A review of Mendeleev’s Mandala by Jessica Goodfellow

But Goodfellow’s book is not chock-full of despair. There is a welcomed humor that shines through the poems, because of her ability to play with words. This is present even in a poem as serious as the above mentioned, where Goodfellow lists avoidable words, “blind date, love at first sight, second sight, stars in your eyes, only have eyes for you, blind love, blind devotion, sight for sore eyes, see-through blouse, easy on the eyes, roving eye, eye candy, bedroom eyes” (42).

A review of brush by Joanne Burns

At times, the poems are so full of parataxis, clever juxtaposition, ironic aside and syntactical juggling, that the poems, taken too quickly or in too large a dose can create a kind of vertigo. However, I couldn’t leave the book alone. It kept drawing me back, one poem at a time, and each time I returned I found something new; something powerful.

An interview with Jacob Rubin

The author of The Poser talks about his protagonist, the World’s Greatest Impressionist, about his experience as a juggler and a rapper, about growing up among psychoanalysts and the influence on his character, about the user of first-person confession, about his parallel world fable-like setting, and much more.

A review of Beasts by John Crowley

One can detect a definite indebtedness to T.H. WhIte (The Once and Future KingThe Goshawk) in Crowley’s early novel (1976 was the original year of publication) but it’s an entertaining read and full of memorable characters.  Indeed, I didn’t think I would ever find myself feeling for or empathising with a dog called Sweets, but that’s just what happened here. 

A review of You Have No Power Over Me by Mark Logie

You Have No Power Over Me is a rather scary little story about a Daniel, a young boy alone in the park, and Lark, an older man who lives on what he can steal. Both Daniel and Lark are misfits – society’s cast-offs and both seem to be living a lonely, tenuous and dangerous existence when Lark finds Daniel.

A review of Carolina Skeletons by David Stout

Besides being a very fine mystery, Stout’s novel is as well a provocative meditation on contemporary history.  He reminds us that the primary source for the recent past lies in the memories of the living.  Such memories, fragile as they are, may indeed be the only resource, if you want to challenge the written record.

An interview with Claire Kells

The author of Girl Underwater talks about the origin of her first novel, about the relationship between being a practising doctor and writing, about the Colorado Rockies (her setting), her novel’s structure, about writing love triangles, her themes, PTSD, swimming, would would play her leads in the film version, and lots more.