More than Nadja Spiegelman's father, Maus creator Art Spiegelman, and more than most mothers, hers - French-born New Yorker art director Francoise Mouly - exerted a force over reality that was both dazzling and daunting. As Nadja's body changed and 'began to whisper to the adults around me in a language I did not understand', their relationship grew tense. Nadja emerged with a deeper understanding of how each generation reshapes the past and how sometimes those who love us best hurt us most. Readers will recognise themselves and their families in this heartbreaking memoir.