A Novel Review Book Podcast

10:19

The Unravelling of Ou by Hollay Ghadery | A Puppet...

A Novel Review Book Podcast ·

2026/10/04

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.comHollay Ghadery’s The Unravelling of Ou is a strange, funny and deeply moving novel about motherhood, memory, identity and survival with a sock puppet telling us all. When Minoo’s daughter demands Ecology Paul disappear if Minoo would like a relationship with her, a lifetime of secrets begins to unravel. Painting: Today I painted a sock puppet Some of the books and authors discussed in this episode include: The Unravelling

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16:43

The Wall by Marlen Haushofer | The World Ends. She...

A Novel Review Book Podcast ·

2026/09/20

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.comWhat if the world ended, but nobody told you why? Marlen Haushofer’s The Wall is a haunting blend of dystopian fiction, survival story and philosophical mystery. Today I explore isolation, nature, animals, civilisation and the strange domesticity of apocalypse… and ask what remains when humanity disappears. Painting: Today I painted some mountians Some of the books and authors discussed in this episode include: The Wall by

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21:19

The Collector by John Fowles | When Love Becomes...

A Novel Review Book Podcast ·

2026/09/06

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.comWhat happens when a lonely man wins the lottery, buys a secluded house, and decides the one thing missing from his collection is a woman? John Fowles’ The Collector is part psychological thriller, part Gothic nightmare, and part very uncomfortable thought experiment about love, possession and freedom. And, rather inconveniently, the inspiration for it gets even creepier. Painting: Today I painted a butterfly Some of the books

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11:35

William - an Englishman by Cicely Hamilton |...

A Novel Review Book Podcast ·

2026/08/02

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.comFew novels puncture patriotic certainty with quite the elegance of William – An Englishman. In this episode, I wander through Cicely Hamilton's quietly devastating World War I novel, where satire, social observation, and unfortunate timing expose the absurdities of English life and what it mean to be ‘English’. A forgotten classic that remains uncomfortably modern. Some of the books and authors discussed in this episode

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11:34

Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo | Ghosts, Memory, and the...

A Novel Review Book Podcast ·

2026/07/19

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.comA haunting novel where ghosts whisper, memories return, and every silence echoes with unresolved longing. Juan Rulfo's Pedro Páramo uncovers haunted landscapes, fractured time, and unforgettable voices, revealing how the past refuses burial. Painting: Today I painted a skull under Pedro Paramo’s hat Some of the books and authors discussed in this episode include: Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo Substack:

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14:44

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro and the...

A Novel Review Book Podcast ·

2026/07/05

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.com In a world where Artificial Friends are needed to sustain and nurture human relationships A.I is not the problem but rather, the result of a larger issue. Only a world that is socially adrift and suffering under the weight of a loneliness epidemic would reply on such a technology to try mimic genuine feeling and relation. Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel, “Klara and the Sun” explore this society where relations are fractured and people

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16:39

The Strange Journey of a Coat: Three Stories, One...

A Novel Review Book Podcast ·

2026/06/14

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.comWhat connects Gogol's The Overcoat, Seán O'Faoláin's The Fur Coat, and Vladimir Voinovich's The Fur Hat? In this episode, I explore how three stories from different countries, cultures, and historical periods share a remarkably similar narrative structure. Through coats, hats, and other items of clothing, these writers examine identity, status, dignity, and the human desire for recognition. From Tsarist Russia to postwar Ireland

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16:34

5 GREAT BOOKS under 200 pages long

A Novel Review Book Podcast ·

2026/05/25

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.comThe Goldilocks book: not too long, not too short - just enough time to leave a lasting punch. In this episode, I explore great books under 200 pages: compact stories packed with depth, emotion, and unforgettable ideas. Across a wide range of genres, these books give both the author and the reader enough space to truly sink their teeth into a world, a character, or a question, before pulling you back out again wanting more. Proof

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15:22

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman |...

A Novel Review Book Podcast ·

2026/05/10

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.comIn I Who Have Never Known Men, Jacqueline Harpman turns isolation into existential suspense, following imprisoned women who know less about humanity than your average search algorithm. Part dystopian sci-fi, part feminist nightmare, this cult classic asks what survives when society disappears: language, memory, or simply the stubborn urge to keep asking questions. Perfect for fiction lovers craving thought-provoking

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22:49

Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson | Malazan review

A Novel Review Book Podcast ·

2026/04/05

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.comThere is no hand holding for readers starting Gardens of the Moon – Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson. A sink or swim fantasy novel that starts with a mage battle assaulting a floating continent. A rapidly expanding story, though which way is it expanding? Time will tell in this massive 10 book series. Some of the books and authors discussed in this episode include: Gardens of the Moon – Malazan Book of the

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21:02

Robin Hobb’s Assassin’s Quest | A Flawed Finale? Book...

A Novel Review Book Podcast ·

2026/03/22

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.comIn this episode, I dive into Assassin’s Quest, the final novel in Robin Hobb’s Farseer Trilogy, sharing my thoughts on its tone and payoff. While the journey has moments of depth and beauty, the tonal structure didn’t land for me, and the ending felt like it missed the satisfying conclusion I expected, leaving the trilogy’s resolution more muted than impactful. Painting: Today I painted a Dragon Some of the books and authors

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22:56

Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb | Bad Decisions and...

A Novel Review Book Podcast ·

2026/02/22

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.comEnter the chaotic court of the Six Duchies with Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb, where loyalty is lethal and magic always has a price. In this episode, I unpack Fitz’s disastrous diplomacy, as he navigates love against duty and one very inconvenient wolf bond. Expect political chaos, slow-burn heartbreak, and feelings sharper than a royal blade. Painting: Today I painted Nighteyes Some of the books and authors discussed in

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24:17

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb | Fitz and the...

A Novel Review Book Podcast ·

2026/01/25

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.comIn this episode, I dive into Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb, exploring who FitzChivalry Farseer really is and whether he ever truly knows himself. From isolation and duty to identity and belonging, it is clear that Fitz uncertainty of himself allows others to take advantage and shape him as they see fit. Painting: Today I painted a deer on a shield Some of the books and authors discussed in this episode include: Assassin’s

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17:16

Christmas Novels | Four stories for the festive season

A Novel Review Book Podcast ·

2025/12/22

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.comCurl up with a warm drink for a very Christmassy episode of the podcast! This festive season its books stories that spark reflection, and how reading can inspire us to show up more thoughtfully in society. As the year comes to a close, this time of year encourages empathy, responsibility, and active participation in our communities. From small everyday actions to bigger conversations that matter, because being part of society

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21:33

My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin | Female Agency...

A Novel Review Book Podcast ·

2025/12/16

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.comSome seek isolation for its freedom, but for Sybylla Melvyn, the open space of the Australian Outback only serves to drown her. Miles Franklin’s first novel, My Brilliant Career captures the lack of agency young girls and women growing up in rural Australia would have felt towards the turn of the 20th century. A country on the cusp of its own independence still saw half the population oppressed. Dreaming of a brilliant career,

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19:34

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins | Propaganda, Power and...

A Novel Review Book Podcast ·

2025/12/10

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.comSupport Indie fiction and booksellers: https://radiantpress.ca/?srsltid=AfmBOopCrOHhz5NfAY5DMu-m3Urp8COR7JSSirFvEiRk26RRq1MXmad9 Mockingjay is the final instalment of Suzanne Collins Hunger Games trilogy. A story that delves deeper into the political issues of a rebellion and the true cost of the face of war. Where propaganda is rife and for Katniss Everdeen, it becomes clearer as time passes that children are a political currency

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17:07

The Assault by Harry Mulisch: Consequence, Memory,...

A Novel Review Book Podcast ·

2025/11/12

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.comHarry Mulisch’s The Assault is our first Dutch novel for the book world tour that explores guilt, memory, and moral ambiguity in post-World War II Netherlands. Following Anton Steenwijk’s haunting past, the story unravels the devastating consequences of war and silence. Perfect for literature lovers, this summary delves into Mulisch’s masterful storytelling, and psychological depth as Anton learns that trauma ripples out from the

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20:14

Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu | Book Review & Literary...

A Novel Review Book Podcast ·

2025/10/29

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.comPredating Dracula by 25 years, Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla is the dark Sapphic vampire novel that kickstarted the blood sucking villain of horror in fiction. The perfect book to sink your teeth into, this bite sized chunk of a novella is ethereal as it is indulged. Laura is a young girl, isolated with her father in the Styrian mountains when the enigmatic Carmilla ends up staying with them. Laura and Carmilla’s friendship

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20:27

Watership Down by Richard Adams | Book Review &...

A Novel Review Book Podcast ·

2025/10/20

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.comA question I wondered as I started reading Richard Adam’s ‘Watership Down’ was – how affecting will a book about rabbits be? It turns out that a story, that was originally orally comprised for the entertainment of his children, journeying for a better life across fields can sweep you along a great Odyssean tale of hardship, friendship, endurance and belief. It turns out rabbits can ask deep, fundamental truths to the human

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18:57

Solaris by Stanisław Lem | Book Review & Literary...

A Novel Review Book Podcast ·

2025/09/23

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.comStanisław Lem’s Solaris is less a tale of interstellar exploration than a cosmic therapy session gone awry. A planet covered by a sentient ocean toys with the psyches of visiting scientists, dredging up their deepest regrets in all-too tangible form. Instead of offering enlightenment, Solaris holds up an alien mirror that no one wants to peer into for long. Lem slyly suggests that humanity’s greatest unknown may not be outer

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