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It was another cold afternoon in the fridge. Danish Pastry was chilling alone on his shelf, which was just how he liked it. He enjoyed being the pastry with all the secrets. The stupid humans had left him in there over night. He laughed and lit a cigarette. No flakey crust for them. Things […]
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As I write, Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine has only just slipped from its spot atop both the E-book and print bestselling charts, after four consecutive weeks. This is a feat unrivalled by any book since Paula Hawkins’ The Girl on the Train, but while Hawkins’ thriller was boosted by an accompanying film, […]
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Happy endings. Rachel ditches Paris for an overdue reunion with Ross, Harry defeats Voldemort and survives (J.K. Rowling makes her own rules), and Tiny Tim makes a full recovery – sorry for the spoilers. Worldwide, we all switch off the television or turn over the last page with a warm – dare I say tingle […]
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Language and music are perhaps not the first concerns when considering a post-apocalyptic world that teeters between utopia and dystopia, yet H(A)PPY revolves around these metaphysical concepts. Mira A, the protagonist of the novel, finds impossible tension between her own, individual existence, and her role as part of The System, a machine that connects all […]
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Without even knowing the plot of Stay With Me, the Baileys-longlisted novel, the first scene acts as a precursor for what is to come. Our yet unnamed narrator waits, anticipating something unknown, in an empty room. Its hollowness is painful, infertile, barren, a physical reminder of Yejide’s loneliness: her inability to conceive, the death of […]
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In late June this year, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter turned 20 years old. Just as some of the books’ earliest fans begin to reach adulthood, the series itself has entered a new phase of its existence. Over the years since The Philosopher’s Stone was first published, Harry Potter has undergone an epic transformation, growing from […]
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When I arrived to watch a rehearsal of Garden, most of the cast were wearing plant pots on their heads. This, it turned out, was not a daring fashion statement, but an image which captured the essence of Jack Bradfield’s witty, heartfelt new comedy. Garden follows Elizabeth, a phytologist (plant scientist), and a group of […]
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What in particular draws you to the short story form as opposed to the novel? Well, every writer is different, but to me novels seem to get overloaded with unnecessary background filler. No one cares what a character had for breakfast. Also, a lot of character development rings false to me. It seems contrived. People […]
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No one noticed when he stopped eating in hall, or when purple bags first appeared under his eyes. It was the end of Trinity term. Victor Frankenstein was like all the other finalists. Now, surrounded by sprays of cheap champagne and confetti showers in the Exam Schools quad, he is out of place. His face […]
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In the world of absolute morality superhero stories present, in which the conflict is almost always between manifestations of pure good and evil, Batman is a character composed of shades of grey. Throughout the character’s history writers have used Batman as a platform to explore questions about the morality of vigilantism, the nature of justice […]
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Ruth and her husband Mark leave London after he is accused of watching child porn, hoping to find peace in the country. Instead, they find a miracle: the only spot in rains a future, drought-stricken England. What’s more, this book is approved by Richard and Judy, and who could help but trust those friendly faces? […]
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It’s winter when he goes back to Oxford – perhaps it’s been winter since he left – and they meet at the gate of the Botanic Gardens, where Ted has his hands in his pockets and is looking twice his size. Ted says, “You took your time, Denny. I’ve been waiting seventy years.” He laughs […]
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We all know how it is. You are accepted into Oxford and you cannot quite believe it! That magic, academic world with its dreaming spires, autumnal leaves and stony fortresses that you aspired to be in is now your home. It is easy to become indifferent, however, with the wonderful opportunity that Oxford has to […]
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A thought-provoking read that will resonate with many and serve as a source of comfort when it feels like everything is falling apart. I ordered The Versions of Us instantly when I found out it was about a couple that met in their second year at Cambridge. As someone who developed an obsession with all […]
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It is an important and oft-lamented fact that students never have time for pleasure reading. Between deadlines, social lives and cleaning flatmates’ vomit off the bathroom ceiling (which is as inconvenient as it is mildly impressive), the student lifestyle simply doesn’t leave room for anything as time-consuming as a novel. Short fiction, on the other […]
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Although I was asked to write on a fictional character I secretly wish was real, I unashamedly confess that not only do I publicly hope Sherlock Holmes existed, but I often convince myself that he did in fact walk the streets of Victorian London. No other character exhibits such charisma, presence of mind and incredible […]
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I’ve been to the river in a village on the outskirts of town only three times in my long life. The first time was one of my happiest days, and the second one of my most miserable. The third visit, of course, fell somewhere in between.
Continue ReadingThe weekend of the 12th-13th July the first annual Young Adult Literature Convention came to Earls Court. On offer was a wide range of panels, workshops, and author signings, as well as several publisher and book tables where you could browse the top Young Adult books of the moment. Sharing a venue with the […]
Continue ReadingYou are reading a detective story. You have spent hours following the plot of a murder case, carefully solving the hints and clues that will point towards the killer until, when you have finally endured enough investigation, the answer is revealed – it was Professor Plum with a lead pipe in the dining room. Of […]
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