I thought I was done with summer books for the year, and onto autumn reads. Hence, my dark academia binge. Luckily for me, I read Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo just in time, when the last dog days of summer were still upon us, even as school bells were ringing in the distance. May I … Continue reading The Necessary Discomfort of the Southern Gothic — But Make it Personal: Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo
Content warning: child abuse, ritual sacrifice This novella was not quite what I was expecting. It tells the story of seventeen-year-old Silvie, who, along with her parents, is accompanying a group of university students and their professor on a 2-week "experimental archaeology" camp to reenact Iron Age life in northern England. Silvie is not a … Continue reading Heat, Haunting, and Heartbreak: Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss
The Awakening is one of those books that has been sitting on my bookshelf for ages, unread. I finally sat down and read it, and now I have Some Thoughts. The introductory note in my Dover Thrift edition teases with the following: Chopin's second and last novel, The Awakening, was published in 1899 and aroused … Continue reading (Sea) Salty Thoughts on The Awakening by Kate Chopin
Toronto is a city I know well. As a child and teenager growing up a couple of hours west of this metropolis, it was the go-to "big city," the place where you could shop for fancy things, eat special food, go to galleries, museums, concerts, clubs. As an adult, I lived in Toronto for a … Continue reading The Ghost of a Place — The Ward: The Life and Loss of Toronto’s First Immigrant Neighbourhood
On the heels of my Brontë reading extravaganza, I finally picked up Jean Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea and pushed through the sad animal deaths in the beginning chapters. And am I ever glad that I did. The book is a beautiful, complicated wonder. It tells the story of Mr. Rochester's first wife (Bertha Mason in … Continue reading “There is always another side, always”: Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
I've been somewhat immersed in the Brontës for the past month. I didn't mean to be, but it all started with a podcast and it snowballed from there. The podcast in question is On Eyre from Hot and Bothered (a Not Sorry Production). The hosts Vanessa Zoltan and Lauren Sandler do a thorough and wonderful … Continue reading A Brontëful Season
A little cozy noir for your autumn reading pleasure, anyone? I feel like fall is the perfect time for this particular genre, with its leanings towards the shadowy, the subversive, the underworld. Even the name noir feels like it pairs well with shorter days and the smell of woodsmoke and decaying leaves. With that in … Continue reading Mixed Feelings about Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
There's nothing like some good fantasy and some deeply engaging storytelling for the depths of the summer, in my humble opinion. And my latest good read not only combines both of those things, but also has a true heart of gold. The book I'm talking about is Elatsoe, by Darcie Little Badger. Hot Tip: Always … Continue reading Storytelling, Magic, and a Whole Lotta Heart: Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger
Photo by Amador Loureiro on Unsplash Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about language. Since I am an editor, writer, book reviewer, and library branch assistant, this might not shock you. But, specifically, I have been thinking about the way in which language shapes reality, and the unconscious choices that we make with our words, … Continue reading Language Matters
Hello folks! Happy Spring! Okay, it's not quite spring. But the snow is (mostly) gone, and the sun is shining (even though the temperatures are low). It's close enough to feel that regeneration is in the air. On that note, you may notice that this blog has a slightly new look! That is because it … Continue reading A change of season and a new look
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