misterfix's review
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.25
I could have continued reading about Kate's experiences for another 400 or more with pleasure, despite the often difficult and upsetting subject matter. This book is so balanced and rings with such truth. I've had a few jobs and experiences that contained elements of what she describes and I'm so glad she wrote this, though I'm angry and sad that she was treated the way she was. At the same time, she captured the wonderful elements of being part of a crew & sharing a unique bonding experience - you're a dysfunctional family.
It's a tremendous task to tell an insider account of this world and be fair yet truthful with yourself and the people in your world. The author beautifully opens the reader's eyes to the multiple layers and factors that create these environments. Additionally, how she handled the realization and guilt associated with working this sort of job and acknowledging your complicity in the impact on the environment was so well handled.
I'm eager to seek out and read more of this author's work.
It's a tremendous task to tell an insider account of this world and be fair yet truthful with yourself and the people in your world. The author beautifully opens the reader's eyes to the multiple layers and factors that create these environments. Additionally, how she handled the realization and guilt associated with working this sort of job and acknowledging your complicity in the impact on the environment was so well handled.
I'm eager to seek out and read more of this author's work.
edgwareviabank's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
I don't usually read graphic novels, but I'd read plenty of reviews that suggested Kate Beaton's style and tone would resonate with me, so finding Ducks at the library was a great chance to see for myself. I was also curious about the subject matter (the oil sands, and the lives of the people working there), which was completely new to me.
This is excellent for readers who appreciate subtle dark humour, room to make up their own mind on topics that can be bleak and difficult to talk about (there's a lot of subtext, though the author gets to spelling things out more clearly towards the end of the book), and relatable experiences around the concepts of belonging and home.
I loved the illustrations, which give a good idea of the scale of the plants and their impact on the nature surrounding them, even to someone who hasn't ever set foot in Canada (yet). I also appreciated the portrayal of the workers as complex, flawed humans, within a context that could easily have lent itself to clear-cut, black-and-white judgement. For every episode that made me unquestionably angry with men and about the behaviour of men (of which there are plenty), there was one that made me see the contradictions some of those men carried inside them, or remember there are good people to be found even in a harsh environment such as the one of the camps. As Kate Beaton says in her closing notes, this is about her personal experience in the oil sands and the people she met, and given the nature of some of the things she went through, it's remarkable she could write and illustrate it with so much nuance. Her book gives a very clear sense of how and why this is the kind of experience that stays with people for life.
This is excellent for readers who appreciate subtle dark humour, room to make up their own mind on topics that can be bleak and difficult to talk about (there's a lot of subtext, though the author gets to spelling things out more clearly towards the end of the book), and relatable experiences around the concepts of belonging and home.
I loved the illustrations, which give a good idea of the scale of the plants and their impact on the nature surrounding them, even to someone who hasn't ever set foot in Canada (yet). I also appreciated the portrayal of the workers as complex, flawed humans, within a context that could easily have lent itself to clear-cut, black-and-white judgement. For every episode that made me unquestionably angry with men and about the behaviour of men (of which there are plenty), there was one that made me see the contradictions some of those men carried inside them, or remember there are good people to be found even in a harsh environment such as the one of the camps. As Kate Beaton says in her closing notes, this is about her personal experience in the oil sands and the people she met, and given the nature of some of the things she went through, it's remarkable she could write and illustrate it with so much nuance. Her book gives a very clear sense of how and why this is the kind of experience that stays with people for life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment
Moderate: Sexism and Rape
morag's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Drug use, Addiction, and Drug abuse