Literature

The concept of the “kafkaesque” is often poorly defined and understood. In the simplest terms, something is kafkaesque if it reflects the themes explored in Franz Kafka’s fiction; namely, those of bureaucracy and the confusing—often nonsensical—rules, behaviours, and mannerisms of our modern existence. These themes criticise law, social niceties, and capitalism, amongst other things. Stories …

The women of fantasy are always pushing the boundaries of the genre in all new directions, as these wonderful writers prove with their marvellous stories and characters. The fantasy genre has historically been known for its lack of diversity, with white men writing the vast majority of fantasy novels, but that stereotype is vanishing, and …

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 …

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 …

Los Angeles crackles with an energy that’s both intoxicating and overwhelming. It’s a land of dreams, noirish undercurrents, reinvention, and relentless ambition. Countless incredible books capture aspects of this dynamic city, and we’ve compiled a list of some of the absolute best. Must-Read Books Set in Los Angeles Whether you’re a local, planning to visit …

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 …

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. Seen the films? Now read the books! Here, we’ll cover the books that you may or may not know exist, …

If you’re looking for the best romantasy books filled with magic, action, and love, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’re sharing must-read books from the romantasy genre, including spicy romance books, tales of adventure and intrigue, and so much more. What is romantasy genre vs. fantasy with romance? The difference between romantasy …

Earlier this month, I wrote down all of my reading goals for 2024. Besides the usual goals like “Finish 50 books in a year,” I also included goals that would help me diversify my bookshelf, and one of those goals is to read more books by Filipino women writers in a variety of genres and …

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 …