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PODCAST

The Novel Tea

Welcome to The Novel Tea, where your favorite English class meets your neighborhood book club. Join us as we go beyond the traditional classics, exploring books from diverse authors and backgrounds. Each episode, we"ll talk about a book through different themes, analyzing characters, plot, and writing styles, to determine: does it stand the test of time? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

arts books

All Episodes

1:08:13

The Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk : narcissism...

The Novel Tea ·

2025/12/03

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 BaldwinMy Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth

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57:13

Such A Long Journey by Rohinton Mistry: forgiveness,...

The Novel Tea ·

2025/11/19

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 DiscoveryA Fine Balance by Rohinton MistryFamily Matters by Rohinton MistryThe Inheritance of Loss by Kiran DesaiIf you would like to get additional

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55:19

The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin: erasure and morality

The Novel Tea ·

2025/11/05

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. LovecraftMonsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire DedererLone Women by Victor LaValleLovecraft Country by Matt RuffIf you would like to get

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1:08:14

White Teeth by Zadie Smith: disappointment and...

The Novel Tea ·

2025/10/22

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 WoodHow White Teeth transcends its many flawsShelf Discovery:On Beauty by Zadie SmithHome Fire by Kamila ShamsieThe Shadow Lines by Amitav

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58:34

Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf: perception and...

The Novel Tea ·

2025/10/08

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 WoolfCulture and Imperialism by Edward SaidThe Annotated Mrs. Dalloway edited by Merve EmreA Room of One's Own by

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1:08:03

Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín: family and duty

The Novel Tea ·

2025/09/24

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 DiscoveryThe

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55:33

Bangkok Wakes to Rain by Pitchaya Sudbanthad: time...

The Novel Tea ·

2025/09/10

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 | SpotifyShelf Discovery:The Overstory

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33:40

Cities & Urban Literature: Introducing Season 6

The Novel Tea ·

2025/08/27

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 WesterfeldThe Hunger Games by Suzanne CollinsAnna Karenina by Leo TolstoyBangkok Wakes to Rain by

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35:16

Adaptation Theory, the 'Madwoman' in Literature, and...

The Novel Tea ·

2025/06/25

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

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1:02:44

All's Well by Mona Awad: perception and repetition

The Novel Tea ·

2025/06/11

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 AwadWoo Woo by Ella BaxterHunchback by Saou IchikawaThe Rehearsal by Eleanor CattonMy Death by Lisa TuttleIf

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59:57

Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie: convictions and pentads

The Novel Tea ·

2025/05/28

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

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47:32

Jane Austen Adaptations with What The Austen?

The Novel Tea ·

2025/05/21

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!If you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free

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1:03:51

Emma by Jane Austen: Adaptations

The Novel Tea ·

2025/05/14

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

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1:12:48

Emma by Jane Austen: autonomy and companionship

The Novel Tea ·

2025/04/30

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

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1:15:43

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles: imagination and...

The Novel Tea ·

2025/04/16

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 ClarkeThe Last Queen by Chitra Banerjee DivakaruniThe

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47:55

Rebecca: Movie Adaptations

The Novel Tea ·

2025/04/02

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!If you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners

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1:11:53

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier: wildness and the elements

The Novel Tea ·

2025/03/26

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

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1:06:16

Wide Sargasso Sea and other Jane Eyre Adaptations

The Novel Tea ·

2025/03/12

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 DiscoveryLucy by Jamaica KincaidThe Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins GilmanThe Handmaid's Tale by Margaret AtwoodIf you would like to get additional

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1:08:20

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë: adventure and...

The Novel Tea ·

2025/02/26

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, and share our opinions on her romance with Rochester. We get into many other themes and motifs that run through this story, including class, religion, colonialism, gender, and so much more! And we share our (controversial?) thoughts on the ending.Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery:Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean RhysNorth and

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1:04:03

The Fall of the House of Usher and What Moves the...

The Novel Tea ·

2025/02/12

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

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