the moors

The Secret Garden

Posted on March 16, 2016

Welcome to the March edition of Novel Ideas, featuring The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. In this episode we talk about the genre of the children’s novel, colonialism, subversions, and–need I say it?–feminism. We also discuss why Colin is kind of a dick, plot related illnesses, failed attempts at comic relief, and children’s dialogue. Gabs even did some research about the background of this novel. I know, try not to lose faith in us. We hope by the time you get to the end of this one, you’ve learned the secret behind the magic.

The music bump is Don Byron’s version of “The Royal Garden Blues.”

103 – The Secret Garden – Dickon Around the Garden

Our ratings:

An easy classic and an early entry in the non-religious children’s book canon, it’s probably worth your time.

Ben: 7/10. Isn’t bad, definitely won’t change your life. Another classic that is easy to discuss.

Gabs: 8/10. Minus 2 points for Colin.

This entry was posted in Episodes and tagged "girls book", a salty retelling, children's dialogue, children's novel, christian science, class, Colin is the patriarchy, colonialism, Dickon around the garden, disagreeable children, failed comic relief, feminism, Frances Hodgson Burnett, Gothic subversion, heavy breathing, magical negro trope, plot illness, race, romanticism, sad stupid hunchback, straight talk, the moors, the robin is the best, The Secret Garden, touch of research, Weatherstaff the Green, white people are the worst, wry narration.

Wuthering Heights

Posted on July 8, 2015

Welcome to a very special episode of Novel Ideas. This week we join the Minerva podcast network. If you found us through Minerva Magazine, we’re pleased to have you! A quick word of warning: this podcast contains some adult language, so if that concerns you, consider this fair warning. Our spoiler policy generally doesn’t matter as much for classics, but you should also be aware that we spoil anything and everything because we want to be able to discuss everything in the book in detail.

For this episode we read Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, a classic love story that might not be either of those things. We discuss those points as well as 19th century literary devices, the dangers of passion, Victorian values, and (of course) feminism. We also examine why it isn’t okay to hang puppies, weird hate auras, modern adaptations, and the questionable biology surrounding Victorian pregnancy.

The music bump is “Wuthering Heights” by Kate Bush, which is apparently sung from the point of view of Cathy’s ghost.

95 – Wuthering Heights – Hanging Puppy Love

Our ratings: All of the characters are terrible people, but at least it isn’t very fun to watch them interact.

Ben: 3/10. I didn’t enjoy reading it even a little bit. One extra point subtracted for having multiple instances of puppy hanging.

Gabs: 3.5/10. An extra half point awarded for demonstrating the healing power of reading.

This entry was posted in Admin, Episodes and tagged 19th century literary devices, classics, cousin fucking, death, dialect, dying of hate, editors are good, Emily Bronte, foiling expectations, ghosts, hate aura, insults, modern adaptations, not a love story, notagonist, passion, plot driven pregnancy, power of reading, proto-feminism, psychopathy, puppy hanging, recursive flashbacks, revenge, sex, supernatural, terrible people, the moors, Victorian values, weak of spirit, Wuthering Heights.