"toxic" is a graphic novel that takes readers on a visual tour of the ecuadorian amazon, exploring the devastating impacts of oil drilling on local communities and the environment. the book heavily discusses the importance of the environmental impacts of oil extraction in a very accessible way making it especially suitable for younger audiences. it simplifies complex processes and topics and explains them with the help of vivid and gorgeous artwork.

my only true issue with the book are the characters and their interactions. the character interactions feel one-dimensional and feel more like a medium via which the author makes their points versus actual real people. it reminded me of the plays we had to do in school to present academic topics in an "immersive" way, if you know what i'm talking about. the focus is primarily on the environmental narrative rather than character or plot progress. there is occasional info dumping too but it aligns with the educational purpose of the book, similar in nature to a guided tour that aims to raise awareness, so i couldn't really complain much about it.

overall, "toxic" is a powerful and visually striking graphic novel that sheds light on the environmental and social ramifications of oil drilling in the amazon. it makes readers reflect on their own roles in the production and consumption of this pollution, making it a vital addition to discussions about environmental justice. while the characters may not be the best, the book's educational value makes it a good read.

When I first saw the cover, I assumed this book was a sci-fi graphic novel. Little did I know that it was far from science fiction—it tackles the harsh reality of environmental pollution caused by the oil industry in Ecuador.

I knew very little about the country or its severe environmental issues before reading this book. In that sense, it was a real eye-opener. The story is built around the concept of a “toxic tour,” presenting a compilation of personal experiences and individual stories that highlight the human cost of environmental degradation.

I must admit I may not be the book’s primary target audience. For younger readers, the amount of information and factual content might feel overwhelming. At times, it seems like the focus is more on packing in as many facts as possible rather than crafting a smooth, easy-to-follow narrative. However, this wealth of information makes it an excellent resource for educational settings, where it can spark important discussions about environmental issues and corporate responsibility.

Despite the heavy subject matter, there is a glimmer of hope in the story. The participants of the toxic tour walk away profoundly changed, carrying their new awareness with them and seeing their surroundings in a different light.

The artwork is particularly striking. The intense colors contrast sharply with shadowy shapes reminiscent of oil slicks, emphasizing the ever-present nature of the pollution problem. This visual style powerfully reinforces the book’s message.

Overall, this graphic novel delivers an important and impactful message. I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn more about Ecuador’s environmental challenges through such a compelling medium.

Based on real issues and experiences, we learn about oil contamination in the Ecuadorian Amazon. We follow a group of 3 tourists as they visit waste pits, locals, and various areas who have been affected by the toxins produced by the oil industry. The conversations paired with the artstyle and use of black strokes highlight prevailing issues while being informative and impactful

Thanks NetGalley and UT Press for the arc!

When I first saw the cover, I assumed this book was a sci-fi graphic novel. Little did I know that it was far from science fiction—it tackles the harsh reality of environmental pollution caused by the oil industry in Ecuador.

I knew very little about the country or its severe environmental issues before reading this book. In that sense, it was a real eye-opener. The story is built around the concept of a “toxic tour,” presenting a compilation of personal experiences and individual stories that highlight the human cost of environmental degradation.

I must admit I may not be the book’s primary target audience. For younger readers, the amount of information and factual content might feel overwhelming. At times, it seems like the focus is more on packing in as many facts as possible rather than crafting a smooth, easy-to-follow narrative. However, this wealth of information makes it an excellent resource for educational settings, where it can spark important discussions about environmental issues and corporate responsibility.

Despite the heavy subject matter, there is a glimmer of hope in the story. The participants of the toxic tour walk away profoundly changed, carrying their new awareness with them and seeing their surroundings in a different light.

The artwork is particularly striking. The intense colors contrast sharply with shadowy shapes reminiscent of oil slicks, emphasizing the ever-present nature of the pollution problem. This visual style powerfully reinforces the book’s message.

Overall, this graphic novel delivers an important and impactful message. I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn more about Ecuador’s environmental challenges through such a compelling medium.

**Book Review: *Toxic* by Amelia Fiske and Jonas Fischer**

*Toxic* is a powerful and thought-provoking graphic novel that takes readers deep into the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazon, offering an unflinching look at the devastating consequences of oil contamination. Through a creative and impactful blend of storytelling and illustration, Amelia Fiske and Jonas Fischer manage to educate, provoke, and deeply move their audience.

The book's narrative framework follows three fictional participants on a "toxic tour" through the Amazon, a concept rooted in real-life environmental activism. This innovative approach brings the urgency of the environmental crisis to life, as readers experience the waste pits, gas flares, and struggles of local communities through the eyes of these characters. By blending personal experiences with local knowledge, *Toxic* captures the immediacy of environmental harm in a way that is both intimate and visceral.

Fiske's extensive research and fieldwork are evident in the authenticity and depth of the story. The narrative challenges readers to confront difficult questions about environmental justice, historical accountability, and the burden placed on those most affected by industrial pollution. It shines a light on the global interconnectedness of pollution, asking us to reflect on our roles as consumers and participants in systems that perpetuate environmental harm.

Jonas Fischer's illustrations are stunning and haunting. The artwork vividly portrays the Amazon's beauty alongside the stark realities of its contamination. The visual storytelling adds a layer of emotional resonance, making the book's themes even more impactful.

*Toxic* is not just a book; it is an urgent call to action. It demands reflection, empathy, and a commitment to change. Whether you are an environmental activist, a student, or simply someone concerned about the future of our planet, this graphic novel is an essential read. It is a reminder that the fight against environmental degradation is not just a local issue but a global one—and one that implicates us all.

Highly recommended for anyone who wants to better understand the human and environmental cost of industrial pollution. This is a story that stays with you long after you turn the last page.

This graphic novel tells an interesting, albeit truly sad, and cruel story about oil mining in the Amazon.

It is told in the form of the main characters going on the toxic tour, which resembles a real experience that the authors went on.
Important topics are discussed throughout, and life stories from people who live in the area can be heard.
This truly opened my eyes to topics I knew nothing about.

The art style wasn't my cup of tea, although I liked how everything had dark marks on it, to symbolize the oil spills. I do think that it worked well with this topic.
I love the custom font based on lettering.

The main thing I didn't like is that some not-so-well-known things (mainly technical ones) were skimmed over and explained briefly, while the things that I feel should be left to the reader to contemplate were overly explained.

However, this book definitely introduced me to a topic I knew nothing about and made me think.
To quote one of the characters:
- Are you glad you came on the tour today?
- Glad? Well, that wouldn't be the first word that comes to mind. But I think it was important. I can't look at things the same way now.

That is exactly how I feel about this book.

Thanks to NetGalley, authors, and publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“Toxic” explores the oil spills in Ecuadorian Amazon as recounted by a local to anthropologist Amelia Fiske and illustrator Jonas Fischer. It’s an expressive way to tell the important, painful and hard-to-see story of the slow violence of fossil fuel’s environmental destruction. Fischer’s visual style, with bold black strokes, mimics the oil’s pollution, which seeps into everything: leaves, people’s clothing, their skin, the water, the skies. We get a glimpse of the history of industrialization and extraction in the Amazon, as well as the ecological impact on animals and, especially, on the local people’s health. The tourists who take the tour are lightly sketched as people interested in social and environmental justice, and some of them have similar problems “at home” (eg. the tourist from the US). It’s a really valuable thing, to transform the knowledge from a PHD into a graphic novel, and in this case it works pretty well!

This graphic novel illustrates the way oil consumption has, and still is impacting our world. Primarily set in Ecuador, and follows a small selection of characters as they explore the ‘toxic tours’. Although the illustrations were not to my particular taste, I did think they were powerful and raw. I enjoyed this graphic novel overall, and believe it would be highly suited to a classroom conversation or a book club pick for younger readers.

Thank you ethnoGRAPHIC for a copy of Toxic!

"Over the past decade, people have learned about oil contamination in the Ecuadorian Amazon through "Toxic Tours" in which a guide brings participants – students, lawyers, environmental activists, journalists, or foreign tourists – to visit contaminated sites. These toxic tours combine personal experience and local knowledge to convince visitors of the immediacy of environmental issues."

Highly, highly recommend. I picked this up on a whim and learned so much. Will be reading Crude next thanks to this graphic novel!

No creo que, por la paleta de colores y el estilo del texto, sea un libro fácil de entender y seguir. Por ello, no se entendia el contexto de al historia.

This graphic novel takes us on a "toxic tour" of the Ecuadorian Amazon to show us the contamination left behind by the Oil extraction companies that operate in the area. These toxic tours are real, as well as our guide Donald.
The art style is not my favourite but it suits the story so well.
I had no idea of what has been going on the Ecuadorian Amazon and I am in shock after finding out. All that contamination, the health issues caused by it, the companies not really taking responsibility for all of it... it's just so surreal.
I would totally recommend this book to everyone who wants to learn about this problem or just anyone interested in the enviroment.

This is more of an academic text for class discussion. The graphic novel, which is the majority, is about a toxic tour, which takes visitors on a tour of lands in the Amazon and town affected by the nearby oil refineries. The tourists are an Italian man who lives in that country, a young woman from another part of the country and a Black woman from California. There is great information in the text. The art is blocky and simple in the style of Afro-Latinx artist Breena Nuñez. This is a heavy use of black ink to denote how there is oil everywhere even in scenes where isn't not mention as if it cast a shadow over everything. The discussion questions and bibliogrpahy in the back are very helpful for further study. I loved the question of what would you tell people if you gave a tour of where you grew up.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this title. This was a beautiful, real life representation of the Amazon and Ecuador and the state of things and the tours that happen.

This was not for me. The conversation is much needed and I appreciate the themes and values emphasised in this graphic novel, but I had high expectations which were not fully met. When there are such important topics such as the environment, contamination, health hazards, the destruction of nature and life, I would like to read something that smoothly blends the narrative and characters and with more depth and layers.
I was not a fan of the art style, though the colour schemes and the depiction of action were cool. I wanted to like this more.
Nevertheless, I am glad this graphic novel exists.

Review: Toxic: A Tour of the Ecuadorian Amazon by Amelia Fiske and Jonas Fischer

Toxic: A Tour of the Ecuadorian Amazon by Amelia Fiske and Jonas Fischer is an excellent graphic novel that brings a crucial issue to the forefront. First and foremost, I would like to congratulate the author for choosing such an important topic. Through the medium of a graphic novel, this issue will reach a much wider audience, particularly young readers who are the future of our world.

The story revolves around the "Toxic Tours," a unique way of educating people about the oil contamination in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Drawing on extensive research and fieldwork, Toxic takes readers on a visual toxic tour through the Amazon. Following the journey of three fictional participants, the graphic novel addresses various issues of concern. The novel is a reflective piece on the role of pollutants in our everyday lives, ultimately asking readers to reflect on how we are each implicated in the production, consumption, and exposure to pollution, both in the Amazon and at home.

The writing is compelling and effectively conveys the gravity of the situation. Jonas Fischer, as the illustrator, has done a commendable job, though I believe there is potential for even greater impact through the artwork. Overall, it was a good experience, and I would give it 4 stars for the story, narrative style, and overall experience.

I would recommend Toxic to readers interested in nonfiction and social issues.Thank you to the author, illustrator, and publisher for bringing this important work to light.

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

This is one of those graphic novels that is too incredibly important that I fear will be glossed over. It NEEDS to be in every school. It really does need to be required reading. It's educational, interesting, and shows the reality of the unfortunate world we live in.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Toxic: A Tour of the Ecuadorian Amazon was an absolutely heartbreaking graphic novel about the damaging effects of pollution from the oil industry in Ecuador. It follows several individuals on a “toxic tour” wherein they tour different areas of Ecuador and are educated on the effects of oil pollution. While the story in itself was a heartbreaking view of the environmental damage as well as the effects on human health, the imagery really drove this one home. Each image features dark smears of black across everything. The darkness appears on people, the water, the environment, the food, truly everything. At first I didn’t understand this artistic decision, but about halfway through I realized it’s the depiction of how the oil industry and pollution has left its mark on absolutely everything in such a damaging way.

This graphic novel is a five star read, and I will be thinking about it for a very long time

In this EthnoGraphic entry, Toxic uses a very lightly fictionalized version of real "toxic tours" to tell the story of oil exploitation in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Donald has lived in Lago Agria his whole life; he leads "toxic tours" that show people various parts of the oil production process and the havoc it's wreaked on the environment. People from a variety of backgrounds go on the tour; a Black American woman, an Ecuadorian from the coast, an Italian aid worker and more. Their reactions to what they see are depicted.

Toxic is strongest when it is showing either facts or indvidual narratives like that of Yola, a teacher with chronic health issues due to water contamination. The reflections of the tourists are not handled in a particularly nuanced way and don't read as authentic; possibly, this is the result of archetyping/condensing some commonly seen types of visitors into individuals represented here. The art style is interesting - it uses bright colors with black splotches all over. The splotches mimic spilled oil.

Overall, this is....fine. It's an important story but lacking a compelling overall narrative.

Covering important knowledge from environmental science to colonialism, this graphic novel would do well in a school curriculum.

The art style was really cool - particularly the blocked shadows and the inky quality to them evoked oil and its inescapable presence. Another reviewer mentioned it's great for research if you're looking to break up the monotony of large blocks of text, and I agree with that and would add I could see it being used in a school curriculum for that reason. It's not really a graphic novel to just pick up and read.