Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
‘The House’ by Paco Roca struck me hard personally, since the book is about three siblings sorting and fixing up their family vacation home after their father passes away, with each of them reminiscing about their childhood memories. Just last year, we lost our grandmother, and our father is the eldest of three siblings, each of whom had a completely different relationship with their mother. So, there were quite some moments from this Paco Roca graphic novel that resonated with me as a reader.
With his lively cartoonish art style, Paco Roca draws a memorable slice-of-life book about a family coming to terms with the death of a loved one, while reviewing their own memories of the holiday home they spent their summers in. The flashbacks are tinted in a different color, for readers to easily distinguish between the past and the present, a detail I really appreciated, because some graphic novels can get quite confusing otherwise.
The siblings aren’t on the best of terms, but they come together to take care of the house, while bickering and bonding over a shared past. ‘The House’ first introduces middle child Jose, a writer, who is at the family house with his wife, fixing up a few things that are in desperate need to repair. His elder brother Vicente comes along with his wife and teen son, and seems to the most cynical one, while their youngest sister Carla is more laid-back, with a toddler daughter and a ‘hippie’ husband. They all have mixed feelings about selling the property, each momentarily feeling they should keep it, so they all find themselves torn between sentimentality and practicality, something anybody who’s been in a similar situation will find relatable. Their father, Miguel, looms large throughout the book as a hardworking man who frequently changed jobs—always related to cars—and built the house himself, with help from his three children.
Some parts of ‘The House’ might simply seem banal to a few readers, but beautiful to those who enjoy leisurely paced stories exploring the complex or even simple connections shared between family members. One of the most powerful scenes in The House is a flashback where Miguel goes to the doctor with his daughter, Carla and she casually mentions that Vincent, the eldest sibling, suggested selling Miguel’s car since he can no longer drive, and the maintenance isn’t worth it. Miguel’s expression shifts to sadness, though Carla seems unaware of the impact of her words. It underscores the disconnect between the children and Miguel, who despite knowing how much he loves his car, don’t realize what it would mean to take it away from him. Conversely, the siblings realize their own attachment to the family house, only after losing their father.
This is my second time reading a Paco Roca book, the first being his memoir Memoirs of a Man in Pajamas, which was engaging enough but didn’t compel me to explore more of his work. At the time, I wasn’t aware of how celebrated he is as a Spanish cartoonist, but The House has changed that, and now I can’t wait to read his other books. If you’re already a fan of the artist and haven’t read The House, definitely get yourself a copy for a nostalgic, familial ride.
Rating: 5 on 5.
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