Book Review: Commune
October 30, 2023
There are struggles, celebrations, joys and sorrows in these pages, and it makes for an eye-opening read that will leave you wondering…
Ray loves reading all sorts of books, particularly when they feature lyrical writing and a snappy plot; tricky, messy relationships of all kinds; funny, clever people overcoming obstacles both mental and physical; and/or queer people, places and spaces. Memoir, historical fiction, poetry, contemporary fiction, (some kinds of) sci-fi, essays, and non-fiction epics have all featured in Ray’s recent reading.
(Ray has left Scorpio for other adventures, but we still love their reviews.)
There are struggles, celebrations, joys and sorrows in these pages, and it makes for an eye-opening read that will leave you wondering…
Every page is laden with rich, sometimes grotesque, delicious language, but the story still barrels forward at pace…
Fire Island has a long history of being a safe holiday destination for queer people, especially writers and artists.
This is a creative and action-packed current-day sci-fi about a shady corporation manifesting and weaponising nostalgia.
These charming, funny, sometimes unhinged characters are beautifully captured, and the heavy themes are present and fully explored…
Through understated prose and a deep care for her characters, Dinan explores the challenges and rewards of being vulnerable
I loved this clever, meandering, explorative and delightfully messy novel about academia, memory, and identity.
Hilarious, wise, sometimes surreal, deeply emotional, this is some of the best writing about loss I’ve ever read.
Clark skilfully explores teenage friendship and manipulation, 2010’s internet culture, and the politics of class with a sharp eye.
Love, identity, grief, immigration and belonging are explored tenderly. I loved the music that was woven through the writing
These poems deal in making small, ordinary moments beautiful; they deal in romance; they deal in friendship and delight.
I don’t know how to find the words to describe this book, but I do know that I want a lot of people to read it.
This could fall into a cliche romance, but with Emezi’s careful and incredible writing, this story becomes so much more than that.
Expansive, accessible, & inclusive, this book explores the concept of womanhood through multiple lenses – parenthood, bodies, ageing…
This is a sharp and lovely romance set in the behind-the-scenes world of a popular, long-running late-night American sketch comedy TV show…
The New Life explores the changing (and not changing) attitudes towards sexuality and free speech in late 1800’s Britain.
Full of the horrors of late-stage capitalism, Birnam Wood also manages to be bitingly funny – especially in part one.
This recipe book is chock full of hand-selected recipes from the archives, and features work from many of the country’s best chefs.
This is a memoir of a forbidden relationship blooming between two married women against the backdrop of conservative 90’s Christchurch.
This is a fascinating and tightly-controlled story about domestic life, tragedy, and things slowly spiralling out of control.