Ducks by Kate Beaton is a beloved graphic memoir. 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.
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| 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.
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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!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I didn't even really care for Fun Home. I just would rather have the words, too!
DeleteGlad 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 don't know. I've read dozens of them, so it's not like I'm a newbie. But I am glad that graphic books are taking on more serious topics these days.
DeleteI'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.
ReplyDeleteThey're usually shelved off in a place I'd never go to, so I can see how they would miss you if you didn't seek them out.
DeleteI'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 just looked at those panels AGAIN and it took me a long time to figure out what was going on once more. I've spent more time on those four panels than I have entire chapters of books I've read.
DeleteI 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.
ReplyDeleteI remember when the book came out - it drew lots of attention and I feel like the work of the oil sands workers got lots of attention. I hope it helped with some of the gender relation issues there, too.
DeleteI'm not really into Graphic Novels either, I think the most I ever got into comic books was Betty and Veronica when I was a kid, and then when Buffy the Vampire Slayer had an 8th season via comics, I bought and read those. They were trippy! I didn't read the 9th season though, because the 8th season pissed me off so much (SPOILER ALERT) when Angelus killed Giles. NOT OK.
ReplyDeleteThis one does sound really interesting though, and I might check it out from the library.
I've read and loved some graphic novels, though. I'll list them here, in case anyone is interested:
The Tale of One Bad Rat - Bryan Talbot - Probably my very favorite.
We Are On Our Own - Miriam Katin - a memoir about escaping from WWII Hungary.
I Killed Adolph Hitler - Jason - time travel in order to...guess what
This One Summer - Jillian and Maniko Tamaki
Jimmy Corrigan - Chris Ware
Persepolis - Margaine Satrapi (maybe a typo there, I can't read my writing) - Another memoir, about growing up in Iran and the underground culture there.
I did read Persepolis and it was another book that I thought was important, but I didn't actually like reading very much. I found it just didn't speak to me and I think the medium is the problem. I probably should just stop trying to read these books!
DeleteI think I too lack the proper lens to read graphic novels... That said, I've enjoyed some of the greats--Maus, Persepolis, Fun Home, etc. And someone I know wrote+drew their doctoral dissertation as a graphic novel https://www.kaysohini.com/graphic-dissertation
ReplyDeleteYeah, well, you're going to be disappointed in me because I also was pretty meh on Persepolis and Fun Home. Maus was pretty impressive, though. Oh, well. It's just not a genre for me!
DeleteI appreciate graphic novels/non-fiction. I've enjoyed several: Here by Richard McGuire, Alone by Christophe Chaboute, Stiches by David Small, Maus by Art Spiegelman, and several others by Jeff Lemire.
ReplyDeleteMaus was really impressive, I agree!
DeleteI have never read any graphic novel. Which basically tells you everything – I have no desire to pick the up.
ReplyDeleteThey're definitely not for everyone.
DeleteI usually don't love graphic novels, but I love Kate Beaton and I thought this was amazing. Loved Fun Home too.
ReplyDeleteI want to love them, but I don't. That's fine! I'm just not the audience for it.
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