‘The Testaments’ by Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood has become a household name, widely recognisable and revered, increasingly so after the production of a TV adaptation of perhaps her most famous novel, The Handmaid’s Tale. In September of this year, Atwood finally released the widely anticipated and requested sequel, entitled The Testaments. Written 34 years after the first, the novel similarly takes place some years after the events of the previous, specifically 17 years later. Moreover, prior to its release to the public, the novel was longlisted for the Booker Prize. The novel returns us to the patriarchal nation of Gilead, a state born out of…
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‘Art & Grace’ by Catherine E. Chapman Review
Taking place in the early nineteenth century in southern England, Art & Grace, a regency era novel, follows a mixed-race maid, Bess, as she struggles to ensure a stable and safe future. The premise of the story intrigued me by the inclusion of aspects of slavery and race which is so often left out in the writings of Dickens and Austen. Indeed, in his book The World, the Text and the Critic, Edward Said points out how the underlying context of colonialism serves as the unspoken funder of the rich and wealthy during this period. Author Catherine E. Chapman brings…
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Barry: The Best New(ish) Dark Comedy
If you haven’t started watching Barry, an HBO show that started airing in 2018 and has two complete seasons with the third on the way, you should seriously watch it. But before you do, you should probably watch the trailer (below) to see what you’re in for – because it’s a doozy. The show stars Bill Hader, who is previously best known for his work on Saturday Night Live and lengthy roster of voice acting (Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, Angry Birds, Inside Out, Ralph Breaks the Internet), but more recently in the film It: Chapter Two. But Hader,…
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‘The Colonel and the Bee’ by Patrick Canning
We are so excited to have once again on the blog today a review requested by an author who very kindly sent us his book. The Colonel and the Bee is a short novel bursting with energy and excitement. The author, Patrick Canning seems to have pulled from many references and genres, ranging from Charles Dickens, Angela Carter and Jules Verne. More than anything, I was left with the feeling that this was the tale I wish I had had as a young girl myself. The novel follows thirteen-year-old Beatrix as she runs away from the circus with a man,…
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Book Review: ‘Why She Lied’ by Julie Coons
Here at AvidBards, we are lucky to have authors reach out to us asking to review their work. Some of the most recent literary reviews we’ve done upon request include Meditation Time by Laurent Grenier, Seeds of Dissolution by William C. Tracy, and Lexi by Heidi J. Hewett. A few months ago, self-published author Julie Coons asked us to read her newest psychological thriller, a novel entitled Why She Lied. This is Coons’ second book, and her debut novel is called This Does Not Leave This House. Coons is extremely open about the fact that she has based her novels…
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