On this episode of The Writer and the Critic, your hosts Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, get straight down to business with minimal waffle. You're welcome. The books up for discussion this month are LOTE by Shola Von Reinhold [3:25] and Animal Life by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir [44:38].

Next month, the two books on the slab will be:

• The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz

Read ahead and join in the spoilerific fun!