Nonfiction
Book Review: The Ballad of Perilous Graves, by Alex Jennings
Reviewer Aigner Loren Wilson recommends taking a trip to New Orleans—or at least reading The Ballad of Perilous Graves, a new novel by Alex Jennings set in the Big Easy.
Reviewer Aigner Loren Wilson recommends taking a trip to New Orleans—or at least reading The Ballad of Perilous Graves, a new novel by Alex Jennings set in the Big Easy.
It grew inside of me for a very long time, built up by images of children picking through garbage dumps in developing world countries to try and eke out some kind of survival. At the same time, as a fan of space and travel, I kept looking at the private space launch activity with optimism and excitement. Somewhere deep inside, that tension between carrying both feelings inside broke and this image of space travelers coming back to a dump began to form in my head.
Be sure to check out the editorial, where we have a rundown of this month’s content.
I was mulling over the concept of “retcon” or “retroactive continuity” as it applies to fictional works: when a new piece of information provides a complete reinterpretation of past events, and what is considered “canon” undergoes a metamorphosis. This is not dissimilar to how our interpretations of history can be manipulated. Although we may believe we are neutral observers, we can be indoctrinated to see events from a deeply biased perspective.
Wait–isn’t The Memory Librarian, by Janelle Monáe, a musical album? Well, yes. But not THIS The Memory Librarian, by Janelle Monáe. It’s a short story collection, and Chris Kluwe is here to tell you why it’s a must-read.
There’s a reason the Jovian fascists in the story named their ship after Charles Lindbergh. While he’s more remembered for his transatlantic flight and is memorialized by multiple airports, he was also a Nazi sympathizer and white supremacist. We have to be vigilant when it comes to people that societies champion and honour, because too often they represent the worst of us.
Arley Sorg is always lookng for the next great anthology, and Unlimited Futures, edited Rafeif Ismail & Ellen van Neerven, is definitely one of them.
This story began with a writing prompt from Alexandra Manglis, who is the Undisputed Prompt Champion of the World. It was an image of a giant redwood washed up on a beach. From there, I pulled in other elements I’m obsessed with—queer relationships, non-hierarchical social structures, environmental collapse—and worked at weaving together those threads.
Aigner Loren Wilson dives into a novel about a magical Hollywood: Nghi Vo’s Siren Queen. Find out whether it’s good casting for your bookshelf!
Be sure to check out the editorial for a rundown of this month’s terrific content.