Polar Vortex: A Family Memoir
Author:
Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Parenting & Relationships, Travel, Humor & Entertainment, Comics & Graphic Novels
Book Type: Paperback
Author:
Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Parenting & Relationships, Travel, Humor & Entertainment, Comics & Graphic Novels
Book Type: Paperback
Parenting one's parents is a rocky stage of life. If you've done it, you know, and if you haven't yet, your time will come. Artist/author Denise Dorrance captures the full range of emotions in her graphic memoir Polar Vortex. This was very powerful because I accompanied my mother and father through the last chapter of their lives.
With her mother's encouragement, Ms. Dorrance left her childhood in Iowa to pursue her dream of being an artist. Her life is suddenly interrupted when her elderly mother is hospitalized after being found on the floor of her home. With her mother confused from dementia, Ms. Dorrance leaves her home in England to spend several weeks in the Midwest helping her navigate the maze of insurance coverage, models of care, and financial matters while also communicating with her sister with whom she has a strained relationship.
While in Iowa, a brutal winter storm hits the area, symbolizing the situation Ms. Dorrance and her mother find themselves in and giving the memoir its title. The memoir accurately captures the push-pull feelings of wanting the best for one's parent while dealing with the stress of being away from one's own immediate family. Going through boxes of childhood memories at her mother's home gives the author fresh insight into her parents' marriage.
I liked the art style throughout the book, especially when antique photo postcards of actual buildings in Cedar Rapids, Iowa are included.
The story ends somewhat abruptly and surprisingly, which seems symbolic for the way events happen toward the end of a loved one's life. I empathize with Ms. Dorrance's struggle to make the best decisions for her mother with the information and resources available at the time, and appreciate her candidly sharing deeply personal events in her and her mother's lives.
With her mother's encouragement, Ms. Dorrance left her childhood in Iowa to pursue her dream of being an artist. Her life is suddenly interrupted when her elderly mother is hospitalized after being found on the floor of her home. With her mother confused from dementia, Ms. Dorrance leaves her home in England to spend several weeks in the Midwest helping her navigate the maze of insurance coverage, models of care, and financial matters while also communicating with her sister with whom she has a strained relationship.
While in Iowa, a brutal winter storm hits the area, symbolizing the situation Ms. Dorrance and her mother find themselves in and giving the memoir its title. The memoir accurately captures the push-pull feelings of wanting the best for one's parent while dealing with the stress of being away from one's own immediate family. Going through boxes of childhood memories at her mother's home gives the author fresh insight into her parents' marriage.
I liked the art style throughout the book, especially when antique photo postcards of actual buildings in Cedar Rapids, Iowa are included.
The story ends somewhat abruptly and surprisingly, which seems symbolic for the way events happen toward the end of a loved one's life. I empathize with Ms. Dorrance's struggle to make the best decisions for her mother with the information and resources available at the time, and appreciate her candidly sharing deeply personal events in her and her mother's lives.
