TITLE: Maids
YEAR: October 2020
COMPANY: Fantagraphic Books
Writer/Artist: Katie Skelly
I am reviewing not the full product but a preview version of “Maids” by Katie Skelly for Fantagraphic Books.
And it’s a comic book about the Papin sisters and for those not familiar with them, they made headlines back in the ’30s as both worked as live-in maids and were both convicted of murdering their employer’s wife and daughter in Le Mans, Paris.
While it’s not my thing to read comics about murderers or serial killers, because of the popularity of the award winning Korean film “Parasite” directed by Bong Joon-Ho, who drew inspiration from the Papin Sisters.
The preview of what few pages there were is about Lea Papin who is hired by the wealthy Lancelin family and is interviewed and is reunited with Christine Papin., who works as a live-in maid.
While working as maids, you see Madame Lancelin trying to make her daughter get married to a wealthy man but you see how these two sisters, when they are reunited, not only are they happy but you start to learn that these two sisters have a dark side and have more than a sisterly relationship.
For the most part, I do like the artistic style of Skelly’s work but I really can’t comment on the entire book, as what I received was a preview copy featuring only several pages. But I did find it entertaining and did like the artwork and that’s all I can comment on.