Incredibly sad graphic novel, intense but beautiful artwork. Perfect for any history buffs and lovers of non-fiction!

The Woman with Fifty Faces tells the story of Maria Lani, a woman who conned her way into immortality. She persuaded 50 well known artists to paint her portrait. Maria falsely portrayed herself as a famous German actress commissioning the portraits for a film project. That was not the case. She was a Polish Jew struggling to survive in prewar Europe.

The illustrations are eerily haunting throughout the book.
-NetGallery

I enjoyed this small snippet of The Woman With Fifty Faces. I think the art, while grotesque and detailed, fits the story well. I like that it is all done in what seems like pencil, it makes it feel more time. This made me look up Maria Lani and want to know more about her. I am unused to the vulgarness that is used to describe the people in the book, whether they are german or Jewish, that took adjusting.

I was looking forward to learning about such an enigmatic person, but I feel rather disappointed now.

The art style was not a good match for me. I'm sorry, but "stunningly beautiful" is definitely an overstatement. The images are unique and leave a deep impression, yes, but I can only agree with the latter part of the official description: farcically grotesque. The events adapted should by no means look pretty, as they stem from the ugliest pits of human nature, but the reader needs to be told to expect that. Some of the images were also difficult to parse, I wasn't sure if I *should* be looking for something in them or if they were just there to keep the dark an mysterious atmosphere up.

As the galley only included 1/3 of the book, I can't give my opinion on the story arc. I found the pages ending at 99 quite abrupt, especially since the blurb was mainly talking about events that happen *after* these pages.

Disappointed it was not the whole book. I will be interested in reading it when it becomes available.

The Woman with Fifty Faces is a visually stunning graphic novel that immerses you in Maria Lani’s enigmatic life. The dark, black-and-white artwork is truly exceptional, capturing incredible detail and enhancing the mysterious atmosphere. As someone unfamiliar with Maria Lani, I found her story fascinating and appreciated the glimpse into her world. However, the narrative felt rushed at times, skipping over key parts of her life or lacking the depth I hoped for. While it leaves you intrigued, it also leaves you wanting more. Still, it’s a captivating read for anyone interested in art history.

Tough to review, as I assume this is just the first chunk of the book. This preview doesn't get as far as the promised premise of Maria meeting the portrait artists. This first chunk is very dark and depressing, with war-torn landscapes and family deaths. The first real storyline - a romance - is quite confusing. The art is a love/hate situation - and unfortunately it wasn't for me. Since the authors are revealing a story about a beautiful and alluring woman, it's hard for me to intellectually match this with the grotesque artwork. I feel unsure giving it just a 2 without reading the whole book. But this section makes it hard for me to imagine it selling well in the bookstore, as the art style is so niche, and the content is so dark.

While it's hard to get a true grasp from just the 100 pages preview, this was a very interesting glance at Maria Lani (who I'd never heard of before.) The story is immersive and the art is uniquely dark and off-putting, adding to the mystery of its main subject.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC preview in exchange for an honest review.

I can’t help feeling unsatisfied with this book. It feels told at a remove. The art is grotesque, which will either work for you or not.