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Posts by Molly W

Iron Age girl

Cover of Ghost Wall
A review of Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss

Imagine an Iron Age reenactment that takes place in a boggy northern England wood as part of a university archaeology experience course. Now imagine that you are a teenager attending this field experience with your father and mother and you are there as the Iron Age workers, not the students. The students sleep in waterproof tents, are sneaking off to the pub, eating candy, skinny dipping, etc. while you are up with the sun, gathering roots and nuts, hunting rabbits, and tending to the fire at all times. The immersion week culminates with a simulated sacrificial ceremony.

Posted by Molly W on Jun 4, 2019

The talking cure

Cover of The Silent Patient
A review of The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

The Greek tragedy Alcestis by Euripides provides the backdrop for a painter named Alicia Berenson who has been institutionalized at The Grove after murdering her husband. Alicia shoots her husband five times in the face and never speaks another word. Her only communication after the murder is to paint a self-portrait entitled Alcestis. In the play, Alcestis sacrifices her life in order that her husband, King Admetus, may live. After a trip to Hades, Alcestis returns to the living and Admetus minus her voice.

Posted by Molly W on May 23, 2019

Postmodern Hansel and Gretel

Cover of Gingerbread: A Novel
A review of Gingerbread: A Novel by Helen Oyeyemi

Helen Oyeyemi's Gingerbread is the story of three women, Margot, Harriet and Perdita Lee, how their lives intertwine with the Kerchevals, a wealthy family of landowners in the fictional country of Druhástrana, and a legacy recipe for gingerbread. It's hard to put into words all of the magic that's present in this novel. I'll tell you one thing: it was impossible for me to read this book without craving gingerbread something fierce.

Posted by Molly W on Apr 29, 2019

Keep an eye on the cat

Cover of Looker: A Novel
A review of Looker: A Novel by Laura Sims

Sometimes you're reading a book about a person who is stalking their neighbor and you think, huh. That's a little creepy. And then it might keep you up at night wondering if you've locked the doors. And then you double check on the whereabouts of your pet. And you realize you should not read scary books before bed. This is not a healthy way to live!

Posted by Molly W on Apr 18, 2019

Of candlepin bowling and people

Cover of Bowlaway: A Novel
A review of Bowlaway: A Novel by Elizabeth McCracken

Bowlaway is a community saga set in Salford, Massachusetts centered on a candlepin* bowling alley. For those of you not familiar with candlepin, it is a variation of bowling played in New England with pins that have a cylindrical shape that taper toward each end similar to a candle. Scoring is different from tenpin and the balls are smaller, with no finger holes.

Posted by Molly W on Mar 13, 2019

Romance? Check!

Cover of The Kiss Quotient
A review of The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

Stella Lane sees the world in math and economics. There is no room for error and there's a formula for everything. So when she's ready for a serious relationship she creates a to-do list and gets ready to start checking off boxes! The only problem is, romantic chemistry is not a formula she can predict.

Posted by Molly W on Mar 5, 2019

Attention honor roll students of comedy

Cover of Caddyshack: The Making of
A review of Caddyshack: The Making of a Hollywood Cinderella Story by Chris Nashawaty

This is the story behind the genius and tragedy of the 1980 comedy film Caddyshack. Full disclosure: I love National Lampoon and have most of the Vacation movies completely memorized. I was excited that there was a new book about Caddyshack, one of my all-time favorites. It can be tough to watch movies from the 70s and 80s with regards to racism and sexism and recreational drug use, but parts of Caddyshack hold up fairly well.

Posted by Molly W on Feb 27, 2019

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