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For fans of Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?, an unputdownable debut graphic memoir: The what-fresh-hell story of two whirlwind months in the life of the author, when she suddenly has to care for her dementia-impaired mother, whose last home she urgently needs to find.

When Denise Dorrance’s elderly mother is discovered confused on the floor of her Iowa home, Denise catches the first flight from London and arrives having to organize her immediate care. As her mother experiences the swirling confusion of dementia, hospitalized with the insurance running out, Denise wrestles with childhood memories and a toxic relationship with her sister. Pressure mounts after their mother is abruptly discharged and critical decisions must be made about her future—all as a classic Midwestern polar vortex sweeps through.

In a cinematic style of flowing illustrations that incorporate vintage postcards, photos, and letters, Dorrance brilliantly captures the sadness, frustration, and gallows humor of a situation known to many: suddenly having to care for an aging parent who’s no longer able to live independently, with no good options for what comes next. Polar Vortex compassionately, poignantly, and humorously captures the moment of transition between life as we’ve long known it and life as it must become.