We Are On Our Own is a graphic novel by Miriam Katin that alternates between the past and present perspectives of a Jewish-Hungarian Holocaust survivor named Lisa. The book includes an appendix with real letters and photographs from Katin’s mother that position Lisa as a fictional manifestation of Katin herself.

We Are On Our Own begins with three-year-old Lisa and her Jewish mother fleeing Hungary disguised as Christian peasants during the final months of Word War II. The pair travels across the Hungarian countryside in search of refuge from Nazi soldiers until the war ends and they can finally return home. Katin intersperses scenes of Lisa grappling with her Jewish faith as she reflects on these fragmented, traumatic memories in adulthood throughout the text.

My favourite scenes from this graphic novel are those in which dogs help Lisa cope with feelings of loss and displacement. I love dogs and can personally connect with Lisa when she allows these canine companions to distract her from the dilemmas she encounters in her fraught life.

If you are interested in World War II/Holocaust history, graphic novels, the 1.5 generation of Holocaust survivors, or narratives about female resilience, then you will love this book.