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(Maryam Lootah for WSN)<\/p>\n\u201cThe House in the Cerulean Sea\u201d by T.J. Klune
\n(Maryam Lootah for WSN)<\/p>\n
If you were sucked into the magical worlds of \u201cThe Land of Stories\u201d and \u201cHarry Potter\u201d books as a kid, then T.J. Klune\u2019s fantasy books are for you. In \u201cThe House in the Cerulean Sea,\u201d government worker Linus Baker is sent on assignment to an orphanage on an island that\u2019s supposedly home to dangerous magical creatures. Upon arrival, though, Linus finds that the creatures are actually kind and charismatic kids under the guidance of an all-too-lovable host named Arthur. Linus quickly understands that this group of misfits are simply children living their lives, and deserve to be treated as such by the government. This comforting tale of found family and joy is perfect to cozy up with on a rainy day and binge-read.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2014 Skylar Boilard, Performing Arts Editor\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Hour of the Star\u201d by Clarice Lispector
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(Maryam Lootah for WSN)<\/p>\n
In \u201cThe Hour of the Star,\u201d Clarice Lispector writes from the perspective of a male narrator, who recounts the story of Macab\u00e9a, his 19-year-old lady love. What\u2019s most fascinating about the novel \u2014 hailed as a masterpiece of Brazilian literature \u2014 isn\u2019t the content, but the style. Lispector writes in a fragmented, stream-of-consciousness manner, with her narrator intermittently interrupting the story to philosophize and express his intense self-doubt. It\u2019s perplexing, but astonishing nonetheless.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Macab\u00e9a\u2019s story is a dreary one. She\u2019s a poor typist who eats nothing but hot dogs and lives with four neglectful roommates all named Maria. Raised by an abusive aunt and lacking education, she wanders meekly through life. Through the voyeuristic eyes of the emotionally volatile narrator, we learn that Macab\u00e9a isn\u2019t even aware of how arduous her life is. Tragic and affecting, pensive and upsetting, \u201cThe Hour of the Star\u201d is unlike anything I\u2019ve ever read.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Leo Field, Film & TV Editor<\/p>\n
\u201cHappiness and Love\u201d by Zoe Dubno
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(Maryam Lootah for WSN)<\/p>\n
I happen to love books about art, literary fiction and stream-of-consciousness writing. \u201cHappiness and Love\u201d is all of these things, and I absolutely ate it up. We spend one evening with our unnamed protagonist at an absolutely insufferable, pretentious dinner party on the Bowery in lower Manhattan. After five years away in London, she returns and finds herself stuck in a room with all of her friends from a past life.\u00a0<\/p>\n
These people are absolutely awful \u2014 think of the most snobby, elitist and pseudo-intellectual classmate you know and multiply your rage by 10. That\u2019s why our narrator so desperately tried to escape these art-world elites so many years ago. As she sits on the couch observing the party, readers get insight into the lives and work of these horrible characters. It may be the best satire of the art world I have ever read. It\u2019s absolutely hilarious, ironic and true food for thought.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2014 Alexa Donovan, Editor-at-Large<\/p>\n
\u201cTrick Mirror\u201d by Jia Tolentino
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(Maryam Lootah for WSN)<\/p>\n
Known for her frequent words on culture in The New Yorker, Jia Tolentino delves into her \u201cself-delusion\u201d and how it is influenced by pivotal cultural pillars in \u201cTrick Mirror.\u201d These nine essays present her view of Americana at the time of the book\u2019s publication in 2019, in addition to reflections on how her own upbringing and education impacted her and her writing. Tolentino\u2019s honest tone brings a clever and nuanced perspective to topics like obsessing over personal wellness and the twisted truths behind reality television \u2014 in which she uses her own anecdotes from being a contestant on a reality show in her youth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The most notable and cutting essay, \u201cWe Come from Old Virginia,\u201d places Tolentino back at the University of Virginia, which she attended in the mid-2000s. As a journalist, she deeply investigates a 2014 Rolling Stone feature about an accusation of gang rape at a fraternity party, exploring the pressure placed on both Rolling Stone and her alma mater\u2019s reputation. Tolentino makes a point to call out ugly truths \u2014 a glaring one being UVA\u2019s history of violence against women that went unreported.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2014 Karina Rower, Staff Writer<\/p>\n