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 [Jstor]

Context in Film Adaptations [Jstor]

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We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected].

This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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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 Awad

Woo Woo by Ella Baxter

Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa

The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton

My Death by Lisa Tuttle

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We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected].

This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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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 Lalami

Circe by Madeline Miller

Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum

The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami

Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad

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We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected].

This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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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!

Follow Izzy on her Youtube Channel, Instagram, or by listening in to her other excellent podcast episodes!

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We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected].

This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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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 Street by Aubrey Bellezza and Emily Harding.

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We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected].

This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Pianoforte [JASNA]

Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

As You Like It by William Shakespeare

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

The Luck of the Bodkins by PG Wodehouse

Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q Sutanto

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 about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected].

This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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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 Clarke

The Last Queen by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer

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We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected].

This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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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!

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We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected].

This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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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 History, Dark Academia, and Academic Elitism [The Novel Tea Newsletter]

Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier

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 about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected].

This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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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 Discovery

Lucy by Jamaica Kincaid

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

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 about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at [email protected].

This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.