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Tag: reading

21 May, 20174 April, 2017

Feed me: Fiction and food

A dimly-lit tent filled with people eating dinner.
Posted in pop culture by s.e. smith

If fiction doesn’t consider food an important part of the worldbuilding, and the characterisation, it will ring hollow for me.

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23 April, 20177 March, 2017

Book review: Ramona Blue, by Julie Murphy

A swimming pool at night.
Posted in reviews by s.e. smith

Julie Murphy’s Ramona Blue was criticized for its handling of bisexuality—I explore complicated tropes and narratives Murphy wrestled with in her latest.

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16 April, 201723 February, 2017

Book review: Wintersong, S. Jae-Jones

Trees covered in a layer of ice.
Posted in reviews by s.e. smith

S. Jae-Jones’ Wintersong is a layered, fascinating Labyrinth retelling that balances a deep aesthetic of sensuality against a naive, self-sacrificing main character.

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9 April, 201722 February, 2017

Book review: Caraval, Stephanie Garber

A red rose against a black background.
Posted in reviews by s.e. smith

Stephanie Garber’s Caraval almost works…but in the end let me down.

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2 April, 20178 February, 2017

Book review: A Million Junes, Emily Henry

Cherries on a tree.
Posted in reviews by s.e. smith

A Million Junes is a fantastical, richly imagined novel that delves into the bitterness that can last generations and destroy lives.

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26 March, 20177 February, 2017

Book review: The Fifth Season, N.K. Jemisin

A chunk of amethyst.
Posted in reviews by s.e. smith

N.K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season is set in a strange, wonderful, magical world where plate tectonics shape the future of humanity and some people are slightly more than human.

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19 March, 201725 January, 2017

Book review: This Savage Song, Victoria Schwab

A violin.
Posted in reviews by s.e. smith

Victoria Schwab’s This Savage Song is a bit draggy at times, but is a generally pretty fun story with thoughtful worldbuilding and a few nice surprises.

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12 March, 201724 January, 2017

Book review: A Monster Calls, Patrick Ness

A yew tree thrown into dramatic shadows, looking very creepy.
Posted in reviews by s.e. smith

A Monster Calls is a beautiful, striking, tragic book that is suitable for all fans of good literature but perhaps most particularly for those who are grieving.

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5 March, 201712 January, 2017

What is age-appropriate fiction, really?

A parent reading a Dr. Seuss book to a child.
Posted in pop culture by s.e. smith

Debates over ‘age appropriate’ literature tend to talk down to children, underestimate young readers, and put value judgements on creative work.

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19 February, 201726 December, 2016

Relish the delight of closing a bad book and moving on

A book laid open to an illustration.
Posted in pop culture by s.e. smith

Let 2017 be the year you give yourself permission to stop reading books when they bore, frustrate, or infuriate you.

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