Today, Neha and Shruti talk about Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, a dreamy, fantastical novel set in a beautiful House where there are birds, fish, tides, and statues. We talk about the narrator's unique perspective, the writing style, and our thoughts on the underlying meaning of the story. We also get into the book's many allusions and references, from C.S. Lewis, to Plato's Allegory of the Cave.

Shelf Discovery & Books Mentioned:

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Circe by Madeline Miller

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We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.

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Shruti and Neha talk about Sea of Tranquility, the latest book from speculative fiction author Emily St. John Mandel. We dive into the differences between loneliness and solitude, past vs. present tense in fiction, time travel, the history of the simulation hypothesis, and much more!

Spoilers start at 15:53.

Shelf Discovery

The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

The New York Trilogy by Paul Auster

If you would like to get more in-depth analysis, book recommendations, and cultural commentary, subscribe to our free newsletter.

We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.

This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission (which helps support our work) at no additional cost to you.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Neha and Shruti dive into the historical underbelly of Barcelona where they find twisted tales, hidden secrets, family drama, and heartbreak. We read The Shadow of the Wind through themes of obsession and memory, talk about Gothic fiction and mystery stories, and finally get to our problems with the book's ending.

Shelf Discovery:

Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

If you would like to get more in-depth analysis, curated book recommendations, and cultural commentary, subscribe to our free newsletter.

We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.

This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission (which helps support our work) at no additional cost to you.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.