As the world continues to mourn the untimely death of Star Wars actress and writer Carrie Fisher, fans --- myself included --- have clamored to read the books she left behind. Fisher's final memoir, The Princess Diarist recounts her affair with co-star Harrison Ford on the set of the first Star Wars film in 1976. … Continue reading The Princess Diarist: A Review
Books about damaged people in painful situations have the tendency to read as lurid, even prurient. Although A List of Cages will make you feel many, many things, Robin Roe's debut novel handles its subject matter with care and authority. When Adam, a caring high school senior, is assigned to escort a younger student to … Continue reading A List of Cages: A Review
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