Graphic Novel Review of Maids by Katie Skelly

 

Read for: Graphic Novel/ Recently Added

Synopsis: "Christine Papin, an overworked live-in maid, is reunited with her younger sister, Lea, who has also been hired by the wealthy Lancelin family. They make the estate's beds, scrub the floors, and spy on the domestic strife that routinely occurs within its walls. What starts as petty theft by the maids — who are flashing back to their tumultuous time in a convent — shortly turns into something more nefarious. Madame Lancelin’s increasingly unhinged abuse ignites the sisters' toxic upbringing and social class exploitation and explodes into a ghastly double murder, an event that shocked and fascinated 1930s France and beyond. Maids has high bravura and high intrigue, all drawn in Skelly’s highly stylized manner, which combines the best of pop art, manga, and Eurocomics."

My Review: I have been loving darker stories lately and when I saw this graphic novel version coming up I had to pre-order it. I know this is based on a true story and I really like that aspect, and we get a little update on what happened to Christine and Lea after the fact and I really loved that little tidbit. I really loved the art style in this one, it is so different from any of the other graphic novels I have read. This was a short read, but I feel like I missed some things, and maybe that is because of a gap in knowledge as to what actually happened, but the jump to the murder was pretty quick. I missed some tension that would lead to the drastic measure the sisters took. I do like the way their relationship with each other is shown in the story, from supporting each other in the convent after being forced from home, to their separation and their reunion again. It is an intriguing and dark tale, perfect creepy read for this time of year (you can even read it between trick or treaters at the door).

My Rating: This is definitely a dark and twisted tale, and it is made all the more so that it is a true story. I loved the illustration style too. I give it a rating Three Paws.