Category: Literature

Literature

An Interview with Book Blogger Joel Rochester @fictionalfates

An interview with Joel Rochester by Neus Forner It’s unimaginable how big the online book community has become. Bookstagrammers, BookTubers, book bloggers… The love for books has reached almost every type of content. As book influencers, they have become essential in the book market, many turning their love for books into their dream job. In order to understand what really goes inside the book blogger … Continue reading An Interview with Book Blogger Joel Rochester @fictionalfates

Neus Forner
Creative Writing, Literature

Poem – My Siren

Words by Jacob Evans My Siren In the abyss Her eyes absorb gold,┬á A guilty treasure Of fate untold. Her hair floats,┬á Dark and deep, Whisping and wrapping In the current of her temptation Her skin escapes friction, Pure as the ocean floor.┬á Freckles dust her moonlit face, For there is always light in her dark place. Looking up, her body still, She does not … Continue reading Poem – My Siren

Contributing Writer
Literature

Gringa Girl: Author Lauren Dittmer on Her Debut Novel

The story begins at Heathrow Airport. Lily arrives tearful and anxious, doing a bad job at putting on a brave face for the sake of her parents. Although overwhelmed and regretting the decisions she made that brought her here, she is determined to see her plans through and become the carefree and confident girl she wants to be.  Lily is embarking on a backpacking trip … Continue reading Gringa Girl: Author Lauren Dittmer on Her Debut Novel

Ona
Literature

The 5 Jacqueline Wilson Books that Scarred Us for Life

Hazel Ravu on Cookie When thinking about the long-term ramifications derived from overreading Jacqueline Wilson novels during my adolescence, I automatically think of Cookie as the book which left the most scars. Yes, the tale does encompass the seriousness of domestic abuse, with the main character and her mother as victims of their father and husbandÔÇÖs aggression. This perhaps can be agreed as a challenging … Continue reading The 5 Jacqueline Wilson Books that Scarred Us for Life

Contributing Writer
Literature

What’s the Big Deal? 5 Classic Novels that Deserve Their Hype

Maya Deane on Lord of the Flies To many students, GoldingÔÇÖs Lord of the Flies was one of those books that you were forced to study when you were around 15 years old. Whilst covering themes such as human nature, religion and social hierarchy, the book mostly serves as a fantastic introduction to how society fails to provide young men with skills such as empathy … Continue reading What’s the Big Deal? 5 Classic Novels that Deserve Their Hype

Contributing Writer
Literature

Problematic Authors: Should We Separate the Writer from the Writing?

by Alex Daud Briggs. J.K. Rowling has had a few controversies over the years but the latest has plunged her into some deep water. Twitter has given everyone a voice and some of our favourite authors have not been saying nice things. Rowling has been found supporting a transphobic speaker and later posting what many saw as a hateful comment regarding trans rights, stating that … Continue reading Problematic Authors: Should We Separate the Writer from the Writing?

Contributing Writer
Creative Writing, Literature

Poem – Empty Lovers

by Tilly Jones. Empty Lovers I kiss your mouth in search of another, My lips longing for ones that are not yours. The close echo of an empty lover, Merely hoping to conceal their sores. Two wondering, vacant, beings of lust. Brief confidants in a passing moment, A secret encounter hiding from trust. A tender escape, our minds are absent, We can blindly dance this … Continue reading Poem – Empty Lovers

Contributing Writer
Literature

Popular Books We Kinda Hate

Have you ever had that experience of finishing a deeply anticipated read – perhaps it was hyped up on social media or maybe it was considered as a classic, only to finish it thinkingÔǪthat was not good? Us too, and in this article our contributors are confessing the popular books that they believe just werenÔÇÖt all that. The Catcher in the Rye By Catarina Vicente … Continue reading Popular Books We Kinda Hate

Contributing Writer
Literature

Review: Beloved by Toni Morrison

By Sahina Sherchan. ÔÇ£Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another.ÔÇØ This is not an easy read. Toni MorrisonÔÇÖs Beloved is about remembrance, a visit from the past disrupting the easy ignorance. We can no longer brush off conversations about slavery and the inequality that still persists in our society. This is a book in dedication to the ÔÇ£sixty million … Continue reading Review: Beloved by Toni Morrison

Contributing Writer
Literature

Self-Publishing 101: Why Is It So Popular and Is It Really a Bad Thing?

Words by Sofia Brizio Self-publishing is the publication of a book by its author without the involvement of a traditional, established publisher. It is a phenomenon that has become increasingly popular in recent years, but why is it so? Where does it come from? What makes self-publishing an often more viable option than traditional publishing and what does it mean for the future of traditional … Continue reading Self-Publishing 101: Why Is It So Popular and Is It Really a Bad Thing?

Contributing Writer
Literature

Science Fiction ÔÇô More to the Story than You Might Expect

by Daniel Brown. When you hear the words ÔÇ£science fiction,ÔÇØ it is incredibly likely that you will end up thinking of something like Star Wars or, since this is a literary article, possibly a book by Asimov. Sci-Fi is commonly put into the same category as young adult and teen fiction, and Sci-Fi novels are very rarely put on the same level or considered comparable … Continue reading Science Fiction ÔÇô More to the Story than You Might Expect

Contributing Writer
Literature

The Rise of the Audiobook

by Katie Waits. Without a doubt, for many of us, literature has been an important part of our lives for the last few months. Whether youÔÇÖve sought out your favourite story for a sense of comfort, settled down with an interesting educational read, or started making your way through your ever-growing pile of unread books, lockdown has allowed some of us the time to embrace … Continue reading The Rise of the Audiobook

Contributing Writer
Literature

Fictional Worlds That Exist in Real Life

by Shaniece O’Keeffe. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Universal Studios Florida and Hollywood & The making of Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio Tours – London. If you havenÔÇÖt wanted to walk down Diagon Alley and pop into Weasley Wizard Wheezes to pick up that love potion for the guy youÔÇÖre crushing on, or simply walk around with a butterbeer in your hand  taking … Continue reading Fictional Worlds That Exist in Real Life

Contributing Writer
Literature

Review: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

by Nicole Rees-Williams. Dust off your mocking-jay pins and practise your whistling, because Suzanne Collins is back with a brand-new prequel to the Hunger Games trilogy, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. If, like me, you were thrilled to learn of a new chapter in the Hunger Games story you probably had a few expectations about what this book was going to be. Will this … Continue reading Review: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

nicolereeswilliams
Literature

Books Written by BAME Authors

Illustration by Jasmine Snow @jasminesnowartContributions by: Ella Clucas, Kate Waldock, Ellie Hutchins, Ella Lloyd, Annabelle Ingram and Rhian Lock (in order of appearance) Kindred (1979) by Octavia Butler If youÔÇÖre looking for a book that will enthral you in its narrative whilst at the same time educating you on the history of racial politics, Kindred is it. In this poignant science fiction novel Butler brings … Continue reading Books Written by BAME Authors

Contributing Writer
Literature

An Essential Black Lives Matter Reading List

Introduction by Jasmine SnowContributions by Ona Ojo, Ella Saoirse Clucas, Manon Jones, Kate Waldock, Ella Rowe-Hall (in order of appearance)Illustration by Shafia Motaleb @artsyfifi It is understandable to feel sad, angry and perhaps even defeated by the news at the moment. However, alongside the numerous petitions to sign, organisations to donate to and protests to attend there is another invaluable way in which we can … Continue reading An Essential Black Lives Matter Reading List

Jasmine Snow