Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray
A review of Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray.
“The Song of the Blue Bottle Tree” by India Hayford
Review of Song of the Blue Bottle Tree by India Hayford with a craft analysis of first and last lines
“Soft Burial” by Fang Fang
Soft Burial by Fang Fang was originally met with critical acclaim upon its publication in China in 2016 and even received the Lu Yao Literature Award, but by May 2017, the work had been denounced and removed from stores.
The novel opens with a nameless protagonist suffering from amnesia since 1952 after being pulled, barely alive, from a river.…
“Black Woods Blue Sky” by Eowyn Ivey
Black Woods Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey is a beautifully written exploration of the power of love, the pull of nature, and what we risk when we refuse to recognize the truth before us.
For readers wanting to learn more about writing, Ivey demonstrates how slowly revealing a secret adds tension and keeps the reader turning pages.
“The Edge of Water” by Olufunke Grace Bankole
A review and analysis of "The Edge of Water" by Olufunke Grace Bankole.
“The Vanishing Point” by Paul Theroux
Paul Theroux is a prolific author who, at 83, is reflecting on life and aging in his new short story collection, The Vanishing Point. The stories are mostly unrelated (except for the last section, which focuses on the character Andy Parent).…
“Elephant Herd” by Zhang Guixing
Elephant Herd by Zhang Guixing, translated by Carlos Rojas, follows Shi Shicai as he travels in the rainforest searching for his uncle, the leader of a communist guerilla group. The novel jumps in time mid-paragraph, blurs humanity and nature, and includes elements of magical realism.…
“Blue Light Hours” by Bruna Dantas Lobato
We’ve all been there – sitting in the blue glow of the screen that holds the image of the loved one we would do anything to have in our arms. Blue Light Hours by Bruna Dantas Lobato is a novel about that unique brand of loneliness.…
Mind The Gap: How the Uncle Charles Principle and Its Adaptations Can Close the Gap Between Narrator and Reader in Different Narrative Points of View
As writers, we often desire to close the gap between our characters and readers. We want readers to become so engrossed in the characters’ lives that they forget they are reading. This gap between the reader and the text can widen when the author uses an indirect characterization method.…
“The Road to the Country” by Chigozie Obioma
TRIGGER WARNING: Graphic Violence
The Road to the Country by Chigozie Obioma is a brutal and honest look at war and genocide. Kunle, the novel’s protagonist, is defined by the guilt he feels over a childhood accident that left his younger brother paralyzed.…