Book Review: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
August 20, 2025
His writing is playful and virtuosic but the impulse to tell a great story is always in the driver’s seat – and pressing the accelerator!
His writing is playful and virtuosic but the impulse to tell a great story is always in the driver’s seat – and pressing the accelerator!
In conservative Arkansas, Coker Burns created a safe space for many queer men during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s and 1990s.
While there is grief and despair, her vital and fiercely determined characters push against this darkness by continuing to reach for hope.
With an ever-changing landscape outside & hidden spaces to explore, the train is simultaneously larger than life and insignificant.
I devoured this brilliant historical fiction! The language is gorgeous and the characters leap off the page reeking of history!
Kersel invites the reader to inhale this collection in a way that allows the words to move through you and tether to an internal rhythm.
Eliza Clark portrays deeply flawed females but fills her characters with depth and soul. Gritty, thrilling and an absolute page turner.
Bertino’s writing is wry, tightly observed, darkly funny & devastatingly honest, particularly her descriptions of human idiosyncrasies.
Hura’s words are rhythmically crafted, using language so precise and sensory that we are pulled into effect in surprising ways.
There is no epic saga or dramatic retellings of incidents. Instead, she tells her story in the most ‘Holly’ way I can imagine.
This was the perfect cosy read while also serving as a wonderful illustration that life is not set in stone.
Crumbling ruins, hidden gods & sinister wisps of sorcery serve the compelling narrative of a young woman fighting to keep her kingdom safe.
Keegan’s small, crystalline stories conjure worlds beyond their size. This is restrained, nuanced storytelling at its best.
I love Murderbot’s resigned affection for the humans that they protect while being completely indignant that said humans JUST DON’T LISTEN.
A fantastic first entry to the series, Maas does a masterful job of creating a gripping thrill-ride of a story.
Full of darkness but with a buoyant humour to match, it’s a deeply engrossing fantasy tale with plenty of twists & turns to keep you engaged.
Tchaikovsky’s ability to build the worlds of the far future and have them seem not only possible but plausible is a testament to his skill.
Core themes of hunger, grief, and the cost of survival on the soul are handled with a haunting elegance. This is my favourite book this year!
Mahloudji brings something vivid and fresh to the contemporary novel form here. The more I read, the more I wanted to read.
Through reminiscing while grieving the loss of their loved one, Maddie and Dominic find comfort and peace in each other and rediscover a lost love.