Literary Fiction – Reading & Writing Blog

May 31, 2026

I Who Have Never Known Men

I Who Have Never Known Men, Jacqueline Harpman, 1995 As written in Sophie Mackintosh’s Afterword, Jacqueline Harpman was a Jewish woman from Belgium who…

May 9, 2026

The Secret History

The Secret History, Donna Tartt, 1992 My shock of the day was in my listening to The Book Club’s podcast episode on The Secret…

March 30, 2026

Never Let Me Go

Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro, 2005 This review has spoilers. After finishing Ishiguro’s novel, I immediately pounced onto episode two of “The Book…

February 17, 2026

Hamnet

Hamnet, Maggie O’Farrell, 2020 The story begins with a wandering child. This is a theme that’s returned to often—that of transience, that of aloneness,…

February 5, 2026

Normal People

Normal People, Sally Rooney, 2018 My Psychological Evaluation of Marianne and Connell: (credibility being DUDE I can relate) All I hear from the haters…

October 16, 2025

In The Dream House

In The Dream House, Carmen Maria Machado, 2019 Taken in fragments from “In The Dream House” pp. 201-204: “Dream House as the Queen and…

September 19, 2025

If Beale Street Could Talk

If Beale Street Could Talk, James Baldwin, 1974 Baldwin’s lyrical prose has the profound effect of making one desire to understand every side. Fonny…

May 12, 2025

Cat’s Eye

Cat’s Eye, Margaret Atwood, 1972 Cat’s Eye is a book about retrospect. Elaine, a woman in her middle age, returns to her hometown of…

August 21, 2024

Good Omens

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett, 1990 You’ve gotta be kidding me! Truthfully, I’m…

July 15, 2024

Paradise

Paradise, Toni Morrison, 1998 (This is a critical paper, written for a Graduate class on Works by Toni Morrison, in which I analyze the…