability of Art Spiegelman and admired the difficulty of the topic of the writing. Criticism I have found on Maus refers to his use of animals as the characters. As each animal is a different race of people, critics have noted that he perpetuates racial stereotypes. I disagree with this in principle because it makes the book easy to read. It keeps things simple and it makes the visual aspect of the graphic novel very easy along with the dialog. Maus is an excellent read and I look forward to reading more of Spiegelman's works.