When Lucy Knisley is given the opportunity to join her aging grandparents on a Caribbean cruise, she figures it will be a great opportunity to spend some quality time together. However, Kinsley’s vacation quickly becomes a comically difficult journey as captured in her 2015 graphic novel, Displacement. Knisley’s “grands,” as she affectionately refers to them, require full-time care. Her grandmother’s dementia and grandfather’s declining health create obstacles that Knisley navigates with patience, humility, and honesty. Knisley tries her hardest to ensure that her grands have a good experience, and while many of the vignettes can be heavy, there are also small victories along the way.
Throughout the travelogue, Knisley weaves in excerpts from her grandfather’s World War II memoir. These stories frame a contrast between the grandfather she knows and the young soldier he once was: the stories of a man who can no longer remember them. They enable Knisley to connect with her grandfather and understand him as more than a caricature of an elderly man.
Charming watercolor illustrations lead the reader through this solid graphic novel that explores aging, family, and connection. Displacement is well worth your time.
