Explore every episode of the podcast The Novel Tea

In this episode, Neha and Shruti tackle the natural world in books - we zoom out to consider the eight books we discussed this season, talking about our favorite and least favorite reads, themes that emerged, and questions it raises about what fiction is for, and the way we read. Plus, we share tons of books recommendations, and talk about the books next up on our TBRs.

Books Mentioned:

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

What We Can Know by Ian McEwan

Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer

Greenwood by Michael Christie

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson

Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver

Moby Dick by Herman Melville

Euphoria by Lily King

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

The Hobbit by JRR Tolkein

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Playground by Richard Powers

The Overstory by Richard Powers

The Drowned World by JD Ballard

An Immense World By Ed Yong

Nothing But the Rain by Naomi Salman

The Mosquito Coast by Paul Thoureax

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

Out of Africa by Isak Denisen

If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack.

We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.

This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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In this episode Shruti and Neha discuss the great American classic, Moby Dick, by Herman Melville. We discuss the book's themes of otherness and obsession, but we also get in to so much more, including its racism and (maybe?) progressiveness, naturalism and Darwin, H.P. Lovecraft, and prophecies. Finally, we ponder its status as a classic; does this book deserve to stand the test of time?

Links:

Beige Moth [Blog]

Shelf Discovery

Ahab's Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund

Ahab's Bride by Louise M. Gouge

Call me Ishmaelle by Xiaolu Guo

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Sky Daddy by Kate Folk

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This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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Shruti and Neha discuss Barbara Kingsolver's Prodigal Summer, a novel of three stories that unfold over the course of one Appalachian summer. We discuss themes of female desire, fertility, familial love, and harmony. We also make connections between characters and their symbolic representations, discover a new critical lens to read through, and question the veracity of 'moon cycles.'

Shelf Discovery:

The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

The White Book by Han Kang

If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack.

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This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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In this episode, Shruti and Neha discuss The Seedkeeper by Diane Wilson, exploring themes of reclamation, integration, and motherhood. We share some historical context, discuss the book's structure, and weigh in on the key relationships in the novel.

Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery

Craft in the Real World by Matthew Salesses

Daughters of the Deer by Danielle Daniel

The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich

Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits by Laila Lalami

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This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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Shruti and Neha discuss Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy, a story of a young woman trying to reintroduce wolves into the wild in the Scottish Highlands, only to find a darker side of the town that has troubling echoes with her own past. We discuss the story through the themes of instinct, villainy, and monsters. We also share some context on real-world conservation efforts, and get into the subgenre of tragedy porn (or misery lit).

Links:

Interview with Charlotte McConaghy

Shelf Discovery & Books Mentioned

Popular Trauma Culture by Anne Roth

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

Island of the Sea Wolves [Netflix]

Miracle Creek by Angie Kim

The Women by Kristin Hannah

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

Stolen by Ann-Helén Laestadius

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This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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Author Alli Hoff Kosik joins us to discuss her new book Too Blessed to Stress, a novel following four Christian influencers as they navigate their online lives and deal with private struggles becoming public.

We talk about communication and the internet as tools of power, how gossip can be wielded for good and for evil, and the ways social media has begun to appear in novels in a variety of ways. And, of course, we share tons of book recommendations as we talk all about how Too Blessed to Stress is in conversation with other books, media, and popular culture.

This is a spoiler-free discussion (with very minimal discussion of plot and characters) so dive in - whether you read the book and loved it, or have never heard of it until now!

Books and Media Mentioned

The Book of Essie by Meghan MacLean Weir

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives

Sex and the City

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

Gossip Girl

Such a Bad Influence by Olivia Muenter

The Influencers by Anna-Marie McLemore

Tehrangeles by Porochista Khakpour

If You're Seeing This, It's Meant for You by Leigh Stein

The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami

In Her Defense by Philippa Malicka

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Colton Gentry's Third Act by Jeff Zentner

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

Amelia's Notebook by Marissa Moss

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

Paper Cut by Rachel Taff

If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack.

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This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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In this episode, Neha and Shruti discuss Greenwood, a multigenerational family saga tied together with a repeating motif of trees and forests. We discuss themes of legacy, inheritance, nature, and addiction, and we also share our critiques of the book, from its character construction to its central message.

Interview with Michael Christie

Shelf Discovery:

What We Can Know by Ian McEwan

The Overstory by Richard Powers

Playground by Richard Powers

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

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This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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In this episode, Neha and Shruti discuss Annihilation, the first book of Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach trilogy. We discuss its world building, character development, and share our many theories about the central mystery and the book's ending.

Shelf Discovery & Books Mentioned:

His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

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This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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In this episode, Shruti and Neha discuss What We Can Know, Ian McEwan's latest speculative novel about a lost poem, climate change, and the power of stories. We discuss this novel through the themes of memory and preservation, and talk about our differing opinions on some of the major twists in the novel.

Shelf Discovery & Books Mentioned:

Possession by A.S. Byatt

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

Universality by Natasha Brown

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This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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In this episode, Neha and Shruti discuss Jon Krakauer's famous account of the 1996 Mt. Everest disaster, Into Thin Air. They discuss his chosen narration style, clarify what actually happened on that mountain, and talk about the role of a writer in controlling their story.

Shelf Discovery

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

The Call of the Wild by Jack London

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New year, new season! In this episode we introduce the theme for our upcoming season, The Natural World - then we get into the eight books we'll be discussing over the next few months.

Vote for your choice of novel here

Books Mentioned:

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer

What We Can Know by Ian McEwan

Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer

Greenwood by Michael Christie

Barkskins by Annie Proulx

We Are Green and Trembling by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson

Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver

Moby Dick by Herman Melville

If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack.

We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.

This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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In our final episode of 2025, we talk about what our reading lives were like this year, and discuss our stand-out reads through superlatives. Listen in to hear the best page-turners, best characters, and most unexpected reads we encountered this year, to name a few!

Books Mentioned

The Margot Affair by Sanae Lemoine

Diary of a Void by Emi Yogi

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

The Wall by Marlen Haushofer

The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante

The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin

Friends of the Museum by Heather McGowan

Butter by Asako Yuzuki

The Oppermans Lion Feuchtwanger

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai

Universality by Natasha Brown

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

Audition by Katie Kitamura

Heart the Lover by Lily King

Water Moon by Samantha Soto Yambao

The Old Man by the Sea by Domenico Starnone

Emma by Jane Austen

Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee

Bunny by Mona Awad

The Remembered Soldier by Anjet Daanje

Orbital by Samantha Harvey

Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

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This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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Get your TBR lists ready, because in this wrap up episode we talk all about the books we read in Season 6, and then welcome David and Melissa of Strong Sense of Place for a special guest segment! They tell us about their favorite travels, settings they've loved, and unique books that have transported them. We also get into our issues with short stories, and discuss ways to get into reading them.

Books Discussed:

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver

The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel

The Works: Anatomy of a City by Kate Ascher

The Last Warner Woman by Kei Miller

Elephant Complex: Travels in Sri Lanka by John Gimlette

Stoner by John Williams

The Prague Sonata by Bradford Morrow

The Godmother by Hannelore Cayre

Vintage 1954 by Antoine Laurain

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Table for Two by Amor Towles

A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders

Passing by Nella Larson

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon

From The Mixed Up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsberg

The Cricket in Time Square by Garth Williams

The Original by Nell Stevens

Brat Farrar by Josephine Tay

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highswmith

The Remembered Solider by Anjet Daanje

My Family and other Rockstars by Tiffany Murphy

If you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack.

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This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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In this episode Neha and Shruti discuss The Museum of Innocence, by Nobel prize winner Orhan Pamuk, through themes of narcissism and honor. We discuss the idea of legacy, cultural norms and the patriarchy, and the way that the book's framing affects the way we interpret the story. Plus, we talk through the book's intriguing ending and reach new insights about what the book is trying to do, and its effect on readers.

Shelf Discovery:

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

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This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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In this episode, Shruti and Neha travel to Mumbai in Rohinton Mistry's Booker shortlisted novel Such a Long Journey, through themes of forgiveness, miracles, and misfortunes. We discuss the novel's loveable and sometimes frustrating characters, the symbolism of animals, and the looming specter of death in daily life.

Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry

The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai

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Neha and Shruti discuss the speculative novel The City We Became, a story about New York City's five avatars who must band together to defend the city from a looming enemy. We discuss our thoughts on the book's premise and structure, get into H.P Lovecraft's legacy of horror and racism, and more!

Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery:

The Call of Cthulu by H.P. Lovecraft

Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer

Lone Women by Victor LaValle

Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff

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In this episode, Neha and Shruti discuss Zadie Smith's debut novel, White Teeth. We talk about themes of religion, inheritance, class, history, and the need for control; we explore what those 'white teeth' in the title might mean; and finally we get into our issues with the book, and discuss the genre of Hysterical Realism.

Links:

Human, All Too Inhuman by James Wood

How White Teeth transcends its many flaws

Shelf Discovery:

On Beauty by Zadie Smith

Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie

The Shadow Lines by Amitav Ghosh

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Virginia Woolf's incredible novel Mrs. Dalloway turns 100 this year! Shruti and Neha talk about this book and its themes of perception, inadequacy, memory, illness, and death. They discuss the effect of the past on the characters, the book's imperialist and pro-colonialism project, and the disappearance of the narrator.

Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery:

On Being Ill by Virginia Woolf

Culture and Imperialism by Edward Said

The Annotated Mrs. Dalloway edited by Merve Emre

A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf

To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

The Hours by Michael Cunningham

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Neha and Shruti discuss Brooklyn, a historical novel about a young woman who immigrates from Ireland to America in the 1950s, through the themes of family and duty. We discuss the character of Eilis Lacey and her passivity, Tóibín's spare writing style, and the various forces pulling at the characters in this book. We also draw comparisons to Henry James, and share a few thoughts on the movie adaption.

Links:

The Coldest Place on Earth [London Review of Books]

Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery

The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James

Washington Square by Henry James

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

Another Country by James Baldwin

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

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In this episode we discuss Bangkok Wakes to Rain, a novel of interconnected stories set in Krung Thep (Bangkok) over several decades. We discuss how the idea of time is explored through the story, and how each character encounters displacement in their own way. We then get into a conversation about aging, beauty trends, and the afterlife, before our final Filter the Chai and Shelf Discovery segments.

Sea of Tranquility: wilderness and loneliness - Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Shelf Discovery:

The Overstory by Richard Powers

Human Acts by Han Kang

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak

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Welcome to a new season! Today we’re talking all about cities in literature – what cities represent, what ‘setting as character’ really means, and books we’ve read that really capture the magic of cities. We then share the seven books we’ll be reading this season, along with context and background, and the themes and elements we’ll be paying attention to as we read.

Books Mentioned:

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Bangkok Wakes to Rain by Pitchaya Sudbanthad

Brooklyn by Colm Toibin

Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

White Teeth by Zadie Smith

The City We Became by NK Jemison

Such a Long Journey by Rohinton Mistry

The Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk

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In this episode we zoom out and talk about all the books we covered over the past few months, discussing favorites and least favorites, as well as highlighting some themes that emerged, including strong settings and ‘the madwoman’ in literature. We then get into adaptation theory – some background on adaptations, and what we think makes a good adaptation (with a few tangents into the upcoming Harry Potter series and Greta Gerwig’s Narnia). 

Links:

On the Art of Adaptation by Linda Hutcheon [Jstor]

Context in Film Adaptations [Jstor]

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In this episode we talk all about All's Well, a novel that is in part a retelling, in part an homage to theater, and a completely wild ride of a book. We discuss the way perception plays into the story, and how repetition functions to serve the narrative - and of course, we explore All's Well That Ends Well and MacBeth, the two plays at the heart of this novel.

Shelf Discovery:

Bunny by Mona Awad

Woo Woo by Ella Baxter

Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa

The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton

My Death by Lisa Tuttle

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Neha and Shruti discuss Home Fire, a retelling of Antigone set in the present day that explores questions of family, loyalty, beliefs, and legacy. We share some background about Sophocles' Antigone to help ground the discussion, discuss the parts of the novel that we loved, and share some of our issues with its construction. And as always, we share book recommendations in our Shelf Discovery segment for readers who liked different aspects of Home Fire.

Shelf Discovery:

The Other Americans by Laila Lalami

Circe by Madeline Miller

Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum

The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami

Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad

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In this special bonus episode, we are so excited to be joined by Izzy of What the Austen? as we talk all things relating to Austen adaptations! We discuss what makes a good adaptation, and that special quality to Austen's prose and which movies and TV shows succeed at capturing her magic. And, of course, we talk about our favorite (and least favorite) screen adaptations!

Follow Izzy on her Youtube Channel, Instagram, or by listening in to her other excellent podcast episodes!

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In this episode we discuss the many adaptations of Jane Austen’s Emma: Emma (1996 with Gwyneth Paltrow), Emma (1996 with Kate Beckinsale), Emma (2020 with Anya Taylor Joy), Clueless (1995 with Alicia Silverstone). We talk all about what each version gets right, and what it gets wrong, and decide on a favorite Emma, a favorite Knightely, and favorite overall!

We also reference a few other Emma adaptations, including Aisha (2010 with Sonam Kapoor), Emma Approved (Youtube Miniseries), and Emma of 83rd Street by Aubrey Bellezza and Emily Harding.

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In this episode, we discuss, laugh about, and delight Jane Austen's Emma. We talk about the novel’s themes of autonomy and companionship and how these are at odds; we also delve into what we think the book is saying about love, marriage, friendship, and class. We of course giggle and marvel over the book’s wonderful characters, and we also get a bit nerdy as we make comparisons to Shakespeare’s comedies.

Links:

Emma and New Comedy [JASNA]

The Powers of the Instrument: Or, Jane, Frank, and the Pianoforte [JASNA]

Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

As You Like It by William Shakespeare

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

The Luck of the Bodkins by PG Wodehouse

Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q Sutanto

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Shruti and Neha discuss Amor Towle's beloved tale of confinement, A Gentleman in Moscow, through the themes of balance and imagination. We provide some historical context for the events of the novel, share what we loved, and provide some critiques (including our thoughts on the ending). We also talk about the Paramount TV adaptation and compare its themes and mission to those of the book.

Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery:

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

The Last Queen by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer

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In this episode Neha and Shruti discuss the two movie adaptations of Rebecca: the 1940 masterpiece directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and the 2020... something piece directed by Ben Wheatley. We pay attention to characterization, setting, music, and costume, and of course, discuss the MAJOR changes made to the ending in both these movies!

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In this episode, Shruti and Neha discuss the Gothic masterpiece Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier. We talk about the main characters and what they might represent, and the way the book plays with ideas of identity and relationships. We also discuss the themes of memory, innocence and maturity, gender roles and sexuality, the symbolism of flowers, and so much more!

*This episode contains serious spoilers!

Links:

The Secret History by Donna Tartt: aesthetics and paranoia (Spotify | Apple Podcasts)

The Secret History, Dark Academia, and Academic Elitism [The Novel Tea Newsletter]

Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier

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In this episode Neha and Shruti discuss Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys through the themes of liminality and bias. We talk about the book as its own work, then we compare it to Jane Eyre, its source text. We also discuss several screen adaptations of Jane Eyre, including the 1997 and 2011 films, and the 1983 and 2006 television adaptations.

Shelf Discovery

Lucy by Jamaica Kincaid

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

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In this episode Shruti and Neha discuss one of the most beloved classics of all time: Jane Eyre. We discuss Jane's character through the themes of adventure and self-respect, the metaphor of the red room, and how Jane's desire for affection manifests through her many relationships. We also disagree on Rochester's character (and the book's ending), and analyze the many themes and motifs in this book, including religion, orientalism, fairytales, colonialism & empire, and more!

Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery:

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

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In this episode, we discuss the short story The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allen Poe, its many interpretations – from institutional decay, to psychology and health, to imagined realities – and the real-life history the story is said to have been based on. We then talk about What Moves the Dead, a retelling of Poe’s short story, and whether or not it accomplished what it set out to do.

Along the way, we also get into what makes a good adaptation and differences between gothic and horror genres. We also talk a bit about the recent Netflix adaptation The Fall of the House of Usher by Mike Flanagan.

Shelf Discovery:

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

The Empusium: A Health Resort Horror Story by Olga Tokarczuk

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In this episode we introduce our theme for the season: adaptations! We discuss some of the best and worst adaptations we've seen, what makes a good adaptation, and the new trends in book adaptations. And, of course, we share what we'll be reading (and watching!) over the next few months for Season 5.

Books and movies mentioned:

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Wicked

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

10 Things I Hate About You

She's the Man

The Lion King

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Mufasa

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allen Poe

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Emma by Jane Austen

Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie

Antigone by Sophocles

All's Well by Mona Awad

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It's finally here - our year in books! In this bonus episode, we share the 10 best books we read this year, ranging from new releases, to classics, to non-fiction. We also share a few honorable mentions that we loved. And, towards the end of the episode, we spill the tea on a few 2024 releases, including some that we loved and others that didn't quite hit the mark.

Books Mentioned:

The Guest

The Night Swim

They Called Us Exceptional

Educated

The Little Stranger

Yellowface

The Left Hand of Darkness

My Death

The Bee Sting

James

Birnam Wood

Hello Beautiful

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Another Country

Cuckold

A Little Life

Enter Ghost

Martyr!

The Illness Lesson

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

An Immense World

In the Dream House

The Secret History

The God of the Woods

The Women

There are Rivers in the Sky

Argylle

The Bright Sword

Funny Story

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Neha and Shruti discuss all 8 books we've covered over the last few months, and talk about themes that emerged - getting a little nerdy along the way. We also discuss the Booker prize, throw some shade at the Oscars, and share more book recommendations around the theme of borders.

This episode is spoiler free!

Books mentioned:

Culture and Imperialism by Edward Said

Termush by Sven Holm

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

We Have Always Been Here by Samra Habib

They Called Us Exceptional by Prachi Gupta

The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee

The Laughter by Sonora Jha

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Neha and Shruti discuss The Parisian by Isabella Hammad, a book that follows Midhat Kamal, a Palestinian man, between the First and Second World Wars. We talk about the 19th century European novel, prominent themes we noticed in the book, and our thoughts on the characters and their development. We also get into the historical context of the events unfolding in the book.

Links

IsraelPalestine For Critical Thinkers on Youtube

Empire Podcast [Apple Podcasts] [Spotify]

Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

Sentimental Education by Gustave Flaubert

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits by Laila Lalami

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

Our Riches by Kaouther Adimi

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This week we are so excited to invite Sri Ramesh of Brown Girl Bookshelf to chat with us! Last week, Neha and Shruti got into some of their critiques of The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, and this week, Sri is here to tell us what she loved about. Will she change our minds?

We also talk more broadly about Sri Lankan literature, the Booker prize, book endings, and our reading idiosyncrasies.

Links

What Makes a Book a 'Classic'? [The Novel Tea Newsletter archive]

Books

A Passage North by Anuk Arudpragasam

Story of a Brief Marriage by Anuk Arudpragasam

Brotherless Night by V. V. Ganeshanathan

The Year of the Runaways by Sunjeev Sahota

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

Goodbye Vitamin by Rachel Khong

Bird Milk & Mosquito Bones: A Memoir by Priyanka Mattoo

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates

The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton

The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar

Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran

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Neha and Shruti discuss The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, a book that starts with the death of a photographer and follows him in the afterlife as he attempts to find his murderer and his missing photographs. We talk about the nature of death and the afterlife, and share historical context about the Sri Lankan Civil War. We also explore why people might be afraid to critize books, particularly works by marginalized communities.

Books mentioned & Shelf Discovery

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton

The Great Indian Novel by Shashi Tharoor

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut

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Neha and Shruti discuss Another Country by James Baldwin, a book that follows a group of friends and lovers in New York City in the mid-20th century. We talk about the characters and their relationships, the inaction that fills the novel, and the importance of having 'difficult' conversations with the people you love. We also go on a brief Gossip Girl tangent as we attempt to better understand the characters in this book :)

Links:

Another Country by Claudia Roth Pierpont [The New Yorker]

Jazz by Toni Morrison: violence and ambition [The Novel Tea]

Books mentioned & Shelf Discovery:

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

Jazz by Toni Morrison

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

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Neha and Shruti discuss Daughters of the Deer, by Danielle Daniel, a work of historical fiction that follows an indigenous woman and her daughter in a 17th century French colony that is now Quebec, Canada. We talk about the historical context of the book, discuss the characters and their journeys, and reflect on the importance of telling these stories.

Shelf Discovery:

East by Edith Pattou

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

Hope Leslie; Or Early Times in Massachusetts by Catharine Maria Sedgwick

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Neha and Shruti discuss The Savage Detectives, the story of two poets and the people and world that surrounds them, as they journey across Mexico. We talk about some of the cultural context of this book, the challenges we faced while reading, and share some strong opinions.

Shelf Discovery

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

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In this episode, Shruti and Neha discuss The Other Americans by Laila Lalami, a novel about an immigrant family that includes a romance, family drama, and a mystery. After a quick discussion of the It Ends With Us drama, we share a quick summary and dive into some themes we noticed in The Other Americans, including memory, regret, and protection. We talk about some of the key relationships and conflicts, major plot points, and Lalami's writing style.

Shelf Discovery

The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

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In this episode, Shruti and Neha discuss The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai, which follows four characters from different social and financial classes, whose stories are linked through familial relationships and employment. As the book continues, their lives become more intimately intertwined and political unrest starts to reach their homes.

We talk about the themes of class and entitlement, the historical landscape of India in the post-independence decades, and discuss how this book is descendant from British literary giants such as PG Wodehouse and Jane Austen.

Shelf Discovery:

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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Neha and Shruti discuss The Sympathizer, the 2016 Pulitzer winner for fiction, through the themes of loyalty and duality. This book is a thriller and a satire, following a mixed race narrator who moves to the United States after the fall of Saigon, and must navigate his identity and his role as a communist spy. We talk about the book's historical context, its commentary on race and pop culture, and more.

Links:

Interview with Viet Thanh Nguyen [NPR]

Shelf Discovery:

The Great Indian Novel by Shashi Tharoor

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

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In this episode, Neha and Shruti introduce the theme for Season 4: Beyond Borders! We talk about the books we've selected to read in this theme, and share what we're excited about in the upcoming months.

Books Mentioned:

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nyugen

The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai

The Other Americans by Laila Lalami

The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolaño

Daughters of the Deer by Danielle Daniel

Another Country by James Baldwin

The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka

The Parisian by Isabella Hammad

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It's time for the best, the worst, and everything in-between: in the 2024 Novelties, Shruti and Neha give awards to their favorite reads of 2024 so far. Ranging from classics to new releases, we share our picks for most unexpected, best character, worth the hype, best page-turner, weirdest book, and more!

Books Mentioned:

Emma of 83rd Street by Audrey Belleza and Emily Harding

My Death by Lisa Tuttle

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

The Illness Lesson by Clare Beams

James by Percival Everett

Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton

The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

The Women by Kristin Hannah

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

The Membranes by Ta-Wei Chi wei

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Cuckold by Kiran Nagarkar

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In our last episode until the fall, we talk all about speculative fiction: our favorite fictional worlds, the best reading experiences we've had this season, and more. We also share the books that didn't make the cut for this season (even though we want to read them all), and get into the great realistic vs. genre fiction debate.

Books mentioned:

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

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Today, Neha and Shruti talk about Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, a dreamy, fantastical novel set in a beautiful House where there are birds, fish, tides, and statues. We talk about the narrator's unique perspective, the writing style, and our thoughts on the underlying meaning of the story. We also get into the book's many allusions and references, from C.S. Lewis, to Plato's Allegory of the Cave.

Shelf Discovery & Books Mentioned:

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Circe by Madeline Miller

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Shruti and Neha talk about Sea of Tranquility, the latest book from speculative fiction author Emily St. John Mandel. We dive into the differences between loneliness and solitude, past vs. present tense in fiction, time travel, the history of the simulation hypothesis, and much more!

Spoilers start at 15:53.

Shelf Discovery

The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

The New York Trilogy by Paul Auster

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