A complex narrative about the past, family and living with the consequences of our choices, as well as humanity’s tragic tendency to forget their history and then keep repeating the same mistakes of the past. 

We follow three main stories concerning an immigrant family in San Francisco, with shorter interludes providing more clues as to the displacement referred to in the title. The characters’ lives are intertwined in a matter that, while intricate, is not too hard to follow, specially with the aid of the timelines provided.

The artwork is beautiful and does a great job in detailing the context of each story, as well as informing the narrative through the use of color. Graphic novels work best when both text and artwork contribute something so that the whole is larger than the sum of the parts, and that’s exactly what happened here. I particularly loved the cover, which makes more sense once you’ve finished the book: it references not only the family tree, but also the literal tree that is at the heart of the displacement story.

Recommended if you’re looking for an intricate, emotionally resonant story. 

Note: I got this book for review purposes through NetGalley.