‘Lies We Sing to the Sea’ by Sara Underwood: Set in the world of Homer’s ‘Odyssey,’ it shows young adults that people like them have always existed

In our Lies We Sing to the Sea book review, we want to illuminate how Sara Underwood uses the universality of teenage problems to let people know they aren’t alone, making Greek mythology more approachable in the process. Continue reading “‘Lies We Sing to the Sea’ by Sara Underwood: Set in the world of Homer’s ‘Odyssey,’ it shows young adults that people like them have always existed”

‘Babel’ by R.F. Kuang: A successful thematic response to ‘The Secret History’

Babel was one of the most highly anticipated books of 2022, and now that we’ve sat with it for a moment, let’s explore whether beloved author R.F. Kuang succeeded in responding to the new-age classic The Secret History by Donna Tartt, and what exactly Babel adds to the conversation. Continue reading “‘Babel’ by R.F. Kuang: A successful thematic response to ‘The Secret History’”

‘If You Could See the Sun’ by Ann Liang: This debut author shows the true dark side of academia

Our If You Could See the Sun book review explores how Ann Liang gives us a different kind of dark academia book that is rooted in the true underbelly of elite education rather than Pinterest aesthetics. Continue reading “‘If You Could See the Sun’ by Ann Liang: This debut author shows the true dark side of academia”

‘Home to the Wild’ by Francesca McMahon: The found family story you’ve been looking for

Our Home to the Wild book review considers why we find the concept of a human finding a home in the animal kingdom so appealing, as well as how author Francesca McMahon brings more emotional depth to the trope than we’ve seen before. Continue reading “‘Home to the Wild’ by Francesca McMahon: The found family story you’ve been looking for”

‘The Dawn of Yangchen’ by F.C. Yee: A masterclass in not underestimating your young adult audience

Our The Dawn of Yangchen book review explores how F.C. Yee deepens the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender by giving us a wonderfully realistic look at what being the “bridge between two worlds” would be like. Continue reading “‘The Dawn of Yangchen’ by F.C. Yee: A masterclass in not underestimating your young adult audience”

‘Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow’ by Gabrielle Zevin: The book that finally fixes the sympathetic nerd trope of the ‘80s

Our Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow book review explores how Gabrielle Zevin uses the world of video game design to turn pop culture tropes on their head in her highly anticipated new novel. Continue reading “‘Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow’ by Gabrielle Zevin: The book that finally fixes the sympathetic nerd trope of the ‘80s”