Book Reviews

Books
Arts

The Science Of 'Collected Fiction' Is Pure Magic

12:51pm May 20, 2015

by Amal El-Mohtar

Finnish sci-fi author Hannu Rajaniemi's new collection spans everything from haunted spacesuits to the HMV logo. Reviewer Amal El-Mohtar says her only criticism is that not every story is perfect.

Books
Arts

A Former Country Girl Catches Fire In 'The Love Object'

7:06pm May 19, 2015

by Alan Cheuse

Edna O'Brien's first novel was burned in the small Irish village of her birth. The Love Object collects more than 30 of her fiery tales of religion and repression in "a land of sacrificial women."

Queue Listen Now

Books
Arts

Fun, Fast-Moving 'Nimona' Is A Perpetual Surprise

5:48pm May 19, 2015

by Tasha Robinson

Noelle Stevenson's webcomic Nimona, about a shapeshifter who aspires to be an evil sidekick, is now out in book form. Reviewer Tasha Robinson praises the story's ebullience, complexity and intensity.

Promo image option 1(pebbles and greenery)

Books
Arts

'Sophie Stark' Finds It Hard To Learn How To Be Human

9:40am May 19, 2015

by Michael Schaub

Anna North's new novel is narrated by friends and family after the death of troubled filmmaker Sophie. Critic Michael Schaub calls it "a bold and graceful novel, executed with incredible artistry."

Books
Arts

The Gates Of Liavek Are Open Again In 'Points Of Departure'

7:03am May 16, 2015

by Elizabeth Graham

For years, readers wishing to see the shared world of Liavek had to go via crumbling paperbacks. Now, authors Patricia C. Wrede and Pamela Dean have reprinted their stories of the magical trade city.

Books
Arts

Will 'The Familiar' Kill The Novel? No, But It Comes Close

5:43am May 16, 2015

by Jason Sheehan

Mark Z. Danielewski's epic 800-page tale of a girl and a cat wants to be the stepping stone to a new understanding of the novel — but critic Jason Sheehan says it's undone by too many parentheses.

Books
Arts

'Black Snow' Is A Lyrical Landscape Of Hope And Menace

1:31pm May 14, 2015

by Alan Cheuse

Former Dublin newsman Paul Lynch's new novel follows an Irish farmer in 1945, struggling against adversity. Critic Alan Cheuse says Lynch's prose is so gorgeous, it makes him want to give up writing.

The Millionaire and the Bard promo photo option 1

Books
Arts

'Millionaire' Tracks One Man's Fruitful Obsession With The Bard Of Avon

12:47pm May 14, 2015

by Trey Graham

Andrea Mays' new book digs into the history of Washington, D.C.'s Folger Shakespeare Library, the legacy of oilman Henry Clay Folger — who, like William Shakespeare, found his greatest fame in death.

The cover of Burning Down George Orwell's House, by Andrew Ervin.

Books
Arts

Misadventures And Absurdist Charm Take Root In 'George Orwell's House'

11:31am May 14, 2015

by Maureen Corrigan

In Andrew Ervin's comic novel, a disillusioned advertising executive rents the cottage once inhabited by dystopian author George Orwell. Critic Maureen Corrigan says the funny book has a serious core.

Queue Listen Now

The Last Four Days of Paddy Buckley promo photo

Books
Arts

In 'Paddy Buckley' Suffering Through Four Last Days With Dark Comedy

7:03am May 14, 2015

by Jason Sheehan

Jeremy Massey's debut novel centers on an undertaker with magical abilities — like communicating with dogs and flies. Critic Jason Sheehan says Massey has an eye for black humor.