A review by linkalipski
Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton

challenging dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

4.5

Now that I’ve finished it, I’m a little unclear regarding the title choice. Sometimes scenes jumps around and I was finding it a bit jarring but regardless.. It’s a story worth reading! 
 
Her experience is rough. I had tears when she was bonding with her sister over sexual abuse.

I was shocked that she needed to go there to experience such sexism & harassment but then the rest of Canada is rather safe on that front. I have experienced that here in Europe since I’m pubescent, but thankfully not as a line up of dudes during -40 degrees so I count myself lucky! I relate with her experience as a woman and the toughness of the oilsands reminded of my work in a mental health hospital. 

She did a good job at showing all facets of people and to paint a picture reflective of the paradoxes and complexities that is human life in a harsh environment. I wished I knew how she filled her days afterwards and how she copes now that she’s gone.

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