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Polar Vortex
A Family Memoir
Denise Dorrance’s graphic memoir Polar Vortex is about returning home to tend to her ailing, forgetful mother.
When her ninety-one-year-old mother Hilda falls at home, Dorrance races from England to Iowa to help. Her mother exhibits confusion and memory loss but also moments of complete lucidity. And though she’s a loving and responsible daughter, Dorrance also admits to longing for release from obligation and her troubled relationship with her California-based sister. Against the backdrop of a snowstorm, Dorrance grapples with childhood memories, medical insurance, and the question of what’s best for Hilda.
The hand-drawn art style allows for moments of whimsy: imagined meetings with celebrities including Dr. Ruth and Monty Hall; an actual meeting with a doctor whose resemblance to Ben Stiller is emphasized via cut-and-paste graphics of the actor. The most critical imaginary character is Death, who holds extended conversations with Dorrance while offering an end to her mother’s suffering. Inserts of actual letters and photographs magnify the book’s emotional effect, and the conclusion heightens the drama as Hilda’s fate is revealed.
Polar Vortex is an honest, affecting graphic memoir about a messy series of compromises and reconciliations accompanying end-of-life caregiving.
Reviewed by
Peter Dabbene
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
