Polar Vortex

Polar Vortex is a graphic memoir by Denise Dorrance and her debut in the form. It covers two whirlwind months in her life, beginning when her elderly mother is found confused on the floor of her home in Iowa. Denise takes the first flight from London and lands having to arrange immediate care, with the added task of finding her mother's last home.

Her mother is hospitalized and living with the swirling confusion of dementia, and her insurance is running out. Denise also wrestles with childhood memories and a toxic relationship with her sister. Pressure builds when their mother is abruptly discharged and critical decisions about her future cannot be put off, all while a classic Midwestern polar vortex sweeps through.

The art has a cinematic, flowing style and weaves in vintage postcards, photos, and letters. It portrays the sadness, frustration, and gallows humor of suddenly caring for an aging parent who can no longer live independently, with no good options for what comes next. The book treats with compassion and humor the moment of passing from life as we have long known it to the life that must follow.