Book Reviews & Essays on Literature
Reading the screenplay of The Ballad of Buster Scruggs by Joel and Ethan Coen led me to the real artistContinue Reading
One of the enjoyable aspects of reading, is that in the process of sniffing out a particular book or authorContinue Reading
A website like this can be difficult to negotiate because of its size – currently there are more than 3,000Continue Reading
We’re going backwards. Back to print. First there was print. Then came the Internet, and there was JavaScript. And pdfs.Continue Reading
My journey through books this year It has been a very pleasant year in books for me. The activities onContinue Reading
The Strange Bird is a little gem of a novel. Every carefully chosen word is just right. Each image isContinue Reading
Which Sci-Fi devotee is not looking forward to the debut of Star Trek: Picard? (Roll on, January 23, 2020!) IContinue Reading
A big name in the world of literature, Clive James, died on November 24, 2019, in Cambridge, UK. He wasContinue Reading
After having enjoyed Patrick deWitt’s Undermajordomo Minor (2015) his most recent novel, French Exit, was a must-read. A “French exit” isContinue Reading
Brian Bilston 21 hours ago on Facebook: “I’m really pleased – and somewhat astonished – to announce that my new bookContinue Reading
I have often pointed out in these posts, that I favour brevity and carefully chosen words over flowery writing. ItContinue Reading
This post from Nick Cave’s Red Hand Files is too good not to share. From: Nick Cave Date: October 22,Continue Reading
I saw the cartoon, “Things Book Lovers Do”, on Facebook, reposted by a UK company called forReadingAddicts, and for onceContinue Reading
A recent comment from an author on one of my book reviews got me thinking. I was pleased at theContinue Reading
The Booker Award was announced on October 14, 2019, and for the first time they had two winners: The Testaments, by MargaretContinue Reading
Some books have exotic contexts – there is a story about the story, and it helps the promotion of theContinue Reading
LIU Cixin, or Cixin Liu as he is known in English, is the author of the famous Science Fiction trilogyContinue Reading
On the subject of fictional worlds: I’d like to introduce you to “Rebusfontein”. Rebusfontein (pronounced rhéá-booz-fonteyn) is an Afrikaans name meaningContinue Reading
“Anonymous”, also known as “Hendrik Groen” (a pseudonym) is famous for his creation of a gang of crotchety old folksContinue Reading
In the last of this series of posts on Fictional Fiction, I look into those famous authors whose invented booksContinue Reading
When I read Denis Coupal’s thriller Blindshot, my overall impression of it was of competence – he had done allContinue Reading
On August 18, 2019, at Worldcon 77 in Dublin, Mary Robinette Kowal was awarded the Hugo Award for the BestContinue Reading
In this series of posts, I’m looking into some examples of “fictional fiction”. I’ve already spoiled the fun about books in Dr.Continue Reading
Books associated with characters in a book or a film sometimes look real and are actual published books. But sometimesContinue Reading
In a world filled with loud, angry voices, there’s something to be said for the quiet, thoughtful voice. Nick Cave,Continue Reading
Rhyming is devilishly difficult. It’s a serious head-scratcher, as people who write poems, lyrics and rap well know. If youContinue Reading
There are authors whose restraint, clear vision and graceful expression make their novels a quiet joy to read. I haveContinue Reading
In the past few years, I have met quite a few authors, including self-published ones, who began writing late inContinue Reading
When you have a mashup between a medieval-sounding title and a modern forensic mystery and a choice of choice ofContinue Reading
When embarking on Greg Hickey’s novel, The Friar’s Lantern, you would be forgiven for thinking you are about to startContinue Reading
Today, July 1, is Canada Day. I am a Canadian, and this is what is means to me. Home byContinue Reading
Josiah Bancroft is one of those authors who has defined his creative process with care and can explain how heContinue Reading
It gives me great pleasure to re-post a review of E.L. James’ latest romance novel, The Mister, because I justContinue Reading
Game of Thrones has now ended, and amid the uproar about the storyline and perceived-as-unsatisfactory conclusion of the final season, despairingContinue Reading
Forget for a moment that Leonora Carrington, who died in 2011 at the age of 94, was one of theContinue Reading
“Künstlerromane” are fictional depictions of the coming-of-age of artists or art prodigies – real or imagined, and their personal andContinue Reading
Killing Commendatore was published in Japanese with the title 騎士団長殺し (Kishidancho Goroshi) in 2017, and the English translation came outContinue Reading
What is the Taiga? And what is the “Taiga Syndrome”? The Taiga is a snowy, fir-forested region in the highContinue Reading
The papers have been full with news of the death of Australia’s most world-famous poet, Les Murray. He died yesterdayContinue Reading
Some novels really lend themselves to being discussed in visual terms – either their subject or setting is dramatic orContinue Reading
Before you read White Out it is best that you know that this book is written somewhat in the styleContinue Reading
A reader should approach with caution any book that has won a whole bunch of awards. A reader should alsoContinue Reading
Every so often I discover a wonderful writer by some confluence of good fortune. In this case, I got myContinue Reading
I’m just such a sucker for a feel-good story and lovely gobs of happiness, which is why I so enjoyedContinue Reading
Since I’m a devoted Sjón fan, I duly sat down and ordered the novels on this Top 10 list ofContinue Reading
Computer-generated artistic text and images tend to resemble FrankenArt and FrankenFiction. Using machine learning, designers can build software programs thatContinue Reading
Here are four new rhymes; about the 13th of March when Facebook crashed, about someone who can’t sing, about catchingContinue Reading
It took four posts to finish saying what I wanted to say about CoDex 1962, the strange but marvellous novelContinue Reading
John Delacourt’s novel Butterfly is hard to read, not because of his writing style, but because of the subject matterContinue Reading
Some novels just cry out to be made into films. Undermajordomo Minor, by Patrick deWitt, is one of those. IContinue Reading
The Hod King, Bancroft’s third book in his Books of Babel tetralogy, is an exercise in exquisite torture through cliffhangers.Continue Reading
Writer Nicholas Tucker said about Richard Adams’ 50-hankie-bunny-weepie, Watership Down, “Adams … has bravely and successfully resurrected the big picaresque adventureContinue Reading
This is one those novels that will change the way you look at death and burial methods – and Beirut.Continue Reading
I work for a firm of consulting engineers in the oil & gas and mining industries (my day job, whichContinue Reading
Here is the fascinating first-hand exposé of how Julian Barnes wrote his first novel, Metroland, and got it published inContinue Reading
John Scalzi’s Science Fiction (SF) novel Head On was taken a step closer to being real when, in December 2018,Continue Reading
In a previous post, I commented on Helena Gunter’s recently published anthology of short stories called Tweespoor (meaning “Double Track”).Continue Reading
Here’s something entertaining: the appearance on The New Yorker magazine’s video channel of my favourite You-tubers, Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal,Continue Reading
It seems to me that Hollywood film producers keep rehashing the same subjects and plots, which is why I rarelyContinue Reading
Helena Gunter’s skinny two-part work, with its dull brown cover featuring a faded-looking abstract drawing, looks harmless enough. What itContinue Reading
The statistics for 2018 for the Seven Circumstances book blog illustrate some basics about the world of book writing, publishingContinue Reading
The statistics for 2018 for the Seven Circumstances book blog, released just before New Year, illustrate some basics about theContinue Reading
Readers who enjoy reading about the books they have read, and are searching for the next good book to read,Continue Reading
Recently my nose led me to a stall in down-town Vancouver where people were selling lavender products made in Provence,Continue Reading
Part 4/4 of The Long Read review of Codex 1962, by Sjón (Back to part 3/4 of the review) TheContinue Reading
Back to part 2 of the review of Codex 1962, by Sjón The parts of the Trilogy The three partsContinue Reading
Part 2 of the review of CoDex 1962, by Sjón (Back to part 1) Antagonist/Protagonist Sjón comes close to directlyContinue Reading
CoDex 1962 is Icelandic author Sjón’s first new novel since Moonstone – The Boy Who Never Was, published in translation inContinue Reading
This is the rack of “mass market” paperbacks that I see when I stand in the queue, every time IContinue Reading
I’m not an anime fan. I don’t do cosplay, and I generally like Hard Science Fiction more than novels aboutContinue Reading
I have never written an easier review of a novel, than this one. Why? Because it does not need reviewingContinue Reading
“Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose” – “the more things change, the more they stay the same”, said by French critic Alphonse Karr,Continue Reading
Jo Nesbo is a masterful writer of crime fiction. In his particular niche, he is superb. That said, it probablyContinue Reading
The novel is downbeat and intense, but demonstrates that what matters is love, what keeps people going is love, andContinue Reading
Cory Doctorow writes about the future as if it were today, as if it were about him and his buddies,Continue Reading
I rarely repost news articles in their entirety but this one is a real eyebrow-raiser: – an independent author’s novel,Continue Reading
In previous posts on this subject, I focused on finding a publisher, finding an agent and finding your voice asContinue Reading
The last novel by John Scalzi I read, before this one, was Agent To the Stars (Tor Books, 2008), andContinue Reading
The more I think about David Sedaris’ writing, the more I realize I’ve been missing out on a good thingContinue Reading
Step 2: Find a literary agent In my previous post, I went into why and how writers connect with publishersContinue Reading
There are thousands of aspiring authors, thousands of unpublished books, and millions of readers who have not connected with particularContinue Reading
What is the connection between Mining Engineering and writing fiction? None. In fact, the minds of Mining Engineers often workContinue Reading
This is the Icelandic version of Bram Stoker’s famous Victorian Gothic novel, Dracula. Powers of Darkness, called Makt Myrkranna, “the powerContinue Reading
Julian Barnes’ latest novel is called The Only Story and, despite the subject (the “scandalous” love affair between a manContinue Reading
I’ve been putting my poems on my poem-page on this website, mostly for my own amusement. I’ve noticed that justContinue Reading
Can the same subjects, settings and characters be successfully used in a podcast, and in published script format, and in aContinue Reading
I did not, until now, understand why David Sedaris is regarded as one of the best essayist and satirists writingContinue Reading
Compact Crit. #12 – The Books of Babel, by Josiah Bancroft (In particular: Arm of the Sphinx) I am publishingContinue Reading
Readers who are unable to finish reading a novel know that bothersome feeling – when you imagine that an inanimateContinue Reading
Comment from Brian Bilston: Brian Bilston “What a lovely review. Thank you so much. I’m delighted you enjoyed it – andContinue Reading
Some writers write so clearly, elegantly and expressively that reading their words is like drinking a glass of the bestContinue Reading
“Borne” is the past participle of the verb “[to] bear”, which means to carry or transport, as in a weight orContinue Reading
Compact Crit. #10 – On the Bright Side – The New Diary of Hendrik Groen (a.k.a. Zolang Er Leven IsContinue Reading
I have long been an admirer of Monty Don, the horticulturist and garden expert. I love watching him on hisContinue Reading
Sometimes, a line from a book or a film just sounds to good to resist. It sticks in your headContinue Reading
Despite two trips to Australia, I have failed to figure out the archetypal Australian or the layout of the country.Continue Reading
Anthony Bourdain is dead – he killed himself. His body was found in Kaysersberg-Vignoble, France, on Friday, June 8, 2018. HeContinue Reading
Jo Nesbo’s famous “Harry Hole” detective novels, and his other works for adults, bear the marks of contemporary Scandinavian NoirContinue Reading
Compact Crit. #11 – The Pleasure Model Repairman, by Ruuf Wangersen It was great fun to read Ruuf Wangersen’s debut Sci-FiContinue Reading
It’s Spring, love is in the air and it’s wedding season, so now is the time to revisit some excellentContinue Reading
Ruuf Wangersen’s debut novel is The Pleasure Model Repairman, reviewed here. I was fascinated by this new author and theContinue Reading
Any novel that has the words “pleasure model” in the title could be automatically relegated to the category of “chickContinue Reading
“Welcome to Night Vale” it says on the cover. Inside, there are stories about the town of “Night Vale”, somewhereContinue Reading
Like in music, one-hit wonders are a never-ending source of fascination for people. Depending on how you define a “one-hitContinue Reading
The mystery over who “Hendrik Groen” is, continues. Groen is the pseudonym of a Dutch author who has produced twoContinue Reading
There is a lot more to the phenomenon of literary one-hit wonders than you’d think. There are many reasons forContinue Reading
Compact Crit. #9 – The Memory Palace, by Edward Hollis Since Edward Hollis’ book, The Memory Palace, is mostly aboutContinue Reading
When I studied Interior Decorating years ago, I didn’t have the foggiest idea about the real significance of interiors. YouContinue Reading
This is satire, and it bites hard. “Lionel ASBO” ( his surname stands for Anti-Social Behaviour Order, which was placedContinue Reading
In my review of the return of the Bloom County comic strip, I had in my mind only the drawnContinue Reading
The teaser trailer for the new film based on the Mary Poppins books by P.L. Travers was released to coincideContinue Reading
Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr’s famous epigram reads; “Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose” – “the more it changes, the more it’s the sameContinue Reading
After a 25-year absence, comic book artist Berkeley (“Berke”) Breathed restarted his famous and much-loved comic strip, Bloom County on Facebook,Continue Reading
In the previous four posts on this subject, I looked into the link between addiction and mental problems of writersContinue Reading
In the previous article, I discussed the link between psychopathology and creativity. So here is a shortlist of authors whose bodyContinue Reading
Compact Crits #7: 54-second review of Insomniac City, by Bill Hayes Read the whole story here. Make no mistake, thisContinue Reading
Insomniac City made me cry – but in a nice way. I am an incurable romantic and Hayes’s revealing memoirContinue Reading
In the previous article, part 2 of the Long Read about the creative process, I looked at the link betweenContinue Reading
Compact Crits #5: 46-second review of The Last Kind Words Saloon, by Larry McMurtry
The title is probably one of the longest phrases in the novel, which is a mere 191 pages, including illustrationsContinue Reading
Compact Crits #6: 48-second review of You Took the Last Bus Home, by Brian Bilston (poetry) Here’s the full reviewContinue Reading
Does an unreliable narrator mean the author is also unreliable? In the previous article, about “mad, bad and dangerous toContinue Reading
Brian Bilston’s first anthology of poetry contains more than 200 poems, and despite some of them being only four linesContinue Reading
Brian Bilston’s saucy, witty and insightful poems on Twitter (@brian_bilston) have made him famous. In this podcast (recorded in 2016,Continue Reading
I watched the final episode of the second season of Cardinal, based on the books by Giles Blunt, on Feb. 8,Continue Reading
In Charles Bukowski’s famous novel, Hollywood, one of his many famous cult classics, his alter-ego “Henry Chinaski” describes actors asContinue Reading
“A thing of beauty is a joy for ever”, John Keats wrote in his poem “Endymion” in 1818 – aboutContinue Reading
Compact Crits #4: 60-second review of Caroline, by Sarah Miller Here’s the long list of all the novels – apartContinue Reading
What is the appeal of the old-fashioned stiff upper lip? Of a person with backbone, inner strength, dogged determination? Caroline,Continue Reading
Compact Crits #3: Rhett & Link’s Book of Mythicality, by Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal
I have been watching Rhett and Link, a.k.a Rhett McLaughlin and Link (Charles) Neal, on their YouTube channel, Good MythicalContinue Reading
One of my favourite marketing professionals, Seth Godin, wrote his 7,000th post on Nov. 14, 2017. That’s quite something. TheContinue Reading
Compact Crits #2: 57-second review of Lincoln in the Bardo, by George Saunders.
This is one review I composed carefully, as the novel is in a format I have never seen before, inContinue Reading
Taking a lesson from one of my favourite bloggers, Seth Godin, I am from now on going to compact myContinue Reading
The film adaptation of The Snowman by Jo Nesbø (Nesbo outside Norway) came out last year October. Directed by TomasContinue Reading
Book blogs and book review aggregators exist because people like being part of a community that shares their interests. ThisContinue Reading
Sometimes reading is work, and the more I read to review the rarer it is that I discover a bookContinue Reading
I did not think that I would get tired of reading the heavily stylized and very British English of StephenContinue Reading
Tom Hanks’s debut work of fiction, a collection of short stories, came out on October 17, 2017. It has beenContinue Reading
Readers who can manage Afrikaans will get a real kick out of reading Die Onaantasbares (“The Untouchables”) by South African authorContinue Reading
Prue Leith, as Anglophiles and food show fans would know, replaced Mary Berry as the co-judge with Paul Hollywood whenContinue Reading
In popular author Kathy Lette’s latest novel, Best Laid Plans, her writing style is a torrent of words, which you eventuallyContinue Reading
Izak du Plessis’s non-fiction dive into the fascinating if mortifying world of Afrikaans scoundrels, crooks and high rollers should alsoContinue Reading
There is a current trend for novels with long titles about eccentric old people: The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed OutContinue Reading
With books, as with films, success depends a lot on the timing and the tie-ins. Whether it will resonate withContinue Reading
It has been said that the problem with poetry is that whatever poem you come up with, due to theContinue Reading
Julian Barnes October 8 at 7:03pm · Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, on Julian Barnes’s novel The Noise of TimeContinue Reading
Iceland is a rocky, harsh, windy island, packed with ravening tourists, but the scenery is spectacular. This book is theContinue Reading
I know a good thing when I read it! Yesterday, 5 Oct. 2017, the British author Kazuo Ishiguro was named thisContinue Reading
Marthe Bijman (left) reads for pleasure and in order to produce reviews for this website, and certain publishers. She likes Literary Fiction and Science Fiction and finds the translated work of Chinese and Scandinavian authors particularly interesting. She is a fan of Star Trek and James Bond – but her taste in literature is eclectic. She lives on the outskirts of Vancouver, Canada, and works on a big old iMac and various other PCs and Apple gadgets. (more…)
I have often pointed out in these posts, that I favour brevity and carefully chosen words over flowery writing. ItContinue Reading
