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schnoebs13's review
3.0
3.5⭐️
Before modern technology, building infrastructure to get cities clean water could be a very dangerous job. The story of Fire on the Water explores one of these infrastructure projects and a fatal gas explosion that comes with its history. But, if it wasn’t for invention of one black man, the death toll would have been so much hire. Discussing racism and a somewhat unknown history, the graphic novel helps to shine a light of part of Cleveland’s past.
Being someone who works with the public water industry on a regular basis, I really enjoyed learning about a different part of its history I wasn’t informed about. Even though it’s based on a true story, the graphic novel took some liberties which I’m not too sure I could get behind. I understand that death is a major theme but I wasn’t the biggest fan of the death angels through out the story. Additionally, the art style wasn’t my favorite and that took a bit away from the story as well. What I did enjoy was learning more of the cultural tensions at the times the story behind of the hoods, and in general learning more about the history of the public water industry.
Before modern technology, building infrastructure to get cities clean water could be a very dangerous job. The story of Fire on the Water explores one of these infrastructure projects and a fatal gas explosion that comes with its history. But, if it wasn’t for invention of one black man, the death toll would have been so much hire. Discussing racism and a somewhat unknown history, the graphic novel helps to shine a light of part of Cleveland’s past.
Being someone who works with the public water industry on a regular basis, I really enjoyed learning about a different part of its history I wasn’t informed about. Even though it’s based on a true story, the graphic novel took some liberties which I’m not too sure I could get behind. I understand that death is a major theme but I wasn’t the biggest fan of the death angels through out the story. Additionally, the art style wasn’t my favorite and that took a bit away from the story as well. What I did enjoy was learning more of the cultural tensions at the times the story behind of the hoods, and in general learning more about the history of the public water industry.
saramschacht's review
emotional
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
pixey007's review
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
thecommonswings's review
3.0
An enjoyable, if somewhat pedestrian, tale of corporate greed, environmental destruction and racism that is sadly still all too relevant. It’s very well written and drawn on a technical level, but has a sort of plod to some of the writing and drawing that’s hard to love. It’s also slightly easily distracted by the trap of trying to replicate regional accents that gives it a slightly awkward and clumsy tone that could have been so easily avoided. But it’s a very worthy book, in all sense of the word, and an important story. I just wish it was slightly more stylistically confident to be its own thing
greedy_dahlia's review
informative
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Racism
Minor: Animal death
chwils594's review
4.0
The art was great and I loved the time period but when I hit the afterward telling the life story of one of the main characters and he had a different name I got very confused. Beat for beat, this man's story matched the novel. But they used a fictional character? I know non-fiction graphic novels exist so I thought it was an odd choice to fictionalize the story when it pretty closely matches. Still nice to see Ohio's history shown to the wider world, warts and all. Great story!
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