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By Emma C. Wells & E. J. Wenstrom
5
33 ratings
The podcast currently has 31 episodes available.
There’s been a strong mad scientist motif running lately with a feminist bent, and we needed to talk about it. Poor Things. Lisa Frankenstein. The Tortured Poets Department--we get into all of it, plus some of our other faves on the trope.
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Em and EJ get their act together long enough to rehash the best stories they consumed in books and screen over the past year. Stay tuned for a deep dive into Bunny, Saltburn, Poor Things, among others, and a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT from Em about what to look forward to in 2024.
As we wrap up the summer, E. J. and Emma have completed their summer reading and are ready to report back. Emma assigned E. J. to read Bunny by Mona Awad, a speculative/horror cult favorite with shocking twists and a lot of takes. Bunny, we have a lot to talk about. Egregious spoilers ahead.
FANTASY+GIRL is going back to school with a series dedicated to the nostalgia of summer reading assignments! For the series, Emma C. Wells and EJ Wenstrom will be challenging each other with SFF books to read, and then come back to discuss.
Keep going--Emma and EJ have already announced what they're challenging each other to read first:
Tune and and read along to join the discussion in the next episodes:
FANTASY+GIRL Podcast is back with a new series celebrating summer reading! Emma and EJ are
choosing a book for the other to read. The duo will then lead a deep dive into the chosen stories on the podcast! Which book did Emma choose for EJ?
BUNNY by Mona Awad. Emma chose this book hoping to appeal to EJ’s love of weird—but well
written—speculative fiction. EJ loves Catherine House and Her Fearful Symmetry—and Emma thinks
Bunny fits nicely with those titles (even if it is a bit weirder…possibly even darker?). The story has dark academia vibes with a dose of Mean Girls…but with magic and monsters. Sort of…
How can you join the fun? Easy! Read Bunny, and let the Emma and EJ know what you think!
You can comment on their social media or email them at [email protected]
Bunny, we can’t wait to hear from you!
FANTASY+GIRL is going back to school with a series dedicated to the nostalgia of summer reading assignments! For the series, Emma C. Wells and E. J. Wenstrom will be challenging each other with SFF books to read, and then come back to discuss. Here, E. J. reveals what she's challenging Emma to read first, and why.
EJ is assigning Emma to read HOW TO LIVE SAVELY IN A SCIENCE FICTIONAL UNIVERSE by Charles Yu.
EJ has been a Charles Yu fan for years and this was the novel that started the obsession. This story starts with a time travel repairman stuck in a mutliverse full of tropey playfulness that any science fiction fan is going to get a kick out of, but underneath it, this is a story about a man trying to untangle the mess left behind when his father mysteriously disappeared, and what that means for himself and his mother left behind.
(Hint: EJ loves audiobooks but says to read this one in print because of the mathematical formulas and creative use of space on the page)
How can you join the fun? Easy! Read How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe and let the Emma and EJ know what you think!
You can comment on their social media or email them at [email protected]
In which we ramble on about random things we like and a few things we don’t.
NOTE: FANTASY+GIRLS stands with the HarperCollins union.
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Welcome to the Star Crossed Lovers episode. EJ researched to find out what *really* qualifies as star-crossed-lovers and Em just winged it (which is pretty obvious because at least one of her picks barely counts). The phrase comes directly from Shakespeare and the ladies discuss the classic trope—which brings EJ to her first pick for the podcast: SAGA.
Saga is a loose interpretation of Romeo and Juliet set in the realm of a futuristic space opera. This comic is one of EJ’s favorites.
Em’s first contribution is dark and sad (perfect for a Valentine’s Day special, no?). Her pick is the movie NEVER LET ME GO. The movie is based on Kazuo Ishiguro's bestselling, Booker Prize short listed novel with the same name. Em hasn’t watched in a while and thinks it warrants a rewatch. She had no idea what she was getting into the first time. Listener, you won’t either!
EJ and Em muse how this year’s picks are so much darker, even though Em’s pick last year *was* a BLACK MIRROR episode (San Junipero).
EJ’s next pick is the THREE DARK CROWNS series by Kendra Blake. This YA fantasy novel focuses on triplet Princess’s who are to be the next generation of Queens. HOWEVER they don’t all become Queen. In fact, they don’t all get to live. They spend their lives studying magic to prepare for a deathly duel. There is a lusty, dark relationship that can go nowhere good. Except, listener, it is so so so good. Check it out!
Em chats about how, while researching, several movies from childhood came up. A few titles that kept popping up were Enemy Mine (who doesn’t love a good self-reproducing, bipedal, reptilian-humanoid?) and EDWARD SCISSORHANDS.
Em’s next real pick is SONG OF ACHILLES (bc of course it is). Em is obsessed with Madeline Miller’s take on this myth, which is evidenced by the long, long explanation she gives.
EJ mentions THE NIGHT CIRCUS. Marco and Celia *are* the definition of star-crossed-lovers. Em has a hot take that may not be super popular about Marco, but the hosts agree that the book is beautiful and one of the best written pieces of literature they’ve read.
A title that EJ kept coming across was WUTHERING HEIGHTS. EJ vehemently disagrees that Heathcliff and Kathy are star-crossed. They are simply terrible people. This is the twisted book of Em’s heart. Em would love to do a modern retelling but there is no way—these characters are so toxic. If a better writer does it—she’d love to read it (hint hint). Around the 23 minute mark, Em gives a very long, rough retelling of the story and pretty much ruins it—but she can’t help it. She loves it. (Correction: Em says that Heathcliff marries and that isn’t true. He impregnates a woman and refuses to marry her thus ruining her in society in the book.)
Em’s next pick is (surprise surprise) DOCTOR WHO: River Song and The Doctor. Everyone’s favorite Time Lord and River Song are in love—but they have different timeline’s as they travel through time and space. What are lovers coming from different timey-wimey directions to do? Keep a journal and don’t give spoilers, of course! This is Em’s favorite story arc. The story begins in Silence at the Library (which is an episode with Doctor 10).
EJ is reminded of THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE. (Correction: Em says that this is her friend Rhonda's absolute favorite book, but that may not be true). The women discuss how involuntary and compulsory time travel creates star-crossed-lovers.
EJ’s next pic is LEGEND by Marie Lu. This book is YA Sci-fi at its best. The book features the haves and the have-nots. June is a prodigy whose entire life goal is to catch this most-wanted criminal who is seen as uncatchable. Day…is that criminal. They fall in love without realizing who it is they are falling for.
Em’s final pick is THE REINCARNATION BLUES by Michael Poore. In this book, Milo, is trying to live a life worth reincarnating to the next level of existence. Every time he dies, he meets death (literally meets them). Spoiler: They fall in love. What can you do when the person you love is death?
EJ’s number one pick is none other than THE HUNGER GAMES. Does it even get more star-crossed than Katniss and Peta? You tell us!
Shop the list of recommendations from this miniseries at BookShop.org
The podcast currently has 31 episodes available.