The Mythmakers - John Hendrix (Abrams, 2024) Two of the greatest literary voices of the 20th century - and certainly two of the most influential voices in the realm of fantasy literature - are undoubtedly J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. There aren't many readers in the Western world today who haven't been influenced by their… Continue reading Book Review: The Mythmakers by John Hendrix
The Stolen Bicycle - Wu Ming-Yi (translated from Mandarin by Darryl Sterk) (Text Publishing, 2017) This was such an unexpected, playful, thoughtful, and informative book. It reads more like a non-fiction story rather than a novel, perhaps because it’s hard to tell at times how much is based on the author’s actual life. And perhaps… Continue reading Book Review: The Stolen Bicycle by Wu Ming-Yi
Intermezzo - Sally Rooney (Alfred A. Knopf Canada, 2024) An intermezzo, in music, is a short instrumental movement between larger acts. In chess, it refers to an unexpected move that forces an immediate response. Reading these definitions after I finished Sally Rooney's most recent novel, it struck me immediately what a fitting title the book… Continue reading Book Review: Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
The Empusium - Olga Tokarczuk (Riverhead Books, 2024) (translated to English by Antonia Lloyd-Jones) The Empusium - a strange sort of novel set in a sanitorium, health resort town in the early 20th century with a mysterious, plural-voiced ghost-like narration - is a tricky book to describe. I like Tokarczuk's work quite a lot -… Continue reading Book Review: The Empusium by Olga Tokarczuk
The Coast Road - Alan Murrin (HarperVia, 2024) I received an Advance Readers Copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own. Book is on sale now. Without quite intending to, I've found myself reading quite a bit of Irish writing this past year or so. I don't know if I can… Continue reading Book Review: The Coast Road by Alan Murrin
The Fox Wife - Yangsze Choo (Henry Holt & Company, 2024) It's so nice when you pick up a book expecting to enjoy it and it lives up to all of your expectations. I was very hopeful for The Fox Wife as it had a lot that gave it points in my mind: 1) Historical… Continue reading Book Review: The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo
The Capital of Dreams - Heather O'Neill (Harper Collins Publishers Ltd., 2024) I received an Advance Readers' Copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Publication Date: 9 October 2024 I've read all of Heather O'Neill's fiction (see some reviews here) over the years, starting with the debut novel that launched her into CanLit… Continue reading Book Review: The Capital of Dreams by Heather O’Neill (20 Books of Summer)
The Whalebone Theatre - Joanna Quinn (Alfred A. Knopf, 2022) In parts, this felt like two stories joined together. There is the story of three semi-feral children, related to each other in complicated ways, growing up in a crumbling English estate in the last days when such places existed. Then there is the story of… Continue reading Book Review: The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn
Point form book reviews are reviews where I have something to say about a book I've read (or, in this case, listened to) but I don't have enough coherent thought around to write a full review. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would Did not know it was split into two parts, set… Continue reading (Point Form) (Audio) Book Review: The Damages by Genevieve Scott
Grove Books, 2024 I don't mind confessing that I was drawn to this book by the combo of the cover picture and the title. The image of simply sailing away from whatever chaos that fire is on the right side and responding, "I cheerfully refuse" when someone tries to draw you into said chaos was… Continue reading Book Review: I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger
Karissa Reads Books 