Samantha Butler

This book wasn’t thrilling or political, really. I think we should ask men to interrogate the feminine experience more thoroughly if they want to write about what it’s Iike to be an independent woman. It felt hollow.

The characters and plot were paper thin. Atwood is a master world-builder and she continued showing her strength in this novel - but I didn’t attach to any character and I believe neither did Atwood while writing this story.

It’s a decently well-written memoir with a myriad of interesting life stories and experiences, and one main thesis: the press ruins Harry’s life. I think it’s worth a read if you’ve even remotely followed the Royals. I wish Harry owned more of his own implicit racism, because beyond unconscious bias we white folks all carry racist tendencies that we need to name, address and work to rectify. He’s very nonchalant about some of his misdemeanours or seeks to remind the reader that someone else inspired him or pushed him or he sought to please someone else. Hey, that’s honest. But it’s not enough, and I think there’s room to unpack that — But. It’s a good book. And for all of the media coverage about how we’ve been “over saturated” by Harry content, it’s funny that of all times they decide now is the moment they’re tired of Royal coverage. The media has been over saturating us for decades, and now that we are hearing from the Royals themselves, it’s too much? Abusive. Anyway, great book, recommend a read - you’ll never hear “todger” more in your life.

Predictable, but still a fun summer read, The Midnight Library played out like a movie that might star Emma Thompson as Mrs. Elm. It’s an easy and quick feel-good read that toys with quantum theory lite which is presented well enough to understand for anyone who has watched a Marvel movie. I recommend it for a long plane ride or a beach book!