The Book Review The Best Books of the Year (So Far)
15 snips
Jul 18, 2025 This discussion highlights the standout books of 2025, ranging from gripping crime dramas to heartfelt memoirs. Delve into 'King of Ashes' and its themes of family turmoil, while exploring emotional complexities in 'Isola' and 'The Director.' The speakers navigate through horror with 'The Buffalo Hunter Hunter' and reflect on grief in Yi Yun Lee's memoir. Their spirited opinions on diverse narratives, balanced with romance recommendations like 'These Summer Storms,' invite listeners to discover new literary gems.
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Cosby's Calm Versus Violent Writing
- King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby features Roman Carruthers, a wealthy investment manager forced back home after his father's coma caused by crime-related events.
- The novel is violent and intense but Cosby himself is surprisingly kind and calm, contrasting with his writing.
Building Dread Through Subtlety
- The Director by Daniel Kehlmann builds increasing dread and paranoia with subtlety rather than explicit violence.
- Kehlmann skillfully stages scenes and the translation reads so fluently it enhances the atmospheric tension.
Surviving Shipwreck on Pacific
- A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhurst recounts a couple sailing from England to New Zealand, surviving months after their boat is destroyed by a dying sperm whale.
- Their survival story on the Pacific Ocean is intense yet the book is brief and gripping.
