Tag: books

Literature

Review: A Promised Land by Barack Obama

By Suraya Kazzuz In light of the current political climate, it seems that Barack ObamaÔÇÖs newly published memoir, A Promised Land, couldnÔÇÖt have come at a better time. After a tumultuous four years following Obamas precedency, it is refreshing to reminisce or discover a time which was, if not necessarily better than the times we live in now, certainly more hopeful and less erratic.  Barack ObamaÔÇÖs eloquent … Continue reading Review: A Promised Land by Barack Obama

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Literature

Consumerism in the Book Community

By Hanna Pluck As life gets more and more online, book lovers are getting creative to show their appreciation and build a community around their hobby. While plenty of book-specific fandoms have popped up, for those wishing to engage with book lovers as a whole there presents a pretty unusual challenge – how do you connect with people who love books when thereÔÇÖs such a … Continue reading Consumerism in the Book Community

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Literature

Graphic Novels to Read if YouÔÇÖve Never Read a Graphic Novel

Essex County by Jeff Lemire By Chahat Awasthi Sophisticated black-and-white graphic novelÔÇÖ set, the trilogy of Essex County is close to what is called a story prose. The intertwining collection of stories empathetically traces membersÔÇÖ life at various points in an isolated community. Set in a rural Canadian county, the novels have a striking characterization and will blow your mind in terms of clear-sightedness ÔÇô … Continue reading Graphic Novels to Read if YouÔÇÖve Never Read a Graphic Novel

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Literature

Our Favourite Literary Tropes

Katie Waits on Friends to Lovers There are tropes we love, tropes we hate, those that are overused and others that we wish were appreciated more. There are many romantic tropes that frequently appear in literature, including the friends-to-lovers trope. Although often very unrealistic, with the power to ruin dating expectations, friends-to-lovers is, if well-written, a wonderful trope. Usually, I donÔÇÖt seek out romance novels, … Continue reading Our Favourite Literary Tropes

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Literature

Classic VS Retelling

Words by Bonnie Wileman Most of us had our introduction to Greek mythology as kids, whether singing along to DisneyÔÇÖs Hercules or immersing ourselves in the Percy Jackson series. The Greek gods have become household names despite the fact we no longer pray to them or leave them offerings in the form of a sacrificed goat, and although our childhood favourites revived this culture, itÔÇÖs … Continue reading Classic VS Retelling

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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

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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?

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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

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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

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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?

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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

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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

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Culture

Did ‘Call Me by Your Name’ need a sequel?

By Sofia Brizio I remember the exact day I started reading Call Me By Your Name, the bestselling novel by Andr├® Aciman. 5th of February 2018. I had borrowed it from a friend after she had been constantly messaging me about how amazing the book was. That day we were having coffee in Cardiff city centre after an afternoon of lectures. We were both tired … Continue reading Did ‘Call Me by Your Name’ need a sequel?

Sofia Brizio
Culture

Online Book Communities

By Neus Forner Book blogging has its place secured in the online community. From BookTube to Bookstagram, to traditional blogs, there is content for everyone. The online book community has been growing from quite some time. Here is your guide to navigating through the never-ending online book world! Bookstagram  Bookstagram has changed the way fiction is promoted, marketed and read. This movement has forever changed the … Continue reading Online Book Communities

Neus Forner
Culture

Digging Out ‘American Dirt’: What This Controversy Tells Us About the Shortcomings of the Publishing Industry

By Luisa De La Concha Montes In early January, I woke up to find my Twitter feed flooded with very outspoken opinions about Jeannine CumminsÔÇÖ most recent book, American Dirt. As I started interacting with the two main writers that reviewed and criticised the book, Myrian Gurba de Serrano and David O. Bowles, I realized that I was witnessing something quite revealing, and potentially, something … Continue reading Digging Out ‘American Dirt’: What This Controversy Tells Us About the Shortcomings of the Publishing Industry

Luisa De la Concha Montes
Features

Cardiff’s Study Spaces

As our spring term assessments begin to creep up, we asked our contributors to reveal their favourite study spaces…but keep them quiet! Courtney Moody on Juno Lounge, Roath Juno Lounge is a quirky caf├® bar situated in the heart of bustling Roath in the centre of Cardiff. The lounge is formed of quirky d├®cor and a laid-back vibe, providing a complimentary space for study with comfy sofas and pine tables, allowing easy access to … Continue reading Cardiff’s Study Spaces

Rhianna Hurren-Myers
Culture

No Superheroes Allowed: 5 Life-Changing Comics

By Eduardo Karas Following the theme of ÔÇ£StoriesÔÇØ, we at Q3 wanted to give space to less traditional means of storytelling as one of our objectives for this issue. The first medium we are giving our attention to is graphic novels or comic books or just comics (however you want to call them), as two of us are very passionate about them. Below, I will … Continue reading No Superheroes Allowed: 5 Life-Changing Comics

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Culture

5 Poetry Books Every Millennial Should Read

By Molly Govus and Rosa Burston Poetry is one of the most peculiar literary genres and is also extremely beneficial to readers and writers alike. Able to capture the power of language and to go straight to the point, poetry is ideal for every confused millennial trying to survive in this chaotic world and make sense of it. In this article, we recommend 5 books … Continue reading 5 Poetry Books Every Millennial Should Read

Sofia Brizio
Culture

Graphic Novel Review: Guantanámo Kid

Words by Christopher Colbourn Guant├ínamo Kid tells the story of Mohammed El-Gharani, one of the youngest inmates detained at Guant├ínamo Bay by the US government in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. A Saudi national arrested outside a mosque in Pakistan at the age of 14, El-Gharani spent eight years of his life detained without charge or trial, first by Pakistan and then by the … Continue reading Graphic Novel Review: Guantan├ímo Kid

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