No doubt by now you've seen its floral, multicolored cover peeping at you from store and library shelves. Brit Bennett's debut novel, The Mothers, won her a coveted 5 under 35 medallion from the National Book Foundation and stirred up plenty of attention from publications large and small. Not bad for a book that Bennett … Continue reading The Mothers: A Review
The Broken Earth trilogy continues with The Obelisk Gate, and author N.K. Jemisin certainly hasn't lost any passion for telling Essun's story. The Obelisk Gate unfolds the dramatic early days of the Stillness' latest Season, without losing the steam generated by its predecessor. But before we dive in, a warning: This review contains possible spoilers … Continue reading The Obelisk Gate: A Review
At its core, N.K. Jemisin's The Fifth Season is an examination of revenge, of how we seek it and why. It's also an allegory of marginalization in general, and of U.S. racism in particular. Most importantly, it's a damn fine novel. The story begins with Essun, who returns home to find that her husband, Jija, … Continue reading The Fifth Season: A Review
Even after decades of U.S. military involvement, the Middle East remains a mystery to many --- if not most --- people in the West. In Rolling Blackouts: Dispatches from Turkey, Syria, and Iraq, Sarah Glidden offers a work of meta-journalism that chronicles the experiences of a small band of reporters as they trek through areas … Continue reading Rolling Blackouts: A Review
In her debut essay collection, You Can't Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain, 2 Dope Queens co-host Phoebe Robinson lays out everything that's on her mind, from how it feels to wear a natural hairstyle, to why Michael Fassbender will be the father of her future child. It's an eclectic … Continue reading You Can’t Touch My Hair: A Review