Book review: Borders
Reviewed by Karl Hele
Borders is a graphic novel drawn from Thomas King’s similarly titled short story published in his collection One Good Story That One (HaperCollins, 2015). It is a wonderful story of a Blackfoot woman and her son attempting to cross the international border to visit her daughter living in Salt Lake City. The mother, when asked her citizenship, simply states, “Blackfoot.” Her insistence on this identification results in a borderlands limbo – she is neither able to cross into the United States nor return home. Eventually, the press is informed of the predicament, which results in an uncontested border-crossing under the camera glare of the media. It is a poignant story of the predicament and artificiality of the international border that divided our nations and peoples between two colonial states. It is also a story of resilience and strength in the soft-spoken insistence that she is “Blackfoot”, not American or Canadian.
The illustrations by Natasha Donovan bring King’s short story to vivid life. The expressions of exasperation and confusion on the border guards’ faces, for instance, nicely brings to life the confusion when someone does not follow the rules. While her son’s expressions are funny and readily identifiable of the feeling, that we have all experienced, when our mothers’ are embarrassing us, she was also providing a key life lesson. Simply, Donovan’s art vividly portrays the drama, tension, and overall human experience of the situation, as well as the characters’ pride of being “Blackfoot”.
This illustrated version of King’s short story brings the experiences of Indigenous peoples at the Canadian-American border to a broader and younger audience. For those familiar with King’s story, it is a new way to experience the narrative. For those unfamiliar with the story, Donovan’s and King’s talents are melded to bring the viscera of visual representation to the written word. It will generate discussion among young readers that are both Indigenous and non-Indigenous. Thus, Borders, as a graphic novel will make an excellent addition to libraries, homes, and the classroom.
Thomas King, illustrated by Natasha Donovan, Borders. Toronto: HarperCollins, 2021.
ISBN 1443460672