Today I’m talking about a fiery psychological thriller, Bonfire by Krysten Ritter. I’m not just excited to talk about the plot; I’m also stoked (get it?) to discuss her creative process and some surprising things we can learn from actors who are authors. Additionally, I’m touching on something that’s sparked my attention lately: how books like Gone Girl, The Woman in the Window, Sharp Objects, and Bonfire are either fanning the flames of the dead girl trope or burning it down. As usual, you can find Plotboilers on iTunes, Spotify, or right here on the Plotboilers website. Additionally, I love getting reviews and ratings on iTunes, so toss a few (or five?) stars my direction!
Books mentioned in this episode:
- Bonfire by Krysten Ritter
- Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
- Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
- The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
- The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn
Fredrik Backman is a Swedish writer best known for his books (A Man Called Ove, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry, etc.) Today, I’m talking about one of his most recent works “Beartown,” a book that focuses on a small town’s relationship with ice hockey and the interwoven lives of the people who live there. Spoiler alert: I think this book is great, and I hope you do too. There are a ton of themes and ideas that come up in Beartown, but the one I’m most excited to discuss is loyalty. Is loyalty always a good thing? What happens when we misplace it? These are the questions Backman asks in the Beartown narrative – and just a few of the ones he answers as well.
Join me as I discuss The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury with guests Josiah and Benji! For those of you who have tuned in before, you might remember Josiah and Benji from a few months ago when we talked about
May the record show this episode went live in February! Well, at least for those of us on the West Coast. To celebrate the shortest month of the year, I’ve got a quick book review (recommendation, really) for you. And since this book is actually about the writing life, I’ve combined the show’s normal segments into one. If you haven’ read Jhumpa Lahiri, I highly recommend her two collections of short stories, Interpreter of Maladies and Unaccustomed Earth. Someday, I’d like to review some of her other other works but for now, I hope you all enjoy my discussion of The Clothing of Books.
Today’s episode features a review of We Are Legion (We Are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor. When I first heard about We Are Legion, I wasn’t convinced that I’d like it – mostly because the main character is a spaceship. (That’s kind of an oversimplification, but you’ll understand why after hearing the review.) This book surprised me because it’s not only super fun but also deals with some pretty interesting questions – like what it means to be alive and the nature of individuality. If that sounds cool, you’re in luck because it’s actually the first of three books in the Bobiverse trilogy. I definitely plan on reading the next two – and I might review them, too!