In this episode, Shruti and Neha discuss The Seedkeeper by Diane Wilson, exploring themes of reclamation, integration, and motherhood. We share some historical context, discuss the book's structure, and weigh in on the key relationships in the novel.

Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery

Craft in the Real World by Matthew Salesses

Daughters of the Deer by Danielle Daniel

The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich

Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits by Laila Lalami

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Shruti and Neha discuss Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy, a story of a young woman trying to reintroduce wolves into the wild in the Scottish Highlands, only to find a darker side of the town that has troubling echoes with her own past. We discuss the story through the themes of instinct, villainy, and monsters. We also share some context on real-world conservation efforts, and get into the subgenre of tragedy porn (or misery lit).

Links:

Interview with Charlotte McConaghy

Shelf Discovery & Books Mentioned

Popular Trauma Culture by Anne Roth

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

Island of the Sea Wolves [Netflix]

Miracle Creek by Angie Kim

The Women by Kristin Hannah

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

Stolen by Ann-Helén Laestadius

If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack.

We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.

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, Neha and Shruti discuss Greenwood, a multigenerational family saga tied together with a repeating motif of trees and forests. We discuss themes of legacy, inheritance, nature, and addiction, and we also share our critiques of the book, from its character construction to its central message.

Interview with Michael Christie

Shelf Discovery:

What We Can Know by Ian McEwan

The Overstory by Richard Powers

Playground by Richard Powers

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack.

We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.

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 Annihilation, the first book of Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach trilogy. We discuss its world building, character development, and share our many theories about the central mystery and the book's ending.

Shelf Discovery & Books Mentioned:

His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack.

We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.

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, Shruti and Neha discuss What We Can Know, Ian McEwan's latest speculative novel about a lost poem, climate change, and the power of stories. We discuss this novel through the themes of memory and preservation, and talk about our differing opinions on some of the major twists in the novel.

Shelf Discovery & Books Mentioned:

Possession by A.S. Byatt

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

Universality by Natasha Brown

If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack.

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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 Jon Krakauer's famous account of the 1996 Mt. Everest disaster, Into Thin Air. They discuss his chosen narration style, clarify what actually happened on that mountain, and talk about the role of a writer in controlling their story.

Shelf Discovery

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

The Call of the Wild by Jack London

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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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New year, new season! In this episode we introduce the theme for our upcoming season, The Natural World - then we get into the eight books we'll be discussing over the next few months.

Vote for your choice of novel here

Books Mentioned:

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer

What We Can Know by Ian McEwan

Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer

Greenwood by Michael Christie

Barkskins by Annie Proulx

We Are Green and Trembling by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson

Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver

Moby Dick by Herman Melville

If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack.

We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.

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.