This is the era of the weird woman! Sad girls and weird girls, rise up—we’re taking over the world of good fiction. What’s a weird girl, you ask? Weird woman fiction is literature that’s written by women, usually featuring unlikeable protagonists with odd behaviours. It may have a horror or thriller tint, or it may …
Willow Heath
Standing proud on Scotland’s west coast—just an hour’s drive south from Glasgow—is the majestic Culzean Castle. A jewel of Ayrshire, this perfectly-preserved 18th century castle is an awe-inspiring place to explore when you visit Scotland. With a rich history, wide open grounds to explore, and regal interiors to wander, this is one of the most …
Saint Michael’s Mount is one of the most iconic historical sites in England. A small island, connected to the mainland by a causeway; it is crowned with a mediaeval priory-turned-castle and at its base is a small village (now a collection of shops and cafes). Arguably less grand and famous than its French sister site—Mont …
The town of St. Ives, Cornwall is a delightfully warm place, not just because of its pleasant Cornish climate, but because of the simple fact that everything you can see and do in St. Ives is sweet and charming. From the Tate Art Museum to its wide and wonderful selection of independent shops and restaurants, …
Glasgow is the foodie capital of Scotland; that goes without saying. But this isn’t just down to the city’s gimmicky, fun, and oftentimes ridiculous snack inventions. It’s also down to how multicultural Glasgow is, and how imaginative and innovative its people are. This can be seen most evidently in its selection of fantastic Japanese restaurants. …
This is a big question with so many perspectives and asterisks involved. It surely depends on the genre, the themes, the tone, and writer’s intentions, and even more besides. As a professional book critic and ex high school English teacher, it’s my opinion that books are, in general, unjustifiably long. But there is a lot …
For people who love books and wish they read more, or for those who don’t read but always wish they did, two questions are often asked: “How do I read more books?” and “How do I read faster?” We will answer both of these questions, and also address a common issue: ADHD. Speaking personally, I …
Comparing books and movies is a tricky business; they’re different mediums made using different skills and far more besides. That said, they are both narrative mediums that explore themes, politics, relationships, human nature, and more. In that sense, they can be compared and contrasted. With that in mind, here are a few films that actually …
There are movie adaptations of books that we love—ones that actually outshine their source material—and there are movies made from books we didn’t even know existed; movies that many of us think are original works. Loved the movies? Now read the books! Here, we’ll cover the books that you may or may not know exist, …
Young Adult fiction is an inherently difficult thing to categorise. While on paper it simply means literature suitable for teens and young adults or fiction written specifically for teenagers and young adults, YA has steadily become a genre and style in and of itself. So often, YA authors are the ones pushing the boundaries of …