House of Sugar

by Rebecca Kraatz

House of Sugar collects a two-year run of strips in Halifax's The Coast Weekly. Originally published in 2006 (by Tulip Tree) these small, four-panel episodes, with their heavy lines and slightly squashed faces, resemble high school drawings that have grown up. The collection's themes are consistent: our immediate pasts are messy and painful places, but if we look so far back that we have to squint to see, everything is strong and elegant. Autobiographical anecdotes make up the bulk of House of Sugar, detailing Kraatz' childhood in the prairies and West Coast. Recurring characters include her wise and sentimental grandfather, her unattainable peers, and her treasured brother. The book is also peppered with appearances by the various idealized men and women from the 1940s who comfort and inspire Kraatz throughout her life. The stories contain tales of Ogopogo, reasons to not become a makeup artist, Kraatz's experimentation with drugs, and the deflating realization that trapeze artists get runs in their stockings, too. House of Sugar also boasts an introduction by Canadian singer-songwriter Joel Plaskett.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Canada

104 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Drew Canole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some pretty interesting daily strips. I'd call them memoir slice-of-life strips but most have a dream or dream-like element. It's all very lovely. The artstyle is simple, the voice is pleasant. Nothing here to dislike whatsoever. And at just 100 strips it doesn't over stay its welcome.

Kraatz grew up in the Canadian prairies and west coast but these strips were published in Halifax (east coast). There are a lot of references to Canada but I was hoping for a bit more - I loved the strip about the Ogopogo (the Okanagan Lake monster). In the strip Ogopogo sightings are so frequent they become benign.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all-time favourite graphic novels.

[Vanessa Lefebvre · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it so much that I bought copies for all my favourite people. I love seeing those copies in their homes, years later.

[Callie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew I would love this delightful collection of comics when I read the forward written by the author's boyfriend. He talks about their cat which struck a familiar chord with me as I too have a somewhat physically challenged feline.

"The older cat, White Fang, is earless and sleeps 23 hours a day. Fang is a little clumsy because her balance is off and she'll bite you if you pet her the wrong way. Just today, Rebecca asked, 'Fang, are you drunk?'"

Anyway, her comics are thoughtful, sweet, and comforting. Diaries of her childhood, grandpas who cry at sappy commercials, crappy odd jobs, and first loves.

If you're not a "I don't read comics" person, I recommend this whole heartedly!

[Lorra · Rating 4 out of 5]

funny stuff!

[Twan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Childhood memories be real strange sometimes.