Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton

9 reviews

carlar's review

challenging dark emotional funny informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

This was a really tough read due to the subject matter and the fact that it happened to one of my favorite webcomic artists back in high school. I already knew about her sister passing away when she published an article about how her sister's death could have been prevented, but to know that she also struggled with all this was heartbreaking, especially since her sister never got to read it. 

It took me longer than I expected to finish it because the casual misogyny, although interspersed with humor, was relentless and you end up feeling like this could have easily happened to you (if you're a woman and haven't already dealt with it before). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Sexism

Moderate: Racial slurs, Death, Racism, and Genocide

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Animal death

iirreeaadd's review

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

4.75

Very good. Very hard to get through at points. Complex and nuanced and difficult. Worth reading for sure

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, and Rape

Moderate: Colonisation, Death, Grief, Addiction, Emotional abuse, and Drug abuse

Minor: Animal death

traa's review

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Stalking, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Infidelity

Moderate: Mental illness, Grief, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Car accident, Classism, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Colonisation, Cursing, Drug use, and Gaslighting

Minor: Blood, Body horror, Fatphobia, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Cancer, and Excrement

ktdakotareads's review

dark informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Addiction, Toxic friendship, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Drug use, and Sexism

Moderate: Bullying, Grief, Infidelity, and Fatphobia

pewter's review

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

We Cape Bretoners have always had to live in two places for the sake of the almighty dollar, and this story just feels so validating. This deep yearning from home is portrayed lovingly and carefully by Beaton in lyrics and accents, alongside of a deeper fear of losing one's self to a place. Frightening and phenomenal - this is a must read for anyone who's had to leave home, but also for those of us who have empty seats at the table. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment and Sexual assault

Moderate: Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault

Minor: Addiction, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Cancer, Cursing, Gaslighting, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Mental illness, Colonisation, Stalking, Rape, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Bullying, Car accident, and Grief

probablypenelope's review

dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Grief

Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Car accident, Classism, and Colonisation

annabunce's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

Every Canadian should read this book. An incredible window into a world we all benefit from

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Grief, Gaslighting, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Rape, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexism, and Infidelity

Moderate: Animal death, Alcohol, and Death

Minor: Addiction

apoppyinthewind's review

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

5.0

This book is going to stay with me for a while, it’s a heartbreaking, enraging recount of working in male dominated oil industry. I highly recommend reading this but be warned it does deal with sexual assault & the awful misogyny Beaton experienced while working in oil sands camps in Alberta. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Car accident, Colonisation, Grief, Rape, Alcohol, Animal death, Bullying, and Cursing

Minor: Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, and Racial slurs

honeymonster's review

dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

I have been a Kate Beaton fan since Livejournal.  I have all of her solo books.  I love her, in that fangirl sort of don't-really-know-her way.  So of course I pre-ordered this book.  And it is.. just amazing.

Ducks is the story of Beaton working in the Canadian oil fields to pay off her student loans.  It shows you the loneliness and isolation, plus all of the gross shit the women had to put up with, some of it from other women.  But little moments of hope and humanity still work their way in.  It's not all grim, but maybe that makes it worse?  There are no easy answers, and Beaton does not try to provide them.

I loved the art in this book, her usual cartoony style interspersed with maps and detailed, amazing full page landscapes.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gaslighting, Grief, Rape, Alcohol, Addiction, Animal death, Body shaming, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Car accident, Classism, Colonisation, Drug use, and Misogyny