Table of Contents
The Novel Tea newsletter is a companion to The Novel Tea Podcast. In this newsletter, you’ll find not only book reviews, but also analytic discussions, connections to other media such as television and movies, and in-depth research on themes that emerge.
There are many newsletters and blogs out there that provide book summaries and book lists, but very few that deeply engage with individual texts and connect the themes found in literature to our everyday lives. The Novel Tea Newsletter does exactly that.
Below you’ll find all our published material, organized by topic. If you’d rather browse by book, check out our index.
The Way We Read
Actually, I Love Goodreads
A rebuttalThe Hero’s Journey, the Heroine’s Journey
Thinking about narrative structures and different frameworks to analyze storiesWhat Makes a Book a ‘Classic’?
A quick look at literary criticism. Plus: classics and literary fiction from India, and a book that may already be one of my favorite reads of 2024Thinking About the New Year
Book awards, thoughts on reading goals, and upcoming releases we can't wait to read
Thematic Explorations & Comparative Analyses
It’s About Time!
Where we discuss time, time travel, and Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John MandelBooks on Books on Books
Do you love reading so much that you want to read books about reading books?The Birds and the Books
Tracking symbolism through Jane Eyre, The Illness Lesson, Taylor Swift, and moreLiterary Explorations of Mental Illness
The Midnight Library, The Bell Jar, and the mind-body problem
Gothic, Horror, and Dark Academia
The Hunchback of Notre Dame: An Urban Gothic Masterpiece
In which I try to convince you to read this classic, and share some historyBeauty is Terror: Gothic Literature and Film
American gothic fiction, an analysis of The Sixth Sense, and moreThe Secret History, Dark Academia, and Academic Elitism
Where did Dark Academia start? Is the 'Campus Novel' only for straight white kids? Plus: Damocles, A Series of Unfortunate Events, and even more about The Secret History
Fantasy, Science Fiction, & Dystopian Works
What Do We Want From Pandemic Novels?
A survey of books over the yearsScience Fiction and the Legacy of Colonialism
It’s still alive and wellArt, Aliens, and Anthropology
What inspired Ursula K. Le Guin to write The Left Hand of Darkness? Plus: illustrations from a special edition of the novelAmerican Gods (Gaiman’s Version)
How many versions of American Gods are there? What happens when you don't like the main character of a book? And what's up with all the merry-go-rounds?Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Other Worlds
Exploring speculative fiction, our book list for Season 3, and diversity in genre fiction
Mythology, Epics, and Retellings
The Matrix of Mythology
Differentiating conspiracies and myths, and highlighting some mythology retellings we think are importantThe Hero’s Journey, the Heroine’s Journey
Thinking about narrative structures and different frameworks to analyze storiesThe Handmaids and the Hanged Maids
Power and oppression in Margaret Atwood’s novels, historical perspectives, and the multifarious nature of life itselfMargaret Atwood’s Mythologies
The Penelopiad, Helen of Troy, and The Handmaid’s Tale
World Literature
Books from Around the World, Disability, and Trauma Narratives
S2E14 | Global Reads: Wrapping up Season 2
Film & Other Media
Amnesia as a Plot Device: When is it Too Much?
Amnesia, memory loss, and data wipes in literature and mediaThe Alien Truth About Lying
Are humans the only beings that lie? Why do we imagine aliens the way we do?Beauty is Terror: Gothic Literature and Film
American gothic fiction, an analysis of The Sixth Sense, and moreWomen on Women: Female Friendships in Literature and Media
Re-reading Jane Eyre, the Mean Girls remake, and our Season 3 theme announcement