Many murder mysteries are dark, with the specter of the deceased looming over shocked, grieving, or confused characters throughout the book. Other murder mysteries take a much lighter approach to the genre, and Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers is one of them.… Continue reading
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Elizabeth Zott is a chemist whose mind is too vast and too brilliant to fit the constraints of the society she is born into. It’s the 1950s, and instead of rising deservedly to the upper echelons of the scientific community she has fought so hard to enter, she finds herself the subject of her male colleagues’ ire, disdain, and unchecked desire.… Continue reading
In Jane Austen’s first published novel, two sisters with very different temperaments experience similar situations: powerful romances followed by devastating heartbreak. The reserved Elinor, whose sense bars her from outwardly expressing her desires, and the passionate Marianne, whose sensibility drives her to wear her heart on the sleeve of her gown, respond to challenges and navigate the nuances of relationships quite dissimilarly, prompting a fascinating exploration of the ways in which a person’s personality shapes their success and social outcomes.… Continue reading
Sometimes, books are best selected through random discovery rather than careful consideration. I’ve found this to be especially true during the summer season, as some of my favorite lighthearted beach reads have been picked up in random nooks or crannies. I stumbled upon Last Summer at the Golden Hotel on a coffee table at a friend’s grandmother’s house in Mashpee, MA…and after thumbing my way through a few pages with waves lapping onshore in front of me, I was invested enough to ask my generous hosts to take the book home and finish it.… Continue reading
Have you ever read a book a second time to reintroduce yourself to a character? I was searching for a lighthearted read in recent weeks, having fallen into an odd pattern of trudging through heavy, dense stories and abandoning them partway.… Continue reading
