Flying Couch: A Graphic Memoir

Kurzweil intersperses loose anecdotes from her own life with stories of her grandmother’s survival in Poland during World War II, to present portraits of three generations of women in her family. As a child, Amy is anxious and frequently unable to sleep. Her mother, a psychotherapist, offers wordy lectures on stress management. Amy’s grandmother Bubbe is introduced as a tanned, tube top–wearing retiree who protects her carpets with tacky beach towels. Bubbe’s struggles during the war are the strongest part of this book, but unfortunately Kurzweil’s cartoony drawing style, mostly devoid of backgrounds or traditional panel structures, often fails to do these harrowing experiences justice. Kurzweil is clearly a devote of Alison Bechdel, but this book lacks the refinement of Fun Home. One revealing page juxtaposes an image of Amy standing mournfully beside the Wailing Wall with one of her smiling and giving a peace sign while riding a camel. Is she a sojourner or a tourist? The various strands of this book never quite come together. (Oct.)