Staff Choices

Wow. I will admit, I wasn't sure what to make of this book when I first picked it up, but I'm truly glad I did. This standalone graphic memoir recounts the two years Kate "Katie" Beaton spent working in the Alberta oil sands in Canada as a recent college graduate entering a jobless market. Her perspective is colored by a nexus of layers: she is a young white woman from Cape Breton in Eastern Canada; like many in her home community, she migrates across the country from Francophone Canada to the British-influenced West Coast, and works in a very isolated, hypermasculine environment that wreaks havoc not only on the natural environment and First Nations communities there but also the employees themselves, who risk their health and their lives to support families back home. In her memoir, Katie, who faces her own obstacles, trauma, and--most of all--looming student loans, often wonders, If these men--who could be her brothers, father, uncles--were at home, would they be "normal"? At the same time, the oil sands are such a specific environment (especially in the pre-smartphone era early 2000s) that returning to "normal" society is like entering another dimension. This is a powerful memoir, and reminds readers to consider forgotten populations and the hows and whys of their struggles.

Beaton, an Eisner, Ignatz, Harvey, and Doug Wright Awards-winning cartoonist, renders this memoir in all its complex shades of gray. She doesn't shy away from tough topics, such as rape, the health and environmental impacts of the oil sands, the impact on Indigenous peoples, and the struggle and invisibility of blue collar workers, especially men. At the same time, she doesn't sensationalize either: these problems are widespread, but not graphically drawn; rather, the impact is depicted through vagueness and implication, while coarse dialogue and slang highlights the realistic truth of both flaws and camaraderie. Beaton is also upfront with her own social privilege and imperfect knowledge--she neither knew nor experienced the full tragedy of the oil sands on the lands they used and the people they stole from, but pulls no punches with the dark side of the industry she worked for out of necessity--the dark side of capitalism  and the hypocrisy of the "support" and "reparations" offered by bigwigs to avoid public criticism. Text aside, the panels are organized and readable, with a comfortable balance between text and images, and a grid-like layout that flows easily for both the experienced comics reader and the newcomer just dipping a toe into the medium.

As someone who knows very little about the industry and only general brushstrokes of Canadian history and social complexities, I found this memoir to be both incredibly informative and a riveting read. The title, too, remains with me--although the actual birds only appear briefly in the book, their symbolism is clear--the toxins of the oil industry stick to everyone, are very difficult to dislodge, and may eventually prove fatal. It is also a very difficult experience to imagine unless one knows what is like to be there. Readers of this memoir may also be interested in Tar Sands by Andrew Nikiforuk, Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann, The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan, and Fire on the Water by Jill MacGregor. 

At just under 100 pages, The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler is easily digested in a sitting or two. However, don’t let the length fool you into thinking it falls short on the story. Nayler creates a world and characters crafted around a cause that really captures you on an emotional level. This is one that stuck with me for a while after finishing. 

Dr. Damira Khismatullina has spent her life protecting elephants from poachers. After her murder at the hands of those very poachers, elephants become extinct. A year later, scientists have found a way to resurrect mammoths through ancient DNA. However, they do not carry the instincts to survive in the wild. As an expert in animal behavior, Damira’s previously downloaded consciousness is placed into a mammoth with the hope that she will help teach them to survive. 

It becomes apparent that not everything is as it seems and perhaps it’s not just poachers threatening the survival of these magnificent creatures. 

A fun, fast read, with punchy characters, terrific pacing, and tone-perfect humor. I loved the relationship between the ex-con dad and his seriously ill daughter and the essentially incompetent villain, but the heartfelt and utterly satisfying ending is what really made this book special. Great read.

Avery Cunningham’s debut novel The Mayor of Maxwell Street gives a fascinating look into Prohibition-era Chicago. Penelope “Nelly” Sawyer, the daughter of a wealthy horse breeder from Kentucky, is making her debut in Black society in the summer of 1921. An aspiring journalist, Nelly learns about the elusive Mayor of Maxwell Street, a powerful man who controls Chicago’s underground crime scene. Aided by Jay Shorey, a biracial man passing as white, Nelly becomes entangled in a flurry of criminal activity that threatens her life and the lives of her family and friends.

Against a backdrop of speakeasies, lavish parties, and a multi-cultural night market, the novel explores the effects of Jim Crow laws, class differences in Chicago, and women’s struggles in the 1920s. Along with the narrative are rich details of Art Deco, Chicago historic landmarks, Roaring Twenties fashion, and expensive cars.

While some of the plot points are unrealistic, the overall story was compelling, and I was invested in the ending. I recommend this glamorous story to anyone who enjoys a love story, a riveting historical drama, and a brilliant exploration of Black society and perseverance in a memorable time in history.

The year is 2086, and the world is celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the cure for ESV or "the Sleep," a deadly pandemic. Adam Garfield, now ex-Navy, lost his father to ESV and is currently recovering from a bomb detonation in which he lost a leg. Rather than retire at the age of 28, he is instead recruited to join CNAS, an organization within the military that researches ESV. Adam is to be a "Companion" to the genius "Diver" Rune Winter, aka King, who is one of the most successful--if elusive--people to treat ESV patients: he "dives" into their minds (called "limbo") and heals them. However, Adam and Rune quickly realize that there may be more to ESV than meets the eye...

In a story reminiscent of Satoshi Kon's Paprika, with a gritty USA setting similar to Akimi Yoshida's Banana Fish, tough bro vibes (and loveable dog) like Cowboy Bebop, and a dash of Junji Ito's horror, Ai Tanaka weaves an intriguing and intricate world not so different from our own. The premise is interesting, though it may at times brush the limits of the reader's suspension of disbelief. Originally published in Japan in 2017, parts of the series may also feel prophetic, especially to English readers in 2024. Still, readers will be quickly sympathetic to Adam and Rune. Fans of action, (psychological) suspense, and high-tech sci-fi won't be disappointed. This is a series that I will likely read to its conclusion and am definitely looking forward to volume two!

The Berry Pickers by author Amanda Peters is a moving debut novel. The story begins in 1962 and follows an Indigenous family from Nova Scotia who travel to Maine in summers to do seasonal work. The youngest child, Ruthie, disappears from the field which devastates both her family and especially her brother, Joe, who was the last person to see her.

Two points-of-view helps the reader learn what happens to Ruthie and to Joe’s family. How can they carry on after such a traumatic event in their lives? Can recovery and forgiveness happen? The novel illustrates how life is not always easy, sheds light on what others have experienced and what families will do to protect each other.

This story is well-told and traverses almost 50 years of time in only 300 or so pages. It's the type of story that stays with you. The author has a connection to Mi'kmaq ancestors which adds authenticity and deference to events that could very well have happened.

In an effort to read more non-fiction, I’ve found myself drawn to true crime audiobooks due to their similarity to the podcasts I would listened to once upon a time. My most current read, I Know Who You Are: How an Amateur DNA Sleuth Unmasked the Golden State Killer and Changed Crime Fighting Forever by Barbara Rae-Venter was a truly fascinating listen. If you’ve already read, I'll be gone in the dark : one woman's obsessive search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara, this is a great follow up that can also be read on its own. 

While the Golden State Killer case is discussed, this book covers much more than its namesake case. Along with the criminal cases solved through investigative genealogy, Venter-Rae has also done life changing work for adopted individuals looking for their birth relatives. Without getting to far into the weeds, she also gives you a starter course in genetic genealogy that may leave you wanting to look into your own family history. *Insert shameless plug for AHML Genealogy programming and resources.* 

If you’ve ever been interested in genealogy, the Golden State Killer or true crime in general, pick this one up, you’ll get all three here.  

This book as well as the first one," 6:20 Man " kept me reading and interested every chance I had down time. I looked forward to the next twist and turn to the mystery of the real time crimes. I blasted through these books in hours. I have been reading Baldacci books for a long time. A great story teller. Devine is up there with the characters from the Camel Club series. The facts in both books are well researched.

A cat person myself, the novel piqued my interest for titular reasons, but also authorial ones. Before this, I knew Hiro Arikawa only for Library Wars (for which I'd read the manga but not the original novels...yet!), a futuristic semi-dystopia about libraries fighting against censorship and romance(s) blooming between bibliophiles. I'd enjoyed that series but had no idea what to expect with this book, which is a complete tone and genre switch.

Nana, a hardy stray cat in modern-day Tokyo, is gradually won over by his eventual human, Satoru, who leaves food regularly by Nana's favorite spot on Satoru's silver van. When Nana is suddenly injured, Satoru cares for him and Nana, in true feline fashion, eventually adopts him as his person. Time passes and these two bachelors live happy domestic lives together until one day Satoru decides to take Nana on a road trip in their trusty silver van. They make four stops, each corresponding to a different part of Satoru's life, and the truth behind Satoru's intentions is slowly revealed further at each location.

Told in a combination of Nana's first-person narration and the third-person perspectives of the various characters who appear in the book, the story is heartwarming and small in scope, focusing on the importance and impact one's relationships have on one's life. The humans--or aspects of them--are often reflected in their pets; this reminds readers that animal companions are just as much family members as humans are. With nods to other famous cat-centered works such as Natsume Sōseki's I Am A Cat, this book is a good choice for cat lovers, light novels, and fans of domestic, realistic fiction. Each chapter is connected but fairly self-contained, so it's a book versatile enough to binge or read little by little.

Fans of The Travelling Cat Chronicles may also enjoy The Boy and the Dog by Hase Seishū and If Cats Disappeared from the World by Genki Kawamura, as well as Arikawa's novel The Goodbye Cat, and A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman.

In early 17th century New England, reminiscent of Jamestown, Va., a young servant girl escapes the fort where others are starving, freezing and suffering from smallpox. Her journey in near solitude finds her on a daily quest for simple survival. She knows if she stays it will kill her, so choosing an unknown path to Canada is her only hope. Catching salmon, eating grubs, roasting any small animal she can find, picking berries and roots give a respite in her constant quest to live another day. Details of her bitter cold, her hunger, and several dangerous threats explore the experience of how a human body can survive in untamed nature.
Vaster Wilds is a novel of solitude and loneliness as well. The quiet is deafening, yet her pioneer existence keeps you tearing through the pages rooting for her to survive. Previously in her writing, Lauren Groff has shown us the strength of women in this world and their boundless endurance in the face of obstacles. Her characters are a testament to struggle and durability. Vaster Wilds will take you on a remarkable journey, and have you soul searching and wondering about what it takes to survive in this world.