2 Sisters [Paperback]

Matt Kindt (Author, Artist)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 20, 2004

An all-new World War II era spy thriller that spans not only the globe, but time as well - from England to Spain and from ancient Roman times through the era of Pirates and Buccaneers. This daring spy story is the backdrop for the unique tale of two sisters, their relationship and the secrets they share.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Writer/artist Kindt's work is more complex, ambitious and somber than its subtitle suggests. It begins with a theft in ancient Rome, hurtles centuries ahead to Venice, intercuts a tale of pirates with the exploits of a female WWII secret agent, and repeatedly flashes back to the agent's melancholy girlhood in the English countryside. Readers may be put off by the crude, caricatured manner in which Kindt (Pistolwhip) draws human faces and figures. What's considerably more important is Kindt's mastery of visual storytelling: although using little dialogue, the narrative, with its multiple story lines, fractured chronology and plot twists, remains strong and clear. A strong feminist theme runs throughout: the book opens with a female slave escaping her bonds in imperial Rome, and another character, menaced by pirates, saves her life by turning pirate herself. The main character, Elle, led an introverted childhood in the shadow of her outgoing sister and their insensitive father. After losing the man she loves in a Nazi bombing, Elle becomes a grimly effective covert agent, and eventually discovers how she's been deceived. Both the woman pirate and Elle are the victims of men, and they adopt new identities in response, expressing their frustration through violence. But Kindt maintains an austere, thoughtful tone even in action sequences, and his two heroines eventually achieve a lonely form of freedom.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Kindt, illustrator of his and Jason Hall's Pistolwhip [BKL F 1 03], also writes this raucously retro World War II spy thriller that incorporates elements of other pop-culture modes, from film noir to romance comics to pirate tales. Its heroine, Elle, a volunteer ambulance driver in London, is swept up in a sudden romance with suave but mysterious Alan Scott. The affair ends tragically, and in its wake Elle is recruited as a spy and sent on dangerous missions behind enemy lines. Parallel story lines follow the adventures of a resourceful female pirate and depict the troubled childhood of Elle and her sister. All story lines dovetail in a quiet, moving conclusion. Kindt uses dialogue sparingly, preferring to propel the book with his forceful, sparse drawings. His style is overly casual and chaotic--at times, it's difficult to tell just what's going on--but bold compositions and imaginative panel transitions compensate for lack of clarity. Kindt's vision arguably exceeds his drawing chops, but his storytelling sophistication breathes new life into hoary genre conventions. Gordon Flagg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Top Shelf Productions (July 20, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1891830589
• ISBN-13: 978-1891830587
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,346,520 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Look a little deeper ..., May 10, 2009

By 

Christopher J. Hoppe ""wordmeme"" (Minneapolis, MN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 2 Sisters (Paperback)

The professional reviewers disparage the talent on display here, but take another look. Matt Kindt's style is different, brush-like, using lots of black space, and unlike many other illustrators work. That is what caught my eye when I found this book on my library's shelf. The story was convoluted, like a spy thriller ought to be, with lots of noir-ish touches and sparing with words. Following the plot mainly through the graphics was an enjoyable challenge. The artwork avoids both the slick "Disney" and the crude "underground/indie" extremes, giving Matt's work a fresh, unique look. As Scott McCloud might say - sometimes the combination of words and pictures becomes greater than either alone. Try this book, I'm going back for more, myself.