Hey Readers,
Yay, it’s Friday! I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for a couple days of rest. I had a lot of classwork this week, but I was still able to make time for another read.
This time I read Displacement by Kiku Hughes.
I’m not huge on historical fiction, though I have enjoyed it in the past. That coupled with the scifi element seemed intriguing, so I couldn’t pass up this read.
How’d it go? Let’s find out!
Blurb
A teenager is pulled back in time to witness her grandmother’s experiences in World War II-era Japanese internment camps.
Kiku is on vacation in San Francisco when suddenly she finds herself displaced to the 1940s Japanese-American internment camp that her late grandmother, Ernestina, was forcibly relocated to during World War II.
These displacements keep occurring until Kiku finds herself “stuck” back in time. Living alongside her young grandmother and other Japanese-American citizens in internment camps, Kiku gets the education she never received in history class. She witnesses the lives of Japanese-Americans who were denied their civil liberties and suffered greatly, but managed to cultivate community and commit acts of resistance in order to survive.
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The Review
Kiku and her mother are visiting San Francisco. Kiku has never known much about her family’s history, but after they return home to Seattle she suddenly finds herself whisked away to the 1940’s during the era of Japanese American internment camps with no way back. With no other option but to wait it out, Kiku personally experiences the atrocities of this tragic time in America while learning of her heritage.
Wow, talk about an impactful graphic novel!
This was a wonderfully executed story that merges fiction and nonfiction in an intriguing way.
Kiku, like many of us millennials and Gen Z individuals, has a very watered down sense of heritage. That made her very easy to relate to, as I myself don’t know much of my cultural heritage to this day. As she goes through a tough journey through time, her character develops depth and builds confidence, courage, and resiliency. I also enjoyed the characters of her mother, May, and Ernestina.
The artwork was beautiful and had a realistic feel to it, with the occasional nod to manga style. It made the story even more addicting.
The main plot takes place in the 1940s with some back and forth to the present. I loved the scifi element since that’s one of my go-to genres, and that was a great segue to historical fiction. The exploration of the 1940s covered the theme of racism in a way that was shocking, but not too hard hitting for younger readers.
Overall, I think any lover of historical fiction and scifi will enjoy this book and the messages within. Don’t miss out on this one!
That’s A Wrap!
Well that’s it for this graphic novel review. I hope you enjoyed it!
Have you read this graphic novel? Are there similar ones you’ve read that you simply have to gush about? Feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to start a conversation!
Have a great day!
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