Miss Don't Touch Me

I thought this might be a fun little graphic novel romp through turn of last century French brothels (um, does that make sense?), but I found this book a little gross, a bit perverted (American sensibilities, perhaps?), and the first graphic novel I've read in which I thought the story would be better told in another genre.

The beginning is confusing and the end is baffling. Blanche witnesses the murder of her beloved, wild sister and goes undercover in a high-end brothel to find the "Butcher of the Dances." Little hilarity ensues and the torture scenes would already be uncomfortable for me even if there weren't the added weight that we as American people are wrestling with about the meaning/effectiveness of torture. Obviously the torture in Miss Don't Touch Me is of a sexual nature, but the subject is ugly nonetheless.

I will say I rather liked the art work in the book. It's colorful and playful, yet detailed. The subject is dark, but softened by the illustrations. The faces are very expressive and emotions are obvious (in a good way), but I think the story would work better as a straight mystery.

If anyone understands the fate of the main character at the end, let me know.