A Glimpse of Christmas at Temple Newsam

Anushka Searle on 23 December 2021

This year Temple Newsam has introduced their after-dark illuminated trail. The trail is a perfect way to get into the holiday spirit. The trail takes you around the already-beautiful grounds and encapsulates you with twinkling lights and Christmas music. Each section of the trail offers a different form of illumination, from fluorescent string to actual fire, with some accompanied with special effects or magical instrumental songs.

My favourite visual effect was a tunnel of trees that was filled with moving green dots, that looked like shooting stars, which was accompanied with smoke which reminded me a lot of the forbidden forest in the Warner Bros. Studio tour. Although, as the trail is dog-friendly we brought along Buster, and he was a little freaked out by the smoke. That being said, Buster was a big fan on the lights, and I would definitely recommend this as the most extravagant dog walk to treat your pups to this Christmas.

There are also food and drink stalls at the start and middle of the trail which include Cadbury’s hot chocolate, yummy waffles, and a roast-your-own marshmallow stand! Although I will say the hot chocolate was a tad overpriced, considering it was £4.50 but they had run out of the marshmallows and chocolate sauce that was meant to go on top.

If you have a child, a young sibling or even a young cousin then I would recommend bringing them on this Leeds trail as it is full of Christmas magic and there is even a Santa Claus. Santa was great with the children, and they seemed absolutely awed by him.

If you have never been to Temple Newsam before than I would recommend it all year round as there is a Tudor-Jacobean house (great for the history buffs) that you can explore, which was once home to Mary, Queen of Scots and is rumoured to be haunted by The Blue Lady. There is also a farm on the grounds that always has lots of cute animals and babies during springtime.

So, what are you waiting for? Get yourself down to Temple Newsam and immerse yourself in the history and wonder of this beautiful park.

Buy Tickets here: https://christmasattemplenewsam.seetickets.com/raymondgubbay/christmas-at-temple-newsam

A Preview of The Maven’s Festive Tasting Menu

Anushka Searle on 28 November 2021

A review by Anushka of The Maven and their new festive tasting menu.

A Night Out at Roxy Ball Room

Anushka Searle on 28 July 2021

With the new found freedom and cocktail nights breaking the bank it’s time to find an alternative night out…enter Roxy. Roxy Ball Room, nicknamed “Roxy’s”, is the night out that every friend will enjoy. Whether you simply want a drink, a game of pool, a pizza night or a full night of activities, Roxy’s has a lot to offer. On my visit to their Merrion street location I was lucky enough to test out their duckpin bowling and crazy pool, alongside a pizza, some drinks, and of course I brought some friends along for the ride too.

Duckpin Bowling

A fun and quick alternative to your average game of bowling. Each player gets three tries each go, in comparison to the usual two, meaning that you can rake up a pretty high score. The only downside is that the game was a tad glitchy for us as the pins often came down with the front pin missing, making it impossible to get a strike. On the upside, the game was really fun, you get lots of rounds, and it is right next to the bar! Who doesn’t want a bit of drunk bowling?

Crazy Pool

Never have I ever seen crazy golf combined with pool before, but Roxy’s made that happen. You are presented with a variation of different tables with loops and obstacles at varying difficulties and you have six tries to get the ball in the hole. We had lots of fun with this game, and it was great to try something new. My one suggestion would be that the tables are too smooth so we often ran into the problem of the ball rolling off the table or getting stuck in the exact same place, this could also be improved by changing the sides of the table so that the ball can bounce off of them.

Pizza Time

With all those games and drinks you are bound to work up an appetite and Roxy’s pizza is there to solve that problem. If you’re a bit peckish then you can buy by the slice, but let’s be honest a full pizza is always the better choice. Roxy’s has recently changed their pizza bases and my Italian boyfriend was thoroughly impressed by them. My only point of criticism is that their pizza range is very limited, with only two vegetarian options (including margherita) and no vegan or gluten free option. If they improve their menu to include a few more topping and base options, then their pizza would be incredible.

Overall, the five of us had a great time at Roxy’s and the staff was amazing and very friendly. I would definitely recommend Roxy’s to anyone that hasn’t been as it is a great location for birthdays, befriending flatmates, or a simple games night. Roxy’s is everchanging and I can’t wait to see how they develop this fantastic business further.

2021 Literary Calendar: Women Writers to Read this Year

Anushka Searle on 29 March 2021

March

Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia (March 30^th)

This is a story of immigration, detailing cigar factories from 19^th century Cuba to present day detention centres in Miama. Jeanette, daughter to Cuban immigrant Carmen, is determined to discover more about her family history from her reticent mother. Jeanette travels to Cuba to see her Grandmother and discover the secrets of their family history. This is an intergenerational novel that tackles betrayal, addiction, legacy and motherhood.

April

Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson (April 6^th)

How far will a mother go to save her baby? Bree ignored dread she felt when a witch-like woman appeared at her window, but she could not ignore the woman’s presence in the parking lot of her daughter’s private, especially when her infant son mysteriously vanishes from his car seat. All that was left was a note. She is told that she is being watched; if she wants her baby back Bree must not contact the police or deviate from the instructions that follow. To get her baby back, the woman makes Bree complete one task, but it is not that simple. The task leads Bree into a tangled web of tragedy and secrets that risks tearing her whole world apart.

May

Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard (May 4^th)

Written by the author of the New York Time’s bestselling series Red Queen. In her small town at the edge of the sea, Corayne an-Amarat discovers she is the last of an ancient lineage, and the last hope to save her world from destruction – but she cannot do it alone. Corayne unites with unlikely companions: a squire, forced to choose between home and honour; an immortal, avenging a broken promise; an assassin, exiled and merciless; an ancient sorceress, whose riddles speak an important prophecy; a forger, secretive and mysterious; and a bounty hunter, who has a score to settle. Together they must band against a callous opponent and his colossal army unlike any other.

June

An Emotion of Great Delight by Tahereh Mafi (June 1^st)

From the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling series Shatter Me, arises a tale of love and loneliness, dual and immigrant identity, and finding hope in the midst of tragedy and discrimination. This story is set in 2003, several months after the US declared war on Iraq. This is a terrifying world for our young Muslim protagonist, Shadi, who is too preoccupied with her own grief to deal with bigots. Her world is falling apart. Her brother has died, and her father is dying, and she only has herself for comfort. Shadi gulps down the pain – again and again – until her emotional box finally explodes.

July

Such A Quiet Place by Megan Miranda (July 6^th)

Hollow’s Edge was a quiet, idyllic, friendly town until the murder of Brandon and Fiona Truett. The residents of Hollow’s edge all testified against one of their own, Ruby Fletcher, but they never thought she would come back. Ruby’s conviction was overturned, and now she must face the neighbour’s that accused her and try to build her life back. Ruby returns to her house once shared with Harper Nash. On Ruby’s return Harper begins to receive threatening notes, and soon realises that she must uncover the truth of the murders before the killer returns and it becomes clear that not everyone told the truth about the night of the Truett’s murders.

August

A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins (August 31^st)

From the author of the #1 New York Time’s Bestselling novel The Girl on the Train. Laura has spent most her life being judged by her peers, because she is seen as irritable, troubled, a recluse and few even call her dangerous. All of which becomes extremely note-worthy when Laura is witnessed leaving the scene of a horrific murder with blood on her clothes. Miriam believes Laura is innocent because bitter experience has taught her how easy it is to be caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Carla, overwhelmed with grief, is reeling from the brutal murder of her nephew, but how far will she go to discover the truth? In a world where everyone is flawed…are some damaged enough to kill?

Already Published

A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

The fourth book in Mass’ A Court of Thorns and Roses series is the first of the series to place Nesta and Cassian as its protagonists. Nesta is haunted by the war and grief of her father’s death, but with the help of Cassian she must learn to hone the darkness the Cauldron gave her and use her pain to save her world. Nesta and Cassian must put their tempers aside to fight the queens and dark creatures which threaten their family’s safety, but what they find on this journey together is more than the fire and passions of hatred.

Girl A by Abigail Dean

Recommend for fans of Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects and Emma Donoghue’s Room; this mystery and psychological thriller is one to put on your 2021 TBR. Lexie Grace, known as Girl A, managed to escape her family’s House of Horrors but when her mother dies, Lexie and her siblings are forced to return to the house and face the horrors they ran from. But Lexie must confront her siblings on their shared past, as she uncovers the secrets her siblings keep and must begin to question if they all actually escaped the influence of House of Horrors?

Header image credit: Literary Hub

Poundland Perfumes Giving Marc Jacobs and Viktor & Rolf a Run for their Money

Anushka Searle on 1 March 2021

Love a designer dupe? Well, look no further than Poundland’s perfume range…that’s right, perfume for a pound! With most designer perfumes ranging from £50-£100 and made from ingredients that can cost as little as 20p, it is no wonder people are thrilled about this bargain. So, I decided to take a closer look at their ingredients and put them to the test…

Lily Petals vs. Marc Jacobs’ Daisy

Like many others, I am a fan of Marc Jacobs’ Daisy and the whole range of Daisy perfumes and so it is a scent that I have memorised, and Lily Petals did not disappoint. Lily Petals smells almost identical to the Marc Jacobs version. If you compare the ingredients between the two Lily Petals has 52.94% of the same ingredients as Daisy, with the addition of the cheaper oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil. Ingredients not included in the dupe include Acrylates/Octylacrylamide Copolymer (microplastics), Benzophenone-3 (absorbs UV and can cause allergic reactions), Benzyl Benzonate (used to treat lice), BHT (used to treat Herpes), Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate (absorbs UV and can disrupt glands), Ethylhexyl Salicylate (absorbs UV)¸ Methyl 2-Octynoate (synthetic fragrance), and Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters (used as an emulsifier). Considering only one of these ingredients is contributing to the fragrance it is unsurprising that Lily Petals smells so similar. Also, as Lily Petals seems to lack a lot of the UV absorbing ingredients, I would recommend keeping the bottle away from direct sunlight. That being said, it appears that the £59 price tag for 50ml is mainly down to unnecessary ingredients, a fancy bottle and branding. I have to say I do miss the beautiful Daisy bottle, but £1 for 100ml is pretty convincing. I also decided to test the longevity of the perfume; I put Lily Petals on each wrist at 10am and although the scent was weak for me, my boyfriend said he could still smell it at 8pm.

Rating: 3/5

Fleur Bloom vs. Viktor & Rolf’s Flowerbomb

Flowerbomb is another personal favourite of mine, but as it is £78 for only 50ml it is definitely not one for a student budget. Though Fleur Bloom does smell extremely similar to Flowerbomb, it only has 35.29% of the same ingredients as the original. Fleur Bloom has the additional ingredients of PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, D&C Yellow No.11 and FD&C Yellow No.6 and these colour ingredients do make the perfume look a lot more yellow than the original. Ingredients that are not found in Fleur Bloom include Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate and Benzyl Benzonate – both of which were not included in Lily Petals – along with Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane (absorbs UV), Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate (an antioxidant), Benzyl Alcohol (fragrance and human neurotoxin) Citral (natural scent), and many colour ingredients (Ci 19140 / Yellow 5, Ci 60730 / Ext. Violet 2 Ci 17200 / Red 33). In terms of ingredients Fleur Bloom does not match up to Lily Petals, but it is still a good dupe nonetheless and I find the scent to be exceptionally similar. I tested the longevity of Fleur Bloom; I put it on my wrists at 11am and amazingly the scent was still strong when I went to bed! So, although Fleur Bloom loses against Lily Petals on ingredients, it is a clear winner for a long-lasting fragrance.

Rating: 4/5

THE LGBTQ+ YOUTUBERS YOU NEED TO WATCH

Anushka Searle on 28 February 2021

Joel Rochester

Channel: FictionalFates

Bio: Joel identifies as a “bisexual Black British boy”. He is currently in his third year at university, studying English Literature and Creative Writing. He began his bookstagram and blog back in 2015 and this encouraged him to start his booktube account last year, which is already at 50.2k subscribers. Joel was particularly encouraged to start his channel because of BLM, as he felt “more empowered to use… [his] voice in spreading diverse reading and representation and showing that black lives matter”. Indeed, he also amplified his voice through the format of literature, as, in 2020 Joel wrote a short story, ‘The Boy & The Dragon, and is in the process of writing his first novel.

“Reading was probably my escape from reality, like a comfortable and safe space from a harsher world that didn’t like a queer British boy, a queer Black boy”
– Joel Rochester

Video Recommendation: ‘how I organise myself as a reader + student’ / ‘let’s talk about black books, baby‘

Rose Ellen Dix & Rosie Spaughton

Channel: Rose and Rosie

Bio: Rose and Rosie are a married comedy duo; they have been married for 5 years and you can watch their beautiful wedding video their channel. They both had individual YouTube channels in 2011, before making their first combined channel, “Let’s Play Games”, which was a gaming channel. They then made their channel Rose & Rosie where they do comedy skits and along with more personal videos, including Rose’s experience of having OCD and Rosie’s experience of being a bisexual woman in their “BISEXY SERIES” (Rose and Rosie Vlogs). They have recently started their podcast “Rose and Rosie: Parental Guidance” which discusses their experience of trying for a baby through IUI.

Video recommendation: ‘Rating Gay Ships on Netflix/Discussing My Trauma | EMDR therapy | PTSD and OCD (uncut)‘

Melanie Murphy

Channel: Melanie Murphy

Bio: Melanie is an Irish YouTuber, author, a mother. Her content centres around empowering others by representing her true self. Melanie shares her bodily insecurities and mental health struggles. Along with this, she discusses and tackles “taboo” subjects such as: abortion rights, sex, sobriety and biphobia. Notably, her “PMS PARTIES” series portrays the often-overlooked subject of PMS, visually representing the struggles that people with periods face. Melanie also creates shorts, including FEMME, a spoken word film about her sexuality, and CHOICE, a film to tackle abortion rights in Ireland. She uses her creative format to speak-up for the LGBTQ+ community and actively tries to educate her viewers, including LGBTQ+ sex and relationships education which is very limited in the UK curriculums.

“I can’t silence all the voices swimming in my brain that question the validity and extent of my bisexuality”
Melanie Murphy

Video recommendation: ‘Why We Still Need Pride/FEMME‘

Header image credit: Metro Weekly

A Glimpse into the Guardian’s Online Book Club

Anushka Searle on 22 February 2021

Many of us have discovered or rediscovered a love for reading over the multiple lockdowns. We’ve escaped to the fantasy worlds of Brit Bennett, Maggie O’Farrell and Sarah J. Maas. We’ve been intrigued by the life of Barack Obama and we’ve learnt new skills from the dusty cookbooks that were long forgotten. But although reading can be wonderful it can be a very isolating experience unless you have someone to share it with…enter book clubs. Many online book clubs have emerged over the past year, so it was unsurprising that The Guardian would join the trend

The Guardian’s online book club is run by their chief books writer, Lisa Allardice. During the book club events, Lisa talks with leading writers, discussing the writing process, current affairs, isolation and, of course, the chosen novel. Book club attendees also have the opportunity to send in questions prior to, and during, the event. The book clubs are run on Thursdays 7-8pm BST, are broadcasted globally, and the cost of a ticket is £5 plus a small booking fee, or you can purchase the book with the ticket for around £14. Though the price may be slightly discouraging for an online event, it is significantly cheaper in comparison to what you might pay to hear an author talk at an in-person event. I certainly enjoyed hearing Margaret Atwood talk whilst sat at home with a risotto and a glass of wine, instead of queueing for hours outside a bookshop in the snow.

The book club I attended was centred around Margaret Atwood’s 2003 novel Oryx and Crake. Though the novel could be considered science fiction, Atwood labels it as ‘speculative fiction’ as the novel does speculate the potential of human evolution, and it does not deal with things that are beyond human capabilities. Although The Handmaid’s Tale is often deemed Atwood’s most prophetic book, Oryx and Crake foretold the biggest disaster of the 21^st century, the global pandemic. As Atwood discussed in the book club, plagues are a “very old human story”, and they are even more “definitive in human history […] than war”. Atwood informs her readers to pay attention to Oryx and Crake because it shows “the big picture”, detailing to the reader just how far into chaos the pandemic, and our current habits, could lead us. Certainly, the novel forces the reader to take a long look at the human race.

On the more positive side, Oryx and Crake sees advancement in sustainability. As, in the book the ‘humans’ have evolved to no longer need clothing, meaning that “they do not need cloth”, and they are “not only vegan, [but] they can eat leaves and grass”, thus we no longer need to grow masses of crops or “raise herds of animals”. Indeed, the ‘humans’ have evolved to no longer be “sexually competitive”, lowering aggression and as Atwood notes there would be “no more wife murders”, essentially eradicating domestic violence. Furthermore, one of the most spectacular human advancements is the ability to purr! As Atwood explains, purring is an incredible ability to have as “cats purr to self-heal”. This is scientifically factual as a cat’s purr “has a frequency of between 25 and 150 hertz, which happens to be the frequency at which muscles and bones best grow and repair themselves”.

It is safe to say that Atwood is a hive of knowledge, and although I have not read Oryx and Crake, I still learnt so much from hearing her speak. The Guardian’s online book club is a great way for book lovers to hear from their favourite writers and have the opportunity to ask them questions. The upcoming book club is in conversation with Maggie O’Farrell (22^nd April), the author of the Women’s prize-winning novel Hamnet. Hamnet is set in plague-ridden Jacobean England, once again projecting a vision of our current world, and is said to be a heart-wrenching read. Why not give it a read and join me and many others for the next Guardian book club?

Header Image Credit: The Guardian Patrons

Review: Dash and Lily

Anushka Searle on 4 December 2020

Dash & Lily is an American Christmas-based rom-com Netflix show based in New York City. The show is based on the young adult book series by Rachel Cohen and David Levithan, with the first book being Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares. Unsurprisingly, the story surrounds the protagonists Dash (Austin Abrams) and Lily (Midori Francis). Lily, encouraged by her brother, creates a book of dares that she hides in a bookshop next to her favourite book, in the hope that it will be discovered by her perfect match. Of course, Dash discovers the book and so the show follows the protagonists as they travel around New York while trading dares, dreams and desires.

If you are a fan of a good cheesy Christmas movie, then you will absolutely love these 8 episodes of pure Christmas fun. Dash & Lily gives you those soppy feel-good feelings that make your heart heavy – think a combination of The Holiday, Love Actually and A Christmas Prince. Whether it’s a crush, a partner, or a long-lost love, this series will immediately make you dream of that special someone. This series brings forth those warm, fuzzy feelings of love, and isn’t that what we all want to feel this year… love.

Of course, like most cheesy Christmas films, or rom-coms in general, some things are a tad far-fetched and unrealistic. It is unlikely that 17-year olds (where the drinking age is 21) would be able to get in a club hassle-free and with no ID checks. It also seems very far-fetched that these teenagers, Lily in particular, would have so many connections in New York to help them plan all their great dares. However, if the story were to follow a more realistic route than we would have a very boring story, where the notebook would never have been found and our protagonists would barely leave the house, spending most of their days sleeping until 2pm. So, bring on the unrealistic relationships for us all to idealise this Christmas!

Even if you don’t usually enjoy Christmas, this show will still be enjoyable, as it is not all Christmas joy and tackles the seasonal blues too and Dash himself doesn’t even like Christmas! Let’s be honest, after such a rough year I think some cheesy comfort watches are in order, we all need a little escapism. So, make yourself a deluxe hot chocolate, pop on Dash & Lily, and enjoy this love letter to New York.

Oh, and if that wasn’t enough the Jonas Brothers also make a cameo appearance!

Review: Nando’s The Great Imitator

Anushka Searle on 23 October 2020

f you haven’t heard the news, Nando’s has released its very own vegan chicken – made from pea protein! After some research I’m still not sure as to how this ‘pea protein’ is shaped into these chicken-like-strips. Nonetheless, this is the nicest chicken imitation I’ve ever tasted. In fact, my meat-eating Italian boyfriend even stated that this was “as close as you could get to chicken”, which is a major compliment. Though, as a vegetarian I normally stay away from fake meat, I was also pleasantly surprised by The Great Imitator, even though I despise the name.

You can choose to have your vegan chicken in wrap, pitta or burger. I went for the wrap which contained lettuce, plant-based perinaise, and chilli jam! I think the strips worked well in the wrap as they were well distributed. The strips were well marinated, but the marinade doesn’t absorb as well into the plant-based alternative. I usually go for medium spice, but I think I should have gone for hot! As for the strips themselves, I think the ‘meat’ has a nice texture – not as dry as Quorn!

My boyfriend tried The Great Imitator pitta – which I also had a nibble of! The pitta contains lettuce, semi-dried peri tomatoes, cucumber moons (Nando’s bizarre description) and plant-based perinaise. I think the combination of fake meat with pitta bread is a little bit too dry. Unlike the wrap, the strips don’t work as well in the pitta, as they are not well distributed – a patty would be better! He also decided to try the new coconut and lime marinade, which I personally found to taste quite odd – who wants their Nando’s to taste like Malibu?

Along with trying The Great Imitator, we also tried the new plant-based garlic perinaise. The dip had quite a subtle garlic flavour, and as a massive garlic fan, I would have liked it to be a little bit stronger and more reminiscent of Domino’s garlic and herb. However, the texture of this dip was spot on and you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between that and the non-vegan perinaise – who needs eggs?

Now, I must address the elephant in the room. There was some controversy that The Great Imitator isn’t vegan as it is cooked on the same grill as the meat. However, the Nando’s grill is as long as a kitchen counter, and all vegan and vegetarian items are cooked on their own section of the same grill. Therefore, although The Great Imitator is vegetarian, it would be cooked on the same grill as halloumi, so there will be some non-vegan contamination.

Though I did enjoy The Great Imitator wrap, I don’t think I will be swapping this out for my usual order. My usual order is a medium sweet potato and butternut wrap with added halloumi, which at the moment isn’t on the reduced menu, so The Great Imitator will have to do for now.

Header image credit: popsugar uk

Excellent Educational Books By Black Authors

Anushka Searle on 19 October 2020

As an English student and avid reader, it is my belief that the best way to understand someone else’s experience is to read about it. Even books which are fictional can educate us. Below, I have listed three major fictional books by Black authors that are exceptional in their presentation of very different Black experiences.

1. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The protagonist of this novel is the 16-year-old girl, Starr Carter. Though this is Young Adult fiction, the book begins with Starr witnessing the murder of her childhood friend, Khalil, who was shot by a police officer and, unsurprisingly, Khalil was unarmed. Much like the protests we have seen for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Stephon Clark (and many others), protesters head to the streets shouting Khalil’s name, and begging for justice. As Khalil’s only witness the pressure is on Starr to come forward and speak up.

The strongest aspect of this book is it’s social commentary and political criticism. This is the kind of book that should be in the hands of teens, making them aware of current issues, educating them on pressing matters, and encouraging them to get involved to create change
Emma Giordano

If you don’t have time for reading at the moment, The Hate U Give was also adapted into an incredible movie.

it’s impossible to be unarmed when our Blackness is the weapon that they fear
April Offrah

2. Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid

This book begins with the protagonist Emira Tucker, a young Black woman, being accused by a security guard in a supermarket of stealing the white toddler she is babysitting. Though this scene sets the precedent for the rest of the novel, Reid speeds past this and has Emira shake off the whole event. This does not make the details of the event any less effective, but Reid wants the reader to focus on the essential context of the novel, which is the relationship between Emira and her white wealthy employer, Alix Chamberlain.

Narratives about race and privilege are not unfamiliar literary fodder, but in her novel, Reid demonstrates a remarkable insight by taking on the monumental challenge of revealing the state of America through what she called the “everyday domestic biases that we don’t even know we have.” Reid’s exploration is a fresh and interesting look at the uneasy performance of “wokeness”—a paper-thin tissue of a word, so conspicuous that it now immediately breeds distrust.
bookswithchai, goodreads

3. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

This novel is about twin sisters, Stella and Desiree, who grow up in Mallard, L.A, which is a town mainly comprised of light-skinned black people. One of the sisters, Stella, makes the decision to live her life as a white-passing person, while Desiree chooses to embrace her Black identity. This book weaves together multiple generations of this family, ranging from the 1950s to the 1990s, and presents an emotional exploration of family, race, gender, class, and integrally the lasting influence of the past and our decisions.

A story of absolute, universal timelessness… For any era, it‘s an accomplished, affecting novel. For this moment, it‘s piercing, subtly wending its way toward questions about who we are and who we want to be….
Entertainment Weekly

Header image credit: Teen Vogue