Never the Twins Shall Meet Never the Twins Shall Meet

This week, we’re taking a trip to 1950s Italy as we discuss Patricia Highsmith’s classic thriller The Talented Mr. Ripley and its acclaimed 1999 adaptation directed by Anthony Minghella. Topics of discussion include the novel’s iconic con artist protagonist, the twisty plot, homoerotic subtext, and how Minghella put his own spin on the themes and characters. 
Media Mentioned
Scrapper (2023) dir. Charlotte Regan (note: Lulu was wrong, the lead actress’s name is actually Lola Campbell, not Lola Chambers)
Aftersun (2022) dir. Charlotte Wells
The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
Dune by Frank Herbert
The Artful Dodger (2023), starring Thomas Brodie-Sangster, David Thewliss, and Maia Mitchell
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
Saltburn (2023) dir. Emerald Fennell
Do Revenge (2022)
These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
“Patricia Highsmith” by Richard Brooks for the Guardian
The Bourne Identity movies
Nimona by N.D. Stevenson
Sorry to Bother You (2018) dir. Boots Riley
The Celluloid Closet (1995) dir. Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman
Hannibal (2013-2015)
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword dir. Guy Ritchie
Ripley (upcoming Netflix show)
BBC Sherlock
And Don’t Look Back by Rebecca Barrow
All the Dead Lie Down by Kyrie McCauley
Content Warnings: discussions of antisemitism, racism, murder, violence, homophobia, gaslighting, suicide, and classism.

We’re back this week to talk about the latest Hunger Games movie, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Topics include our relationship with the famous dystopian franchise, how the movie compares to the book, why we find prequels and villain protagonists compelling, and a detour through Enlightenment philosophy.
Other Media Mentioned:
Hannibal (2013-2015)
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Gods of the Wyrdwood by R.J. Barker
Anatomy of a Fall dir. Justine Triet
A Murder at the End of the World (2023)
True Detective: Night Country
We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian
Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
Coriolanus by William Shakespeare
West Side Story (2021) dir. Steven Spielberg
Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes
Second Treatise of Government by John Locke
The Social Contract by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
“Silver Springs” by Fleetwood Mac
Wicked (2024) dir. John M. Chu
Saltburn (2023) dir. Emerald Fennell 
Content warnings: Discussions of death, violence, hanging, cannibalism and fascism

Happy belated New Year! We return fashionably late with a behemoth of an episode to discuss each of our top 10 books of 2023, a few extra superlatives (scariest book, anyone?), and some reading goals for 2024. Tune in for fantasy fiction, gothic literature, romance novels, unexpected favorites, and only a little bit of human sacrifice. 
 
(Also, Lulu would like to mention that she forgot to mention Emily Carroll’s works when discussing graphic novels, but they’re all very creepy and amazing. Additionally, we ran out of time for her to discuss poetry, but Native Guard by Natasha Trethewey, The Renunciations by Donika Kelly, and Water & Salt by Lena Khalaf Tuffaha were her favorite books of poetry read last year.)
 
Content warnings: discussions of slavery (27:47-31:05), domestic abuse (31:06-33:08), and depression/suicidal ideation (58:18-1:03:18)

Our podcast is back, and we’re in our hater era! In this episode, we tackle the infamously divisive 2023 film Saltburn, a psychological thriller directed by Emerald Fennell and starring Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick, an Oxford scholarship student invited to his wealthy friend’s summer estate, Saltburn, for a summer that takes a dark turn. (Spoiler alert: we didn't like it.) Topics discussed include the film’s muddled class commentary, our hatred of the film’s ending, and it’s intent to shock and upset the viewer. 
Other Media Mentioned:
Blue Eye Samurai (2023-)
Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
A Narrow Door by Joanne Harris
The Holdovers (dir. Alexander Payne)
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
Bellies by Nicola Dinan
Promising Young Woman (dir. Emerald Fennell)
The Eternals (dir. Chloe Zhao)
The Banshees of Inisherin (dir. Martin McDonagh)
Knives Out (dir. Rian Johnson)
Parasite (dir. Bong Joon-ho)
Can posh people write good slass satire? By Patrick Sproull for Dazed
Romeo + Juliet (dir. Baz Luhrmann)
Biting the Hand by Julia Lee
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Tripping Arcadia by Kit Mayquist
These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever
Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris
Temper by Layne Fargo
They Never Learn by Layne Fargo
Interview With the Vampire (2022–)
Content Warnings: Discussions of drug overdose, suicide, murder, classism, racism, manipulation, and sexual assault
 
Also, not actually related to the content of this episode, but if you are an American listener, we would like to invite you to call your representatives and demand a ceasefire in Israel and Palestine. 5calls.org makes it easy to do.  

We’re back for our first episode of the summer! In this one, we take a trip to post-Rome Britain to explore our fascination with a time period that is more myth than history. Going full history nerd, we take a look at three books set in Britain after the withdrawal of Roman imperial powers: Dark Earth by Rebecca Stott, Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve, and Sistersong by Lucy Holland. We discuss the possible origin of the King Arthur myth, queer medieval narratives, and the cultural diversity of Britain at this time–as well as wizards, warlords, and murder ballads. 
 
Other Media Mentioned:
Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty
Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Little Blue Encyclopedia for Vivian by Hazel Jane Plante
The Thousand Eyes by A.K. Larkwood
Bernard Cornwell’s books
Spear by Nicola Griffith
Perceval by Chretien de Troyes
The Two Sisters by Steeleye Span
On the Ruin and Conquest of Britain by Gildas
History of the Kings of Britain by Geoffrey of Monmouth
 
Content Warnings:
Discussions of war, death, and body horror
 
Also 1) apologies for the distant car horn in a few moments and 2) our discussion of Here Lies Arthur involves talking about some characters who present as different genders over the course of the story and so has some varying pronoun usage.

This week, we’ve got a guest on our podcast as author M.K. Lobb drops by to answer our questions about her young adult fantasy novel Seven Faceless Saints. Tune in to hear us discuss the real historical inspiration behind her fantasy world, the joys of writing angsty romance, and the importance of angry female characters. 
 
Media mentioned
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
Keep This To Yourself by Tom Ryan
I Hope You’re Listening by Tom Ryan
Karen McManus (YA mystery author)
The Queen’s Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
 
Content warnings: discussions of war, PTSD, and murder