Review by kaitlyncookies - Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands

kaitlyncookies 's review for:

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton

4.75

dark emotional informative reflective fast-paced

I absolutely loved this graphic memoir. I love when I can get a behind the scenes look at a new industry or career, and honestly I had no idea what kinds of jobs existed in the oil sands. Beaton's experience is especially illuminating because she is a female working in an overwhelmingly male dominated field. The thing Beaton does incredibly well in this memoir is she never forgets that everyone she interacts with in the oil sands is a human being, and someone whose behaviour and attitudes have ultimately been shaped by their environment.

Beaton experiences some of the worst workplace dynamics I've ever read about and yet, she never dehumanizes any of her coworkers, an astonishing feat after everything we see Beaton experience.

Overall I think this is an incredibly important memoir that sheds light on a troubling industry that nonetheless continues to play a significant part in the Canadian economy. It also adds to the growing conversation about what happens to those who live in a place without viable employment opportunities, and the choice that must be made between living where you desire versus where you must

Content Warnings