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2 Sisters
With all the beauty and precision of an enigma machine, Matt Kindt takes readers deeper into the world of spies than ever before, telling an ambitious chronicle of espionage from ancient Rome to World War II. 2 Sisters is at once a fanciful spy thriller full of codes, gadgets, and cyanide capsules and the heartbreaking story of Elle and Anne, whose shared past and secrets return when Elle is recruited into His Majesty's service as a covert agent.
From the creator of Super Spy, and the artist and co-creator of Pistolwhip and Mephisto (with Jason Hall) comes a World War II spy thriller that spans both continents and centuries. From England to Spain, from ancient Rome through the era of pirates and buccaneers, this is the backdrop for the unique tale of two sisters, their relationship, and the secrets they share.
From the creator of Super Spy, and the artist and co-creator of Pistolwhip and Mephisto (with Jason Hall) comes a World War II spy thriller that spans both continents and centuries. From England to Spain, from ancient Rome through the era of pirates and buccaneers, this is the backdrop for the unique tale of two sisters, their relationship, and the secrets they share.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published July 20, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
February 5, 2016
This review keeps my original review of the book, August 2014, though it now pertains to this gorgeous oversized hardcover edition. I'll just add that I realize Kindt can be hard work. Some hate his sketchy art, some hate his dialogue, some hate his fragmented, disjointed storytelling, interweaving all these different story threads, but for all these things, I like him. He's using this visual medium of comics to tell the story with as few words as possible. He loves mysteries, classic mysteries, and in a sort of postmodern way deconstructs the very idea of a mystery to help us break down what are the key elements in mystery tales. He loves them and is a student of them.
Kindt interweaves several stories independent of chronology or linear narrative. The stories include a Greek cup's journey through history (this is the image that we follow throughout the book, a thing that ties all of the stories together), a female pirate, and a woman in London during WWI sending money back to her sister--that eventually (after a long and potentially confusing time, maybe) intersect. The ending is surprising and as with all mysteries, surprises abound. Whodunit prevails. Wth is going on prevails. That's mystery. This is more fragmented than most mysteries, it's not Holmes or Agatha Christie, but it still is mystery they would applaud. And I do. I had to read it more than once to get it.
My original August 2014 review:
I read this through twice today and I love it. This is a large volume, but page after page it thrillingly (and okay, sometimes initially confusingly) uses as few words as possible to illustrate how comics can effectively tell a crime story across times and places. Who are the classic spy thriller writers? Take someone like John LeCarre, who uses the English language with subtlety and grace and whose selection of detail is carefully planned. When you read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle or Dashiell Hammett the plots are often intertwined, complicated. As a reader of the genre you learn to pay attention, to be patient and hold all these threads in your head, content that an author will make them, however implausibly, come together for an inevitable but surprising (Poe) conclusion.
Many readers of Matt Kindt on Goodreads seem to struggle with coherence; they get confused, they even give up. If I were Kindt I would pay attention to that, though he seems to keep doing what he does, making these serpentine plots. He seems to acknowledge that he is going to lose some people in the process. But do people give up on LeCarre? Doyle? Hammett? I don't think so! Maybe with Kindt it is because he is pushing the medium, forcing himself to use visual images primarily to tell his tale. He teaches us how to pay attention to visual detail. And I admit I am every time I read a Kindt story a little lost at first; I have to reread to get the links. But I like these kinds of stories that challenge me. And with many great stories I am a little lost at first.
The stories here include a Greek cup's journey through history, a female pirate, and a woman in London during WWII sending money back to her sister, and the three stories eventually intersect, though in ways that surprised me. The cup makes its way through all places and times and stories, and that is interesting, though it's just an image that ties things together, finally. The central story is of two sisters, one of them who gets involved in spying. . . I can't say much more, it's a mystery!
The title makes you think this is for YA: Super Spy! But it's not, it's just calling forth images of noir thrillers, telling us we are about to read an entertaining tale. … but it makes you work harder than most spy stories or pirate tales, so I would say it ain't kid stuff. But I swear the parts do come together to make the engine purr. Not everyone agrees, I get that. Not everyone is convinced that you can tell complicated spy thrillers with very few words, depending for your interpretation on almost exclusively images, but I say if you pay attention to the images and don't just skip ahead (as most readers do with description) to the dialogue, you'll see, he's teaching you how to read images and giving you clues toward coherence.
Some people hate Kindt's sketchy art, but that is as I see it consistent with the storytelling, it is minimalist, using as little as possible to tell the story. I think it's amazingly good, though I will admit that his art-making seems to be improving in (the decade later series I am following) Mind Mgmt, getting sharper and more clearly defined. I think that Kindt's art represents the intersection of crime comics and art comics, actually. He's that good.
Kindt interweaves several stories independent of chronology or linear narrative. The stories include a Greek cup's journey through history (this is the image that we follow throughout the book, a thing that ties all of the stories together), a female pirate, and a woman in London during WWI sending money back to her sister--that eventually (after a long and potentially confusing time, maybe) intersect. The ending is surprising and as with all mysteries, surprises abound. Whodunit prevails. Wth is going on prevails. That's mystery. This is more fragmented than most mysteries, it's not Holmes or Agatha Christie, but it still is mystery they would applaud. And I do. I had to read it more than once to get it.
My original August 2014 review:
I read this through twice today and I love it. This is a large volume, but page after page it thrillingly (and okay, sometimes initially confusingly) uses as few words as possible to illustrate how comics can effectively tell a crime story across times and places. Who are the classic spy thriller writers? Take someone like John LeCarre, who uses the English language with subtlety and grace and whose selection of detail is carefully planned. When you read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle or Dashiell Hammett the plots are often intertwined, complicated. As a reader of the genre you learn to pay attention, to be patient and hold all these threads in your head, content that an author will make them, however implausibly, come together for an inevitable but surprising (Poe) conclusion.
Many readers of Matt Kindt on Goodreads seem to struggle with coherence; they get confused, they even give up. If I were Kindt I would pay attention to that, though he seems to keep doing what he does, making these serpentine plots. He seems to acknowledge that he is going to lose some people in the process. But do people give up on LeCarre? Doyle? Hammett? I don't think so! Maybe with Kindt it is because he is pushing the medium, forcing himself to use visual images primarily to tell his tale. He teaches us how to pay attention to visual detail. And I admit I am every time I read a Kindt story a little lost at first; I have to reread to get the links. But I like these kinds of stories that challenge me. And with many great stories I am a little lost at first.
The stories here include a Greek cup's journey through history, a female pirate, and a woman in London during WWII sending money back to her sister, and the three stories eventually intersect, though in ways that surprised me. The cup makes its way through all places and times and stories, and that is interesting, though it's just an image that ties things together, finally. The central story is of two sisters, one of them who gets involved in spying. . . I can't say much more, it's a mystery!
The title makes you think this is for YA: Super Spy! But it's not, it's just calling forth images of noir thrillers, telling us we are about to read an entertaining tale. … but it makes you work harder than most spy stories or pirate tales, so I would say it ain't kid stuff. But I swear the parts do come together to make the engine purr. Not everyone agrees, I get that. Not everyone is convinced that you can tell complicated spy thrillers with very few words, depending for your interpretation on almost exclusively images, but I say if you pay attention to the images and don't just skip ahead (as most readers do with description) to the dialogue, you'll see, he's teaching you how to read images and giving you clues toward coherence.
Some people hate Kindt's sketchy art, but that is as I see it consistent with the storytelling, it is minimalist, using as little as possible to tell the story. I think it's amazingly good, though I will admit that his art-making seems to be improving in (the decade later series I am following) Mind Mgmt, getting sharper and more clearly defined. I think that Kindt's art represents the intersection of crime comics and art comics, actually. He's that good.
April 29, 2016
A mostly wordless romp through various timelines that tells the tales of an ancient goblet, a woman turned lady pirate, a childhood between two sisters that is not as bucolic is it first may seem, and a primary narrative which focuses on a woman co-opted into the murky world of European spy games during World War II. A quick and clever yarn despite the book's handsomely designed hardback girth. Kindt makes an inspired use of various narrative tricks to tell a deceptively simple plot that requires a thoughtful reader to satisfactorily untangle. Add a refreshingly offbeat drawing style, and what you have is a slick potboiler by an entertaining craftsman who's helping to keep the world of comics less stale.
August 27, 2021
Ktokoľvek si myslí, že toto je kniha na rýchle prečítanie, keďže polovica je bez slov, tak sa nemôže viac mýliť. Matt Kindt je kráľ v rozprávaní bez slov a v detailnom, avšak skrytom opisovaní deja. Všetko ma premyslené do poslednej maličkosti a čitateľovi to podáva v komplikovanej forme. Takže nie, nie je to čítanie na 20 minút, a nie je to ani na jedno prečítanie.
Ak človek od 2 Sisters očakáva špionážny triler, ktorý mu je sľubovaný, tak ho tam dostane vo veľmi malej miere. 2 Sisters je príbeh 4 žien, ktoré sa potýkajú v živote s nie veľmi príjemnými situáciami, z ktorých sa musia odvahou a odhodlaním bojovať dostať, aby prežili. Kindt sa s osudmi protagonistiek skvel pohral a nie každá dostane šťastný koniec.
Čo obdivujem najviac, ako na každej jeho knihe, sú schované maličkosti, ktoré dokresľujú dej; veci ako zopár hláv nad panelmi, ktoré symbolizujú rodokmeň; či možnosť preložiť si zakódované listy (MIND MGMT naozaj naučí vnímať tieto veci v Kindtovej tvorbe), a naozaj treba sledovať panel po paneli precízne. Po prvom prečítaní verím, že mi polovica vecí totálne unikla a veľmi sa teším, až sa k tomuto dostanem zase a objavím znova nové veci.
Kresba je verím slasť pre fanúšikov Kindtovej tvorby (minimálne pre mňa bola), a pri naozaj pozornom sledovaní postáv a ich charakteristík sa človek nestratí. Do toho sa teším, až sa dostanem k Super Spy, ktoré sú vraj prepletené s dejom tejto knihy (dopĺňa ho), do akej miery však netuším.
Za mňa full rating, keďže Kindta adorujem a čítať toto bolo pre mňa (a bude) ako skladať puzzle.
Ak človek od 2 Sisters očakáva špionážny triler, ktorý mu je sľubovaný, tak ho tam dostane vo veľmi malej miere. 2 Sisters je príbeh 4 žien, ktoré sa potýkajú v živote s nie veľmi príjemnými situáciami, z ktorých sa musia odvahou a odhodlaním bojovať dostať, aby prežili. Kindt sa s osudmi protagonistiek skvel pohral a nie každá dostane šťastný koniec.
Čo obdivujem najviac, ako na každej jeho knihe, sú schované maličkosti, ktoré dokresľujú dej; veci ako zopár hláv nad panelmi, ktoré symbolizujú rodokmeň; či možnosť preložiť si zakódované listy (MIND MGMT naozaj naučí vnímať tieto veci v Kindtovej tvorbe), a naozaj treba sledovať panel po paneli precízne. Po prvom prečítaní verím, že mi polovica vecí totálne unikla a veľmi sa teším, až sa k tomuto dostanem zase a objavím znova nové veci.
Kresba je verím slasť pre fanúšikov Kindtovej tvorby (minimálne pre mňa bola), a pri naozaj pozornom sledovaní postáv a ich charakteristík sa človek nestratí. Do toho sa teším, až sa dostanem k Super Spy, ktoré sú vraj prepletené s dejom tejto knihy (dopĺňa ho), do akej miery však netuším.
Za mňa full rating, keďže Kindta adorujem a čítať toto bolo pre mňa (a bude) ako skladať puzzle.
October 1, 2015
An intense deep espionage tale involving two sisters. Virtually wordless this is a complex story that defies time and place to ultimately bring the story of two lonely women who take courage and strength to defy typical role models and end up not necessarily happy but as survivors. The book looks deceptively simple with its sparse use of text but should not be read through quickly as there is a lot of story here and like Kindt's "Red-Handed" is one that deserves to be read more than once to fully appreciate. Loved it even though I admit I got confused a few times during my first read.
September 2, 2017
This is an example of a graphic novel I wish I had read with Kindt fans. The rave reviews make me thing I missed the point of this one in a major way. There are things I really liked about this one, and the two sisters and the artifact threads were interesting enough, but I'm not a fan of the art style, and after the final page was left wondering what it was all about.
May 30, 2024
Read 05/29/2024
This was probably more of a 2.5 but I felt generous and rounded up.
I don’t know why I chose this. I recognized Matt Kindt’s name even tho I have not read anything by him & thought it could be good, but tbh I think I probably rushed thru this too quickly instead of taking the time to figure out parts that confused me, & there were quite a few of them. They utilized a lot of alternating timelines, which normally I very much enjoy in my novels but in this graphic novel with very limited dialogue/explanation, it made things a lil more complicated than they needed to be. There were a lot of side by side panels that indicated simultaneous goings on in two diff locations, but it would just happen out of the blue when prior to that we’d been going thru in the normal order, left to right, line by line, top to bottom. Then suddenly it’s two panels, being read top to bottom first on the left panel, then back to the top on the right panel and again reading it from top to bottom. I would figure this out late and have to do some rereading.
The art was sorta bad to be honest, at least to my unknowledgeable eyes, but I do understand that it was also someone’s distinct artistic style, so I’m sure it’s just a matter of preference, but to me it was ugly & not endearing.
It just felt like a miss. Like it went for something, but didn’t quite get there. I might try something by Matt Kindt again one day (I’d always meant to try Mind MGMT) but for the time being, I’m good on him. For being 335 pages long was a super quick read tho so not a major waste of time 🤷🏻♀️
This was probably more of a 2.5 but I felt generous and rounded up.
I don’t know why I chose this. I recognized Matt Kindt’s name even tho I have not read anything by him & thought it could be good, but tbh I think I probably rushed thru this too quickly instead of taking the time to figure out parts that confused me, & there were quite a few of them. They utilized a lot of alternating timelines, which normally I very much enjoy in my novels but in this graphic novel with very limited dialogue/explanation, it made things a lil more complicated than they needed to be. There were a lot of side by side panels that indicated simultaneous goings on in two diff locations, but it would just happen out of the blue when prior to that we’d been going thru in the normal order, left to right, line by line, top to bottom. Then suddenly it’s two panels, being read top to bottom first on the left panel, then back to the top on the right panel and again reading it from top to bottom. I would figure this out late and have to do some rereading.
The art was sorta bad to be honest, at least to my unknowledgeable eyes, but I do understand that it was also someone’s distinct artistic style, so I’m sure it’s just a matter of preference, but to me it was ugly & not endearing.
It just felt like a miss. Like it went for something, but didn’t quite get there. I might try something by Matt Kindt again one day (I’d always meant to try Mind MGMT) but for the time being, I’m good on him. For being 335 pages long was a super quick read tho so not a major waste of time 🤷🏻♀️
August 19, 2020
English version below
CZ
Zajímavý art a dlouhé pasáže beze slov - to jsou jednoznačné klady této knihy. I zpracování příběhu do scénáře je zajímavé. Problém mám ale s příběhem. Nalákala mě anotace knihy, která slibovala špionážní pecku. Ale tak skvělé to rozhodně není. Celou knihu čekáte, až se osudy sester a jednoho historického artefaktu protnou ve velkém finále, ale ono to všechno nakonec dopadne úplně jinak. Nakonci máte pocit, že všechno to, co bylo vyprávěno bylo ve výsledku vyprávěno úplně zbytečně...
EN
Interesting art and long passages without words are the biggest posoitives of this book. Also script is interesting. I have problem with the story. Anotation of book promissed brilliant spy story. Unfortunately it's not so brilliant. During whole book you are waiting for great finale where fates of two sisters and of one historical artefact will meet but everything ends in absolutly another way. After reading I felt unsatisfied because a lot of things that have been said in book were said for nothing - without reason...
CZ
Zajímavý art a dlouhé pasáže beze slov - to jsou jednoznačné klady této knihy. I zpracování příběhu do scénáře je zajímavé. Problém mám ale s příběhem. Nalákala mě anotace knihy, která slibovala špionážní pecku. Ale tak skvělé to rozhodně není. Celou knihu čekáte, až se osudy sester a jednoho historického artefaktu protnou ve velkém finále, ale ono to všechno nakonec dopadne úplně jinak. Nakonci máte pocit, že všechno to, co bylo vyprávěno bylo ve výsledku vyprávěno úplně zbytečně...
EN
Interesting art and long passages without words are the biggest posoitives of this book. Also script is interesting. I have problem with the story. Anotation of book promissed brilliant spy story. Unfortunately it's not so brilliant. During whole book you are waiting for great finale where fates of two sisters and of one historical artefact will meet but everything ends in absolutly another way. After reading I felt unsatisfied because a lot of things that have been said in book were said for nothing - without reason...
February 4, 2021
I am not to proud to say I didn't get it. At all. The attempt at interwoven stories came across as unrelated excerpts, pages shuffled together at random without rhyme or reason. The art did the story no favors, presenting indistinguishable players on either side of the war with a universally muddy palatte.
July 31, 2015
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
I have to start this review by saying that I absolutely love that we get original story/vision graphic novels like 2 Sisters. I may not always like them but I'm always intrigued and very glad for the opportunity to read and enjoy distinct and unique points of view. With this particular book, which is a 1-volume stand-alone story, author Kindt avoids a simple narrative and instead interweaves several stories independent of chronology or linear narrative. The stories - a Greek cup's journey through history, a female pirate, and a woman in London during WWI sending money back to her sister - remain independent for a long time but do eventually intersect. But the ending isn't the intersection expected.Story: Elle is dating a bloke in London while engaged as an ambulance driver during World War II. When his building is bombed and he is killed, she is recruited to become a spy and avenge his loss. Although she is sending money home to her older sister, she agrees to do many different espionage deeds - each one killing her a little inside. At the same time, we learn of a woman on a ship captured by pirates - who cuts her hair off to join the pirate crew as a desperate act of survival. And in ancient Greece, a slave escapes her shackles, sneaks into baths, and steals a gold cup. She sells it to purchase a horse and flee Greece.
The common thread of all the stories is, ostensibly, the Greek cup. As it travels through history, it tells a tale of strong women who use it to find their salvation in different ways. Although each woman opts for a lonely life, she is freed of the shackles binding her thanks to what she does with the cup. How each encounters the cup is truly random and all the more interesting because of those quirks of fate. So although the cup may seem like the main theme, what we really have are stories of survival and strength by women through history.
The art is sketchy, angular and surprisingly simple - making it at times difficult to interpret. Each page really must be studied since there are few words and only small changes mark important information. Honestly, the book can be very difficult to follow and definitely rewards upon rereads. If a reader isn't following carefully, a lot of the plot and characters' actions will be mystifying.
2 Sisters is a book that really shows its depth and nuance the more it is read. Since the book jumps around quite a bit and author Kindt enjoys turning situations on their head (literally, in the case of one pirate) the underlying messages can easily be lost. This isn't for the casual reader who wants to peruse, get an easy payoff, and then chuck; it really gets better and better with rereads.
There is a lot of story here and it may seem too many tangents if not read carefully. It all does tie up in the end with a rather large plot twist - and what look like throwaway scenes in the beginning suddenly make a lot of sense once the book is finished. For those who enjoy a book that challenges and intrigues, 2 Sisters is a good choice. Everyone else is likely going to be left scratching their head at the simplistic drawings and puzzling storyline. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
August 9, 2019
Story was ok. Artwork was great, even though sometimes I wouldn't understand who's who and if I saw that person again before or hey, do I know this girl? Oh right. I do. Oh well...
Story after some time of page-turning and following would get messy and I wouldn't get what's happening because half the time the story gets mute and there's just artwork there, most of the time you get what's happening, but when's jumping from one scene to another, sometimes I wouldn't get what's happening and well, made me wanna give up.
Why would you wanna give up? Because this reads like a biography, and not an interesting one at that. At least not to me. Just like Blankets, the story is ok. The whole thing is ok. It's not great, it's not bad. It's just not that interesting and doesn't have something that I haven't read before to like it that much.
I would give it a try if you like biographies, war, spies and pretty much anything historical on fiction and whatnot.
The end was messed up for me too, not that good, and no pay off for the reader.
Story after some time of page-turning and following would get messy and I wouldn't get what's happening because half the time the story gets mute and there's just artwork there, most of the time you get what's happening, but when's jumping from one scene to another, sometimes I wouldn't get what's happening and well, made me wanna give up.
Why would you wanna give up? Because this reads like a biography, and not an interesting one at that. At least not to me. Just like Blankets, the story is ok. The whole thing is ok. It's not great, it's not bad. It's just not that interesting and doesn't have something that I haven't read before to like it that much.
I would give it a try if you like biographies, war, spies and pretty much anything historical on fiction and whatnot.
The end was messed up for me too, not that good, and no pay off for the reader.
April 9, 2019
This is a big book. I picked this up and was definitely looking forward to the read.
The graphic novel definitely has a style and the design of the book makes it a beautiful piece.
The story is non linear and the narrative moves back and forth a few storylines that tie up in the end. Here’s where I appreciate the use of panels and visual storytelling to guide the reader along. It is a good story. Comic arrows for example game it a very storyboard feel, perhaps this was aimed at a future movie release.
The art was not really to my liking and there was a sense of rush to the illustrations. It however told the story and it is a good story.
The graphic novel definitely has a style and the design of the book makes it a beautiful piece.
The story is non linear and the narrative moves back and forth a few storylines that tie up in the end. Here’s where I appreciate the use of panels and visual storytelling to guide the reader along. It is a good story. Comic arrows for example game it a very storyboard feel, perhaps this was aimed at a future movie release.
The art was not really to my liking and there was a sense of rush to the illustrations. It however told the story and it is a good story.
June 14, 2024
I have a lot of appreciation for Matt Kindt. He’s a singular artist with a developed style and he seems to be a comic store employee darling; every time I get a new copy of something of his it gets a positive remark at the register, like he’s an unsung hero of the medium.
And since I’m a sucker for bookstore recommendations, I have a decent collection of his stuff. This particular work is his most emotionally expressive. MIND MGMT is his most effective and successful overall, but 2 Sisters does wonders with face work and movement, which is vital seeing as how most of this is wordless. It feels a little shitty to label this as niche. It does give off a “most people wouldn’t like this” vibe, but comics on Goodreads are pretty contentious with a pickier audience, so it’s probably true.
And since I’m a sucker for bookstore recommendations, I have a decent collection of his stuff. This particular work is his most emotionally expressive. MIND MGMT is his most effective and successful overall, but 2 Sisters does wonders with face work and movement, which is vital seeing as how most of this is wordless. It feels a little shitty to label this as niche. It does give off a “most people wouldn’t like this” vibe, but comics on Goodreads are pretty contentious with a pickier audience, so it’s probably true.
December 15, 2020
Another fun ride from Kindt!
August 14, 2020
The timeline was very confusing... The art style seemed very rushed. I liked the the premise of the story.
January 11, 2017
2 SISTERS was a fascinating SUPER SPY GRAPHIC NOVEL! First off, it was very different than the GNs I have read, previously. Much more reliant on the art than words. Friends, that was a challenge for me. One of the reasons I have not done well with GNs in the past is because I am so reliant on text, I don't pay close enough attention to the pictures. 2 SISTERS forced me to pay attention to the pictures. And it took me a while. I wasn't hyper engaged until about halfway through, then once I sat up and started scrutinizing the art as if it were text, I was hooked. It's an emotional story about spies during WWII. Lots of action and a bit of romance move the present day story of espionage, but the thing that struck me to the core was the visceral sister backstory. I'm a sucker for a good sister story.
June 16, 2020
Some ppl might not fail in love with his writing. Some might not dig his illustrations. But there is No denying that Kindt can weave a great story using his skills. I kinda lost an the story on the vase but the spy story was full on.
August 26, 2015
2 Sisters, the graphic novel by Matt Kindt, opens in ancient Rome where a female slave quietly unlocks her ankle chains and escapes while surrounded by men at the baths. In the 17th c., a young female captive becomes a pirate to save herself and quickly proves her worth as she plots her escape. But the main part of the story concerns quiet shy Elle, a volunteer ambulance driver, who has spent much of her life trying to gain the attention if not the affection of her sister and their father. After Elle’s boyfriend is killed in WWII, she is recruited as a spy. The various storylines intertwine, held together seemingly only by the fact that the slave and the pirate look very much like Elle and her sister as well as a mysterious ancient artifact that seems to have two separate but joined parts. But although these stories seem unrelated, they mirror each other as the lives of each of the female protagonists move from confinement by others whether by the threat of violence or deception to an awareness of their own strengths and abilities to fight back and win on their own terms. However, Kindt doesn’t go for the easy happy ending – the women survive but at great cost to their spirit.
2 Sisters covers a lot of ground both in time and space - pretty amazing given that there is almost no narrative or dialogue. At times I admittedly found the story confusing – the quick changes in storyline throughout seemed somewhat jarring as did the art which also seems rather jarring with lots of sharp lines and shadows. But, in fact, this seemingly crude style only serves to enhance the atmosphere and feel of a tale told mostly in pictures proving that a picture is worth, if not a thousand words, certainly a great many if done to match the story being told. Through the use of this slightly off-kilter and sparse art, Kindt conveys the sense of loneliness and isolation that these women are feeling as well as their ability to overcome this to not only save themselves from dire situations but to overcome even the worst circumstances even if the outcome is not perfect.
This graphic novel is fairly long at over 300 pages and it would be tempting and certainly easy to flip through 2 Sisters quickly but you really shouldn’t. The story may seem a simple if somewhat confusing jumble of images but it is a very complex tale that requires thought and emotional commitment from the reader. But for the reader who is willing to take the time to absorb the impact of this story, it is well worth it.
4.5
2 Sisters covers a lot of ground both in time and space - pretty amazing given that there is almost no narrative or dialogue. At times I admittedly found the story confusing – the quick changes in storyline throughout seemed somewhat jarring as did the art which also seems rather jarring with lots of sharp lines and shadows. But, in fact, this seemingly crude style only serves to enhance the atmosphere and feel of a tale told mostly in pictures proving that a picture is worth, if not a thousand words, certainly a great many if done to match the story being told. Through the use of this slightly off-kilter and sparse art, Kindt conveys the sense of loneliness and isolation that these women are feeling as well as their ability to overcome this to not only save themselves from dire situations but to overcome even the worst circumstances even if the outcome is not perfect.
This graphic novel is fairly long at over 300 pages and it would be tempting and certainly easy to flip through 2 Sisters quickly but you really shouldn’t. The story may seem a simple if somewhat confusing jumble of images but it is a very complex tale that requires thought and emotional commitment from the reader. But for the reader who is willing to take the time to absorb the impact of this story, it is well worth it.
4.5
April 19, 2013
I thought the intrigue and mystery surrounding the two sisters was pretty good, but overall much of the story felt cumbersome or unnecessary. Also thrown in were some confusing elements that were just sort of left confusing.
I found the whole 'double cup roman artifact' plot to add very little to the main story. It was interesting on its own but sort of cluttered up the rest.
The part that confused me (even after re-reading it) was
It's possible that the answer was in there somewhere, but I definitely missed it. If someone knows please comment; my rating would increase by a star if I wasn't so hung up on what didn't make sense to me.
I will say there was an element to 'Two Sisters' that was pretty brilliant. Whenever the protagonist killed a target, the following page would review that person's life in just a few panels. A quick, mostly unbiased reflection on a life recently snuffed out. Very good.
I like Matt Kindt's work a lot. The way he captures moods in the character's faces with loose, expressive lines is just great. I like that he takes risks and doesn't follow a cookie cutter mold for making a story. I just didn't care for this story, especially in comparison to others of his I have read.
I found the whole 'double cup roman artifact' plot to add very little to the main story. It was interesting on its own but sort of cluttered up the rest.
The part that confused me (even after re-reading it) was
It's possible that the answer was in there somewhere, but I definitely missed it. If someone knows please comment; my rating would increase by a star if I wasn't so hung up on what didn't make sense to me.
I will say there was an element to 'Two Sisters' that was pretty brilliant. Whenever the protagonist killed a target, the following page would review that person's life in just a few panels. A quick, mostly unbiased reflection on a life recently snuffed out. Very good.
I like Matt Kindt's work a lot. The way he captures moods in the character's faces with loose, expressive lines is just great. I like that he takes risks and doesn't follow a cookie cutter mold for making a story. I just didn't care for this story, especially in comparison to others of his I have read.
January 10, 2013
I chose to read this because I'm currently keeping up with Matt Kindt's Mind MGMT and I wanted to check out other things by him. I loved it! I loved the way the story was told more than the story itself, but the story wasn't bad. I loved that it was almost all pictures and very little words, but still rich and detailed. I loved the flashbacks and the following of the artifact as it changed hands. This was definitely not what I expected it to be, but in a good way. The ending did leave me a little "wtf??!!"-ing, but overall I really enjoyed it and would read it again. I checked it out from the library this time but if I saw it for sale I'd considered buying it.
March 12, 2017
Almost tempted to a 5/5 for this, which I read all in one go because it's a fast paced, extremely well constructed novel. [Edit: well, why not - it gets 5/5 ]
I thoroughly enjoyed it, it's quick, clever, and well drawn. I liked how even fairly minor characters get a quick 'life flashing before their eyes' back story before they die.
Time to look up Matt Kindt and see what else he's done I think.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, it's quick, clever, and well drawn. I liked how even fairly minor characters get a quick 'life flashing before their eyes' back story before they die.
Time to look up Matt Kindt and see what else he's done I think.
November 5, 2007
I was interested enough to bother deciphering the one-time coded note, so I guess you could say I liked it. It's a little less confusing than Super Spies on account of fewer characters to possibly mix up.
December 21, 2015
I love seeing Matt Kindt's artwork literally speak for itself. He lays out an expansive premise in this book and accomplishes it with minimal dialogue and textual explanations. The detailed attention paid to the lettering was great, too. The story was clever and emotional, well-told.
August 4, 2016
A good example of a graphic novel without many words that is complex and intriguing and require visual literacy. This is about a woman during WWII who ends up becoming a spy and her relationship with her sister.
Read
July 28, 2020Matt Kindt’s sprawling, mostly wordless 2 Sisters caught me by surprise. I’ve been lukewarm towards his work in the past, though I’ve only read his work-for-hire stuff, like Ninjak. If Kindt’s creator-owned comics are as good as this, I’ve been missing out.
2 Sisters takes place mostly during the Second World War. We follow Elle, who gets recruited as a British spy. She’s known a life of tragedy, and her new (tragic) romance leads to her life of espionage. Aside Elle’s story, we follow a Roman cup throughout history - it’s unclear until the final act how this object connects to the present drama, but it absolutely does.
The storytelling in 2 Sisters is unique in that Kindt takes his time explaining things. He interweaves plotlines from past and present with little to no dialogue or transitions (past scenes are usually indicated by squiggly panels). I can see readers being frustrated by this method, but I welcomed the challenge and enjoyed 2 Sisters for its bold approach. I was drawn into the story and wanted to know what happened next and how everything connected. I was surprised, in a good way, at how the story unfolded. Also, any writer who doesn’t cram the story with exposition gets major points in my book. Kindt does an admirable job letting his art carry the narrative - I love that.
Speaking of which, I haven’t liked Kindt’s art until now. It’s very effective here, from the minimalist backgrounds to his standout lettering, to the imperfect sketching. His style isn’t for everyone but it hit the right spot for me in 2 Sisters.
I really enjoyed this book. It’s ambitious, compelling, and uniquely told. It also makes me want to check out more of Matt Kindt’s work, which hasn’t really been on my radar. If 2 Sisters is any indication, Kindt’s approach to comics is truly his own.
2 Sisters takes place mostly during the Second World War. We follow Elle, who gets recruited as a British spy. She’s known a life of tragedy, and her new (tragic) romance leads to her life of espionage. Aside Elle’s story, we follow a Roman cup throughout history - it’s unclear until the final act how this object connects to the present drama, but it absolutely does.
The storytelling in 2 Sisters is unique in that Kindt takes his time explaining things. He interweaves plotlines from past and present with little to no dialogue or transitions (past scenes are usually indicated by squiggly panels). I can see readers being frustrated by this method, but I welcomed the challenge and enjoyed 2 Sisters for its bold approach. I was drawn into the story and wanted to know what happened next and how everything connected. I was surprised, in a good way, at how the story unfolded. Also, any writer who doesn’t cram the story with exposition gets major points in my book. Kindt does an admirable job letting his art carry the narrative - I love that.
Speaking of which, I haven’t liked Kindt’s art until now. It’s very effective here, from the minimalist backgrounds to his standout lettering, to the imperfect sketching. His style isn’t for everyone but it hit the right spot for me in 2 Sisters.
I really enjoyed this book. It’s ambitious, compelling, and uniquely told. It also makes me want to check out more of Matt Kindt’s work, which hasn’t really been on my radar. If 2 Sisters is any indication, Kindt’s approach to comics is truly his own.
March 9, 2020
Simply put, Matt Kindt is one of the best cartoonists in the business today. I've been a huge fan of his since reading Mind MGMT (easily among the best comics of the decade). I was excited to find 2 Sisters, which I'd never heard of, though I've read the pseudo-sequel Super Spy.
What makes Kindt so great is that he uses the medium to shape the narrative. This isn't simply a story told through pictures; the comic format is completely integral to the story. A film adaptation could be great, but it would lose what makes this unique. There are dozens of clever uses of paneling throughout the book, most notable the recurring pages preceding character deaths. And of course, his art is brilliant. No, it's not the most spectacularly rendered artwork, but again - it serves the story, and ultimately that's the most important thing for a comic artist.
Of course, it's also a very intriguing story. There's all the twists and turns you'd expect from a spy mystery, and each separate thread comes together in the end. But it's the craft that elevates this story to another level. Not enough creators push the boundaries of comic storytelling to this point. When people ask why I bother to read comics when a novel can go into more depth, books like this are my answer. I've now read several of Kindt's books, and I still have yet to find a dud.
What makes Kindt so great is that he uses the medium to shape the narrative. This isn't simply a story told through pictures; the comic format is completely integral to the story. A film adaptation could be great, but it would lose what makes this unique. There are dozens of clever uses of paneling throughout the book, most notable the recurring pages preceding character deaths. And of course, his art is brilliant. No, it's not the most spectacularly rendered artwork, but again - it serves the story, and ultimately that's the most important thing for a comic artist.
Of course, it's also a very intriguing story. There's all the twists and turns you'd expect from a spy mystery, and each separate thread comes together in the end. But it's the craft that elevates this story to another level. Not enough creators push the boundaries of comic storytelling to this point. When people ask why I bother to read comics when a novel can go into more depth, books like this are my answer. I've now read several of Kindt's books, and I still have yet to find a dud.
December 12, 2023
I give this book a ton of credit in the subtlety department. This is minimalist at its finest. And while that’s what I was most impressed by, it was also my biggest barrier to entry. Man this made me feel dumb a few times, especially after doing some research into it. The book absolutely has to be read at a slow pace, with deliberate focus put into each panel. I didn’t slow down enough often times. Not a passive read, not a quick flip. It was often confusing, but upon reflection I can’t consider that a negative like I was tempted to. I’m giving it the benefit of the doubt that some of its intentions were overlooked by my too-inattentive brain.
Another point I wanted to make is that this felt very much to me in line with some Golden Age works I’ve read recently, like the Timley “Daring Mystery” Comics, while still committing a mutiny on the ideals of that era of comics, particularly in the case of women and female representation. That’s through the way it’s written as well as through the art itself. You’d never fool anybody into thinking this was Golden Age, but I can feel a firm footprint in it nevertheless.
I don’t expect I would return to this comic, as I didn’t truly find it all that entertaining save for a few particular moments; that said, I find this a fascinating piece that I’m very glad to have read. It’s more thought-provoking than actually of a pleasant time reading it, but I’m okay with that if the material has won me over enough.
Another point I wanted to make is that this felt very much to me in line with some Golden Age works I’ve read recently, like the Timley “Daring Mystery” Comics, while still committing a mutiny on the ideals of that era of comics, particularly in the case of women and female representation. That’s through the way it’s written as well as through the art itself. You’d never fool anybody into thinking this was Golden Age, but I can feel a firm footprint in it nevertheless.
I don’t expect I would return to this comic, as I didn’t truly find it all that entertaining save for a few particular moments; that said, I find this a fascinating piece that I’m very glad to have read. It’s more thought-provoking than actually of a pleasant time reading it, but I’m okay with that if the material has won me over enough.
June 22, 2021
¿Cuál fue el punto de todo esto?
Okay, esta novela gráfica tiene una forma bastante única y creativa de narrar y eso me agradó. Sin embargo, al mismo tiempo, siento que no me narró nada especial. Va, la historia de cómo una mujer se hizo espía durante la SGM y su relación con su hermana. Ah, bien, no es super interesante pero tiene lugar para crear atmósferas con emociones profundas, pero... ¿Y eso qué tuvo que ver con la historia de la vasija de oro? ¿Cuál fue el chiste de usar tantas páginas e ilustraciones para solo explicar cómo un objeto pasa de un lado a otro? ¿Qué relación tiene con la historia principal? ¿Qué me está intentando transmitir el autor? La verdad es que no lo comprendí. Quizás sea una carencia mía y verdaderamente no comprendo el estilo narrativo del autor. No sé si trata de las emociones personales de una mujer, de la historia de las mujeres en la historia, de espías, o de los planes de propaganda Nazi. ¿? Ningún tema lo aborda con suficiente detenimiento como para poder apoyarme en algo y a partir de ahí analizar esta lectura. Simplemente no se puede.
Okay, esta novela gráfica tiene una forma bastante única y creativa de narrar y eso me agradó. Sin embargo, al mismo tiempo, siento que no me narró nada especial. Va, la historia de cómo una mujer se hizo espía durante la SGM y su relación con su hermana. Ah, bien, no es super interesante pero tiene lugar para crear atmósferas con emociones profundas, pero... ¿Y eso qué tuvo que ver con la historia de la vasija de oro? ¿Cuál fue el chiste de usar tantas páginas e ilustraciones para solo explicar cómo un objeto pasa de un lado a otro? ¿Qué relación tiene con la historia principal? ¿Qué me está intentando transmitir el autor? La verdad es que no lo comprendí. Quizás sea una carencia mía y verdaderamente no comprendo el estilo narrativo del autor. No sé si trata de las emociones personales de una mujer, de la historia de las mujeres en la historia, de espías, o de los planes de propaganda Nazi. ¿? Ningún tema lo aborda con suficiente detenimiento como para poder apoyarme en algo y a partir de ahí analizar esta lectura. Simplemente no se puede.
May 23, 2023
Matt Kindt's first story published in the Super Spy series, 2 Sisters tells the story of Elle, a woman recruited to be a spy during World War II, and is inspired by real tales of espionage of the era (I just read The Secret War, so yeah, the sources were fresh in my mind). In Kindt's usual fashion, the story defies strict chronology, telling some chapters out of order only to later quite satisfyingly explain them when they connect to the main story - elements as disparate as tale of a female pirate in the time of swashbucklers (but trust in Kindt). Also as usual, the writer-artist finds ways to cleverly represent spycraft, codes, and things happening invisibly to the eyes of the enemy. This IS, however, a fairly early work from him, and it doesn't have the polish of later Super Spy books. No color and it can be quite sketchy. Nevertheless, the story of a woman who lost everything, then lost everything again (and again) is an engrossing one - her sister a kind of ghost in the background, which unfolds like a mystery thematically appropriate for a spy yarn.
December 19, 2021
After MIND MGMT, I have a bit more of an appreciation for Kindt's unique art style. It's not the most polished way to visualize a story as a comic, but it does have a rather strong emotional tone to it that can be quite evocative during key moments.
This was a challenging book to read because of its non-linear narrative structure and multiple plot threads to follow at the same time. But at its core is a fascinating tale of a woman who has a chance encounter with a man and ends up becoming a spy when he gets himself killed in a bombing. Over the course of the book we get to learn more about her past and her unique upbringing together with her sister and all this ties to her decisions in her new life.
The way this was structured was very daring and ends up being VERY fascinating in time should you give the book a chance. I'm eager to read the other Superspy books related to this one and it should prove to be an interesting reading experience.
This was a challenging book to read because of its non-linear narrative structure and multiple plot threads to follow at the same time. But at its core is a fascinating tale of a woman who has a chance encounter with a man and ends up becoming a spy when he gets himself killed in a bombing. Over the course of the book we get to learn more about her past and her unique upbringing together with her sister and all this ties to her decisions in her new life.
The way this was structured was very daring and ends up being VERY fascinating in time should you give the book a chance. I'm eager to read the other Superspy books related to this one and it should prove to be an interesting reading experience.
March 31, 2021
The story is great in that the complexity of the plot is actually more interesting than the relative simplicity of the characters involved. Motivations seem superficial. And very little of the actual personalities is revealed since there is very little dialogue. Just when I was starting get a little bored with it, the plot thread began to tie themselves together. The payoff in the final 20 pages or so boosts up the entire thing. I was really thinking hard by the end. And, to be honest, a few minor threads did not make sense to me. But I think it would make more sense on a second reading.
I have two big gripes: one - the format of the book is too odd and doesn't really call for such a large size book. two - when I compare this to Kindt's more recent work on Mind Mgmt and Department H this feels crudely drawn in comparison.
I have two big gripes: one - the format of the book is too odd and doesn't really call for such a large size book. two - when I compare this to Kindt's more recent work on Mind Mgmt and Department H this feels crudely drawn in comparison.
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