Reviews

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton

kirbyii's review against another edition

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emotional reflective fast-paced

4.0

bacook0403's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful reflective relaxing fast-paced

5.0

a_schwa's review against another edition

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5.0

This book and it’s author employ an empathetic and system-based lens to the issue of man camps in Alberta’s oil field. All through memoir. It is beautiful.

ineffable97's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad

5.0

sarahrcb's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative medium-paced

3.5

nancyboy's review against another edition

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3.0

as someone who also has been in a very male-dominated industry, got a degree in programming, honestly i can relate to how fucked up it is when you're the only person who isnt a man in the room. at least i have the luxury of going home or just leaving the room.

nancyboy56's review against another edition

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3.0

as someone who also has been in a very male-dominated industry, got a degree in programming, honestly i can relate to how fucked up it is when you're the only person who isnt a man in the room. at least i have the luxury of going home or just leaving the room.

biblio_plus_plus's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

rachelm31f6b's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

jellypy's review against another edition

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5.0

I bought this book not quite knowing what to expect, I was just so excited to see more of Kate Beaton's work years after Hark! a vagrant ended. What I got was a very personal and heartbreaking story, a peek into the years the author worked in the Oil Sands to pay off her student loans.

It's hard to put into words how this novel made me feel. It's full of painfully relatable situations, frustrations, trauma. It's also intercut with funny moments, every day life and genuinely nice people. Sometimes autobiographical stories feel so removed from life, they end up just being stories. Sometimes they feel so human, you feel like you've lived part of it yourself.
This book was difficult at times because it hits very close to home, but it made it seem all the more important. I'm so glad I picked it up.

Fans of Hark! a vagrant might pick up a few references, along with knowing how the webcomic started. Kate Beaton's art is just as expressive as ever. You can really see her talent on full display throughout the novel.

I just think this is something really special.