from the marginalia

Recitatif by Toni Morrison

Posted on September 26, 2026September 26, 2026 by Minerva

Recitatif. What does it mean? It's the French word for 'recitative,' which's a vocal style that imitates ordinary speech. This type of vocal style's typically found in operas, which depend on recitatives to move the story forward. 'Imitating the ordinary' was exactly Morrison's intent. Though Oscar Wilde famously declared that…

The Devils by Joe Abercrombie

Posted on August 4, 2026September 5, 2026 by Minerva

What's supposed be the career advancement of his life took an unexpected turn when Brother Diaz was made vicar of the Chapel of the Holy Expediency. Instead of vestments, hymns, and sermons, Brother Diaz must face dire threats of decapitation, disembowelment, dismemberment, exsanguination... so on and so forth, not only…

We Had to Remove This Post by Hanna Bervoets

Posted on June 10, 2026June 10, 2026 by Minerva

Full disclosure: I picked up the book after it's been recommended by a book club friend. Due to an unfortunate confluence of a misleading book title, miscomprehension brought on by skimming that recommendation too fast, and my steadfast refusal to expose myself to potential spoilers, I thought, for the longest…

The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan

Posted on April 26, 2026June 4, 2026 by Minerva

If The Handmaid's Tale had a secular prequel... Women who lost custody of their children to an overreaching government with draconian standards on 'child protection,' who are then sent to a school where they're cut off from the outside world and learned how to be 'good'... Sounds familiar? Yeah, like…

Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe

Posted on March 22, 2026June 4, 2026 by Minerva

Opioid. It's a class of drugs derived from a natural substance found in the poppy plant. This natural substance has long been known for its pain relief property, as well as its highly addictiveness. The United States of America has an opioid epidemic. It started in the late 90s, when…

House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

Posted on September 4, 2025June 6, 2026 by Minerva

For those who love a little mystery, a little psychological horror, and a little weirdness in life. If you have not read the novel. I suggest you stop here, grab a copy, and start reading. After all, House of Leaves is not merely a novel: it's an experience. Maximum enjoyment…