Shadow Life — Hiromi Goto

Poet and novelist Hiromi Goto effortlessly blends wry, observational slice-of-life literary fiction with poetic magical realism in this tender and surprising graphic novel Shadow Life, with haunting art from debut artist Ann Xu.

When Kumiko''s well-meaning adult daughters place her in a nursing home, the seventy-six-year-old widow quietly rebels. She goes on the lam, finding herself a cozy bachelor apartment where she agreeably skypes with her anxious children while keeping her location a secret. Kumiko revels in the small, daily pleasures of her independent life: decorating her new home, cooking her own meals, and swimming in the community pool. But a shadow dogs her steps-Death''s shadow.

When the Shadow finally makes its move, fast-thinking and a handy vacuum allow Kumiko to gain the upper hand. But how can an old woman keep her fate trapped in the dust bag of her vacuum cleaner?