Ducks by Kate Beaton is a beloved graphic novel. Beaton was a young college graduate from Nova Scotia when she decided to head out west to Alberta to earn some quick money in the oil sands to pay off her student loans. Once there, she discovers the loneliness of being one of the few women in the camps and she suffers sexual harassment and sexual assault at the hands of her co-workers, while her other, mostly male co-workers, refuse to acknowledge there is a problem, or, worse, minimize it.
The oil fields are also controversial because of the environmental impact - the title refers to ducks who get caught in the run-off and die - and because they are on stolen First Nations land and make many indigenous people sick.
I read this just days after the election in the United States and I felt this is my soul. Many pundits are saying that the economy is responsible for the election results (do people really think a man whose businesses have declared bankruptcy half a dozen times is going to make grocery prices cheaper?) and this panel from the book (this character is based on Celina Harpe, a Cree woman) really resonated at that moment.
But, as much as I admired this participant observation ethnography, and Beaton's bravery in telling her story, I didn't love this. I sometimes didn't know what happened/didn't know what the art was trying to tell me. I wish that this had been a narrative memoir. I know Kate Beaton is a cartoonist and this was used as a showcase for her art, but I legitimately couldn't tell a lot of the characters apart and I wanted more of an explanation of things. In the end, I am not as good at reading visuals as I am at just reading.
 |
| I hesitate to tell you how long it took me to figure out what was going on here. |
But I think this is a me problem. Outside of Wake by Rebecca Hall, I have consistently rated graphic books as "meh."
This one is meh, too. 3.5/5 stars
Hat mentions (why hats?):
Four hard hats, one "Needs a hat" (page 345), two white hats, and one white hard hat for a total of eight.
*********************
Do you enjoy reading graphic books?
I read this too - I thought some of the art was stunning, but I find in general graphic books don't flow for me - something about the panels and the dialogue/text just seems choppy as I read it. I'm always feeling like I'm switching my brain between looking at the images and reading the words. I also feel like I speed through them since there is relatively little text compared to a book, but then I feel bad that I'm not taking time to really look at the visuals.
ReplyDeleteYes. I'm happy these types of books are out there for people who like them. If it makes sense for their brains, great. But I'm with you, I don't really think I'm well trained in how to get the most out of them.
DeleteI don't read graphic novels- but I think I could, if I really liked the artwork. This one sounds interesting, but I doubt I would read it. And- I've been assuming all along that the economy is the reason for the election results, which is pretty sad. I'm not going to start ranting about it here (maybe another time!)
ReplyDeleteYou can rant here, Jenny. It's a safe place for all election-related rants.
DeleteI have read this one and really liked it. But then again, I really enjoy graphic novels because I'm a visual person (master's in art history!) so I think they just play to my natural proclivities.
ReplyDeleteI get that! I wish I enjoyed them more, but maybe if I keep reading them, I'll figure it out.
DeleteI got this from the library, not realizing that it was a graphic novel, and I just couldn't do it. That is not my way of reading and I just could not get into it. So while I did not read the entire thing, or barely even any of it, I would say for me, it is also meh.
ReplyDeleteIt's such an interesting story! I really do wish she'd just written it out in narrative form for people like us.
DeleteGraphic novels are not my thing (with a reluctant exception for Alison Bechdel). Words! Just give me words!
ReplyDeleteGlad you wrote about it though, thanks.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read this one (or many graphic novels either) but I am sure it's not just a you thing. I think it takes practice as with anything to "get into" graphic novel reading - and there are easier and harder ones as well, where maybe the writer/illustrator thinks that you "know" things and how to read the panels already? It might be the case with this one.
I've never read [looked at?] a graphic novel. No reason why other than they don't call to me when I'm in a store looking at books.
ReplyDeleteI'm not into graphic novels. When I want to read a book, I want to read it. It's just that simple. I died at you hesitating to tell us how long it took you to get what was going on in those pages. Hee hee.
ReplyDeleteI read and really appreciated this book but I do like graphic memoirs. A friend of mine's ex-husband used to work in oil fields so it gave me some insight into his life when he was still doing that (and it's impact on their marriage). But if this isn't the medium for you, I can see why it didn't work.
ReplyDelete