You could fill a bookshelf with fictional work set in a character’s imagination during a life-or-death struggle. From Shane Jones’s Daniel Fights a Hurricane to Ian Edington and D’Israeli’s Kingdom of the Wicked, storytellers have seized on the opportunity to blend phantasmagorical imagery with psychological acuity, creating works that can resonate on multiple levels. There are others I could mention, but to reveal some of them would be to spoil a narrative twist. With Kevin Bigley’s debut novel Comaville, there’s little doubt as to where the novel’s protagonist is — it’s right there in the title.
Afternoon Bites: Donna Hemans, Elvira Basevich Interviewed, Kevin Bigley, Kiki Petrosino’s Latest, and More
In our afternoon reading: Donna Hemans on the characters in her novel, thoughts on Kiki Petrosino’s new book, and more.
Afternoon Bites: Wayétu Moore, Kiese Laymon Nonfiction, Kevin Bigley, Queer Literature in Translation, and More
In our afternoon reading: interviews with Wayétu Moore and Kevin Bigley, new writing from Kiese Laymon, and more.
Vol.1 Brooklyn’s March 2020 Book Preview
With March upon us, we’re another step closer to spring. What does the month have to offer in terms of new reads? A couple of debut novels we’ve been eager to read for a while, a foray into cosmic horror, some insightful literary criticism — and, of course, pirates. What’s not to like?