The Faerie Queene: Spenser’s Monumental Folly

A Noble Attempt at Epic Poetry Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene is often hailed as a masterpiece of English literature, a colossal achievement in epic poetry. Yet, it is also a work that, like an overstuffed burrito, contains more than one can digest in a single sitting. Spenser's ambitious narrative attempts to blend allegory, chivalric …

The Fatal Allure of Fantasy: Madam Bovary

I've devoured this novel at least three times, the most recent being just a few months back, yet I find myself compelled to dive into its pages once more. There's something about it that clings like a cheap raincoat, gnawing at me insistently, making it impossible to resist another read. Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary stands …

Mills & Boon: Clichés, Tropes, and Cringe

Given my well-known penchant for classic literature, it was only a matter of time before someone challenged my reading habits, urging me to delve into something more contemporary and 'everyday'. One fateful afternoon, amid the humdrum of office life, I found myself the subject of playful ridicule. My colleagues, ever eager to see me squirm, …

The Collector

A Tale of Misery, Mediocrity, and Meaninglessness John Fowles' debut novel, The Collector, has been lauded by some as a brilliant exploration of obsession and power dynamics. However, one must ask if these admirers have ever experienced anything more intellectually stimulating than a soggy slice of toast. The novel, masquerading as a psychological thriller, is …