Books
'Yerba Buena' Review: Understated, Bittersweet, Brilliant
“Yerba Buena” is a mature novel through and through. LaCour demonstrates remarkable agility in retaining the more favorable aspects of young adult fiction while also taking the story to new depths.
‘The Hacienda’ Review: A Multi-layered and Powerful Debut
Cañas delivers a chilling and compelling story that melds a childhood fear of the dark with the impacts of colonialism and Catholicism in Mexico after the War of Independence.
Jennifer Egan Owns Her Unconscious
Readers of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jennifer Egan gathered at the Brattle Theater on Friday, April 8, for an hour-long event featuring a reading and Q&A from the author’s latest novel, “The Candy House.”
‘Bomb Shelter’ Review: Mary Laura Philpott Balances Life, Death, Humor, and Trauma in New Essay Novel
By letting her humorous personality and honesty drive the narrative, Mary Laura Philpott honors her trauma, anxiety, grief, fears, and, most importantly, her hopes and inspires the reader to do the same.
The Words We Lose: The Merits and Disadvantages of Reading Translated Literature
Translating a text from one language to another is doubtless a difficult undertaking for myriad reasons, but the reality of an untranslatable word or phrase presents perhaps the most thought-provoking dilemma for translators and linguists everywhere.
‘Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head’ Review: Warsan Shire Moves Out of Pop Culture’s Shadow
Shire boldly weaves together a narrative of what it means to be displaced, disconnected from home, and incredibly vulnerable.
Carmen Maria Machado’s Reading Dives Into the Queer, the Sexy, and the Apocalyptic
Within the dystopian world of “A Bright and Fearful Star” — told in the confines of Barker’s austere Plimpton room — were tales rich with queer intimacy and raw desire.
‘Checkout 19’ Review: Why We Need Stories to Live
Part autofiction of a young writer, part philosophical encounter with humanity’s inherent and misconstrued darkness, and part subtle but raging feminist outcry, “Checkout 19” is nothing short of astounding.
The Best Spring Reads for All Occasions
Spring has sprung! In Boston, it’s more like a second winter, but whether you prefer rainy grays or budding blooms, The Crimson has the best book recommendations for all your spring reading needs.
Harvard Authors Spotlight: Angela Duckworth
Duckworth brings a lightness and a level of creativity to goal setting, ultimately inspiring more dreamers to do.
‘Juniper & Thorn’ Review: A Fairytale with Teeth
“Juniper & Thorn” is a fairytale, but not in the way that Disney has led one to expect. Instead, Reid’s novel expertly crafts a world of monsters and monstrous men to explore the consequences of patriarchy and trauma.
‘Lapvona’ Review: Moshfegh Explores Religion and Greed Through a Medieval Village
“Lapvona” creates a deeply compelling world with relatable issues, which makes it well worth the read.
Artist Profile: Sally Thames on Reading, BookTube, and Content Creation
Viewing reading as a form of self-care as opposed to just another thing to check off a list can make it feel more enjoyable and less like a hassle.
Artist Profile: Tracy Deonn on Fear, Grief, and Storytelling
"I was a writer when I started writing and then when I decided I enjoyed writing and then when I decided I would write again. That's all you need.”
‘Violeta’ Review: An Average Novel from an Above Average Author
Allende’s latest work gives her fans many of the hallmarks they’ve come to expect: heart wrenching but honest depictions of the Pinochet regime and complex, interwoven, endlessly interesting family dynamics.
BookTok: The Last Wholesome Place On The Internet
BookTok helps its viewers unlearn the practice of overanalyzing every piece of text in anticipation of a quiz, encouraging reading as a source of pure pleasure and enjoyment.
‘Bittersweet’ Review: A Moving But Incomplete Analysis of Sorrow
The reading experience is both painful and cathartic as Cain, with a gentle hand, leads her readers down the intimidating path of more deeply considering their own emotional tendencies and well-being.
‘You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty’ Review: Slow Start, but Stunning Read
Ripe with paradisiacal imagery, “You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty,” is an elegant take on the modern love story, despite its slow start.
‘The Violin Conspiracy’ Review: A New Kind of Mystery
Slocumb’s skillful exploration of these complex issues through the lens of Ray’s career effectively creates a nuanced and cohesive plot.
‘This Is How Your Marriage Ends’ Review: A Misguided Manual to Relationships
Teaching men to navigate around the feelings of women doesn’t take into account that women are rational beings capable of understanding logic as well as emotion.
‘Customs’ Review: Examining Immigrant Adversity through Complicated Verse
In “Customs,” Solmaz Sharif examines the American immigrant experience: “to exist in the nowhere of the arrival terminal” — to completely leave one’s people and home behind, but never arrive at an accepting culture.
‘Either/Or’ Review: The Older and Sexier Sequel to ‘The Idiot’
With her debut novel “The Idiot” having been crowned a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in Fiction, Elif Batuman set towering expectations for the sequel “Either/Or.”
‘Glory’ Review: Finding Meaning Within Satire
Through elements adopted from the real world, Bulawayo encourages readers to be more aware of the societal power structures that govern their own lives.
Diversity in Publishing: Who Gets to Tell What Stories?
The proof is (or rather, isn’t) in the pudding: People of color are simply not adequately represented in the literary world.
‘Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow’ Review: Starts Strong, But Stumbles
Although the plot meanders on the way to its final destination, it does get there eventually, and the destination is exciting and emotionally satisfying.