by Kay Sohini
First published 2025
Kay Sohini chronicles her journey from trauma survivor to New York City resident in this graphic memoir. After leaving behind an abusive relationship in India, Sohini arrives at JFK Airport with little more than determination to start over. She discovers that trauma has created gaps in her memory, forcing her to reconstruct not just her life but her sense of self. Sohini finds herself in the city that once housed her literary heroes like Kerouac, Plath, and Bechdel. Through vivid illustrations and honest storytelling, she documents how wandering New York's streets becomes both refuge and teacher. The city doesn't always reciprocate her affection, yet it provides unexpected healing. Sohini explores how displacement can lead to belonging, how places can save us in surprising ways, and what it takes to build an authentic life from scratch. This memoir examines the complex relationship between trauma and memory, between loving a place and being loved back by it.
Genres: literary-fiction, autobiography, graphic-novels, contemporary, memoir, biography-memoir
Vibes: healing-journey, intimate, introspective, lyrical, raw-honest, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family, place-as-character, unreliable-memory
Setting: New York City, JFK Airport, India
Period: Contemporary
128 pages · Hardcover · Ten Speed Graphic
Content warnings: abuse, emotional-abuse