The Novel Tea Neha & Shruti

In this episode, Neha and Shruti discuss one of the most acclaimed science fiction novels of all time: Ursula K. Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness. We give you all the context you need to understand this complex and nuanced novel, and even some information you may not have thought you needed, including: the evolutionary biology of menstruation, gender constructs & stereotypes, conflicts of love and trust, and much more.
Spoilers start at 33:19
Links:
How and Why did Women Evolve Periods? by Suzanne Sadedin, PhD in evolutionary biology
Shelf Discovery and Books Mentioned:
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
Dune by Frank Herbert
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman
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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 (which helps support our work) at no additional cost to you.

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Shruti and Neha discuss The Humans by Matt Haig, a novel that is dressed up as science fiction, but is really about learning to love life. We talk about reading the right book at the right time, science fiction's relationship to colonialism, and bigger questions about the way we live today. We also wonder if there is a such thing as self-help fiction.
Shelf Discovery:
An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong
The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Edith Eger
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Spoilers start at 22:20
Content warning: suicide, mental health
If you would like to hear more in-depth literary analysis, curated book recommendations, and cultural commentary, subscribe to our free newsletter.
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 (which helps support our work) at no additional cost to you.


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In this fun bonus episode, Shruti and Neha dive into everything mythology-related, including: what are myths? Why are Greek mythology retellings so popular, and is that problematic? Does mythology still exist today?
We talk about all this and more, referencing The Hero's Journey, Joseph Campbell, and world mythologies.
*Spoilers for American Gods between 20:50-21:10
Books Mentioned:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
Circe by Madeline Miller
Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
If you would like to hear more in-depth literary analysis, curated book recommendations, and cultural commentary, subscribe to our free newsletter.
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 (which helps support our work) at no additional cost to you.

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In this episode Neha and Shruti tackle one of the living titans of speculative fiction: Neil Gaiman. We discuss American Gods through the themes of deception and survival, tracking the characters through the story as we ponder stories of immigration, faith, and disillusionment. We also talk about the importance of reading challenging novels and taking our time with certain books.
Spoilers for the ending start at 21:50.
Content warning: the book contains references to historical violence against Black people, which we discuss 22:30-24:00.
If you would like to hear more in-depth literary analysis, curated book recommendations, and cultural commentary, subscribe to our free newsletter.
Shelf Discovery
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
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 (which helps support our work) at no additional cost to you.
*When talking about carousels, Neha mistakenly mentions The Book Thief - she actually was referring to The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke

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In this episode, Shruti and Neha discuss one of Margaret Atwood's lesser known works, The Penelopiad - a retelling of The Odyssey from the perspective of Penelope, and the twelve hanged maids. Even if you haven't read the book, we think there's a lot you'll enjoy in this episode!
We consider the themes of justice and persuasion as we talk about modern feminism (and the #MeToo movement), how myths evolve, and trends in mythology retellings. We also talk about Atwood's character portrayals and narrative choices, and how they impacted our reading experience.
If you would like to hear more in-depth literary analysis, curated book recommendations, and cultural commentary, subscribe to our free newsletter.
Books Mentioned in Shelf Discovery:
The Greek Myths by Robert Graves
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Circe by Madeline Miller
Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
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 (which helps support our work) at no additional cost to you.

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Neha and Shruti discuss The Secret History, a book that has gained a cult following in the last few decades - and as we discuss the book, we start to see why. We talk about the characters, the atmospheric setting, and how Tartt brilliantly creates and sustains tension. We also provide some background for the book's classical allusions, and share all our theories about the book's shocking climax. And as always, we provide recommendations in our Shelf Discovery segment for books to read next if you loved The Secret History, based on the aspect of the novel that you loved most.
What is the significance of the line 'Beauty is terror'? Which character functions as a cult leader? What is dark academia? You'll find all this and more in this episode. True spoilers start at 19:20
If you would like to hear more in-depth literary analysis, curated book recommendations, and cultural commentary, you can also subscribe to our free newsletter.
Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery:
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Passing by Nella Larsen
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
The Idiot by Elif Batuman
Either/Or by Elif Batuman
Babel by R.F. Kuang
My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier
Euphoria by Lily King
The Shining by Stephen King
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Links:
Once Upon a Time... at Bennington College
*We mistakenly stated that Icarus is a god; Icarus in Greek mythology is the son of a craftsman.
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 (which helps support our work) at no additional cost to you.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.