A Novel Review Book Podcast

Drive Your Plow Over The Bones Of The Dead by Olga Tokarczuk | An unconventional Crime Novel

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On this episode of our book podcast, I explore Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk, the Nobel Prize–winning author. Blending literary mystery, environmental themes, and dark humor, this discussion unpacks the novel’s eccentric narrator, animal rights philosophy, astrology and the haunting Polish landscape, trying to unravel why Tokarczuk’s unconventional thriller continues to fascinate readers worldwide.
 
Painting: Today I painted a deer
 
Some of the books and authors discussed in this episode include:
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk
 
 
 
Substack: https://substack.com/@alexanderwoolven
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRQzE_T2r6qPR_jbZNgZC1Q
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-novel-review-podcast/id1681724908
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5uCgZyBj9T5uPQsfbqTUW5
Podbean: https://anovelreviewpodcast.podbean.com
 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/novelreviewpod
Email: anovelreviewpodcast@gmail.com
 IG: https://www.instagram.com/anovelreviewpod/
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#BookPodcast, #BookTube, #BookLovers, #ReadingCommunity, #LiteraryPodcast, #BooksAndSociety, #ReadingForChange, #LiteratureLovers, #ReadersOfYouTube, #PodcastEpisode, #SeasonalContent, #ThoughtfulReading, #BookDiscussion, #CulturalConversation

Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb | Bad Decisions and Bonded Wolves

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.com
 
Enter the chaotic court of the Six Duchies with Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb, where loyalty is lethal and magic always has a price. In this episode, I unpack Fitz’s disastrous diplomacy, as he navigates love against duty and one very inconvenient wolf bond. Expect political chaos, slow-burn heartbreak, and feelings sharper than a royal blade.
 
 
Painting: Today I painted Nighteyes
 
Some of the books and authors discussed in this episode include:
 
Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb
 
 
Substack: https://substack.com/@alexanderwoolven
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRQzE_T2r6qPR_jbZNgZC1Q
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-novel-review-podcast/id1681724908
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5uCgZyBj9T5uPQsfbqTUW5
Podbean: https://anovelreviewpodcast.podbean.com
 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/novelreviewpod
Email: anovelreviewpodcast@gmail.com
 IG: https://www.instagram.com/anovelreviewpod/
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#BookPodcast, #BookTube, #BookLovers, #ReadingCommunity, #LiteraryPodcast, #BooksAndSociety, #ReadingForChange, #LiteratureLovers, #ReadersOfYouTube, #PodcastEpisode, #SeasonalContent, #ThoughtfulReading, #BookDiscussion, #CulturalConversation

One Journey, Two Voices - Huckleberry Finn vs James (Mark Twain & Percival Everett)

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Who gets to tell history? Just because we have a story doesn’t mean we have the truth. History is a woven tapestry of perspectives, one that grows richer and more honest the more voices we allow into it. Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn presents a narrative where side characters exist largely to serve Huck’s moral journey. In contrast, Percival Everett’s James reclaims the identity of one of those marginalised figures, shifting the perspective and challenging the reader to reconsider what was left unsaid. No longer a character in service of plot, James explores the duality of perception, the power of narrative voice, and the nature of silence, especially how history forgets those who did not speak, even when silence itself was an act of self-preservation. In this episode, I compare Huckleberry Finn and James to examine perspective, narrative authority, race, and the ways literature shapes our understanding of truth and history.
 
Painting: Today I painted Huck and James on a raft along the Mississippi
 
Some of the books and authors discussed in this episode include:
 
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
James by Percival Everett
What is History by E.H. Carr
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
 
 
Substack: https://substack.com/@alexanderwoolven
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRQzE_T2r6qPR_jbZNgZC1Q
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-novel-review-podcast/id1681724908
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5uCgZyBj9T5uPQsfbqTUW5
Podbean: https://anovelreviewpodcast.podbean.com
 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/novelreviewpod
Email: anovelreviewpodcast@gmail.com
 IG: https://www.instagram.com/anovelreviewpod/
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#BookPodcast, #BookTube, #BookLovers, #ReadingCommunity, #LiteraryPodcast, #BooksAndSociety, #ReadingForChange, #LiteratureLovers, #ReadersOfYouTube, #PodcastEpisode, #SeasonalContent, #ThoughtfulReading, #BookDiscussion, #CulturalConversation

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb | Fitz and the cost of identity, duty and honour

 To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.com
In this episode, I dive into Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb, exploring who FitzChivalry Farseer really is and whether he ever truly knows himself. From isolation and duty to identity and belonging, it is clear that Fitz uncertainty of himself allows others to take advantage and shape him as they see fit.
Painting: Today I painted a deer on a shield
Some of the books and authors discussed in this episode include:
Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb
 
Substack: https://substack.com/@alexanderwoolven
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRQzE_T2r6qPR_jbZNgZC1Q
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-novel-review-podcast/id1681724908
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5uCgZyBj9T5uPQsfbqTUW5
Podbean: https://anovelreviewpodcast.podbean.com
 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/novelreviewpod
Email: anovelreviewpodcast@gmail.com
 IG: https://www.instagram.com/anovelreviewpod/
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#BookPodcast, #BookTube, #BookLovers, #ReadingCommunity, #LiteraryPodcast, #BooksAndSociety, #ReadingForChange, #LiteratureLovers, #ReadersOfYouTube, #PodcastEpisode, #SeasonalContent, #ThoughtfulReading, #BookDiscussion, #CulturalConversation

East of Eden by John Steinbeck and the identity of our choices | Book review

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Some stories don’t just trace characters arcs - they wrestle with human nature itself. In East of Eden, John Steinbeck explores the nature of good and evil, and the choices that define who we become. Set against the backdrop of the biblical story of Cain and Abel across generations, asking one powerful question: are we bound by our past, or do we have the freedom to choose our own path?
 
Painting: Today I painted a globe coming out of a book
 
Some of the books and authors discussed in this episode include:
 
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
 
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRQzE_T2r6qPR_jbZNgZC1Q
Substack: https://substack.com/@alexanderwoolven
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-novel-review-podcast/id1681724908
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5uCgZyBj9T5uPQsfbqTUW5
Podbean: https://anovelreviewpodcast.podbean.com
 IG: https://www.instagram.com/anovelreviewpod/
 
Email: anovelreviewpodcast@gmail.com

Travelling the world through books | A book world tour review

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.com
Substack link: Reflections on a world book tour https://alexanderwoolven.substack.com/p/reflections-on-a-world-book-tour
 
In 2025 for the podcast, I wanted to try something different to bring meaning to the podcast. Having grown up in a typical Anglo household, my upbringing was surrounded by the normality of Western books. This is in no way a criticism of something that couldn’t be helped, especially because those books are colourful, wonderful and the reason I fell in love with literature.
 
 
Painting: Today I painted a globe coming out of a book
 
Some of the books and authors discussed in this episode include:
 
Italy
The Moon and the Bonfires by Ceasare Pavese
A Girl Returned by Donatella Di Pietratntonio
Germany
I Was There by Hans Peter Richter
A Girl in Berlin by Anonymous
Chile
The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
Space Invaders by Nona Fernandez
Japan
Days at the Morasaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagasawa
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
Nigeria
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo
Afghanistan
The Kite Runner by Khaleed Hosseini
The Patience Stone by Atiq Rahimi
United States of America
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
The Colour Purple by Alice Walker
China
Chronicle of a Blood Merchant by Yu Hua
Naked Earth by Eileen Chang
India
The White Tiger by Avind Adiga
The God of the Small Things by Arundhati Roy
England
Watership Down by Richard Adams
The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald
The Netherlands
The Assault by Harry Mulisch
Midnight Blue by Simone Van Der Vlugt
Australia
Wake in Fright by Kenneth Cook
My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin
 
Additional segments throughout the podcast include:
 
Mantle Piece Moments
What are you reading?
On that Quote
 
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRQzE_T2r6qPR_jbZNgZC1Q
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-novel-review-podcast/id1681724908
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5uCgZyBj9T5uPQsfbqTUW5
Podbean: https://anovelreviewpodcast.podbean.com
 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/novelreviewpod
Email: anovelreviewpodcast@gmail.com
 IG: https://www.instagram.com/anovelreviewpod/
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#BookPodcast, #ChristmasPodcast, #HolidayPodcast, #BookTube, #BookLovers, #ReadingCommunity, #LiteraryPodcast, #BookishChristmas, #HolidayReading, #BooksAndSociety, #ReadingForChange, #LiteratureLovers, #ReadersOfYouTube, #PodcastEpisode, #SeasonalContent, #ThoughtfulReading, #BookDiscussion, #CulturalConversation, #EndOfYearReflection, #ChristmasSpecial

Christmas Novels | Four stories for the festive season

 
To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.com
 
Curl up with a warm drink for a very Christmassy episode of the podcast! This festive season its books stories that spark reflection, and how reading can inspire us to show up more thoughtfully in society. As the year comes to a close, this time of year encourages empathy, responsibility, and active participation in our communities. From small everyday actions to bigger conversations that matter, because being part of society isn’t just about observing; it’s about engaging, questioning, and caring.
 
 
Painting: Today I painted a candle
 
Some of the books and authors discussed in this episode include:
 
Advent by Gunar Gunnarsson
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Anderson
The Wax Child by Olga Ravn
 
Additional segments throughout the podcast include:
 
Mantle Piece Moments
What are you reading?
On that Quote
 
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRQzE_T2r6qPR_jbZNgZC1Q
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-novel-review-podcast/id1681724908
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5uCgZyBj9T5uPQsfbqTUW5
Podbean: https://anovelreviewpodcast.podbean.com
 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/novelreviewpod
Email: anovelreviewpodcast@gmail.com
 IG: https://www.instagram.com/anovelreviewpod/
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#BookPodcast, #ChristmasPodcast, #HolidayPodcast, #BookTube, #BookLovers, #ReadingCommunity, #LiteraryPodcast, #BookishChristmas, #HolidayReading, #BooksAndSociety, #ReadingForChange, #LiteratureLovers, #ReadersOfYouTube, #PodcastEpisode, #SeasonalContent, #ThoughtfulReading, #BookDiscussion, #CulturalConversation, #EndOfYearReflection, #ChristmasSpecial

My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin | Female Agency & Coming of Age

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.com
 
Some seek isolation for its freedom, but for Sybylla Melvyn, the open space of the Australian Outback only serves to drown her. Miles Franklin’s first novel, My Brilliant Career captures the lack of agency young girls and women growing up in rural Australia would have felt towards the turn of the 20th century. A country on the cusp of its own independence still saw half the population oppressed. Dreaming of a brilliant career, Sybylla’s frank attitude, and quick wit often gets her into trouble in a world where submission is a norm.
 
Painting: Today I painted a gum tree in the outback
 
Some of the books and authors discussed in this episode include:
 
Wake in Fright by Kenneth Cook
My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin
 
Additional segments throughout the podcast include:
 
Mantle Piece Moments
What are you reading?
On that Quote
 
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRQzE_T2r6qPR_jbZNgZC1Q
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-novel-review-podcast/id1681724908
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5uCgZyBj9T5uPQsfbqTUW5
Podbean: https://anovelreviewpodcast.podbean.com
 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/novelreviewpod
Email: anovelreviewpodcast@gmail.com
 IG: https://www.instagram.com/anovelreviewpod/
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#WakeInFright #KennethCook #Duality #Indulgence #LackOfJudgment #Outback #AustralianGothic #LiteraryAnalysis #PsychologicalThriller #BookAnalysis #feminsim

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins | Propaganda, Power and the Dark Side of Rebellion

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.com
Support Indie fiction and booksellers: https://radiantpress.ca/?srsltid=AfmBOopCrOHhz5NfAY5DMu-m3Urp8COR7JSSirFvEiRk26RRq1MXmad9
Mockingjay is the final instalment of Suzanne Collins Hunger Games trilogy. A story that delves deeper into the political issues of a rebellion and the true cost of the face of war. Where propaganda is rife and for Katniss Everdeen, it becomes clearer as time passes that children are a political currency both sides are happy to spend.
 
Painting: Today I painted a Mockingjay pin
 
Some of the books and authors discussed in this episode include:
 
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Into the D/ark by David Elias
Assassins Apprentice by Robin Hobb
 I Was There by Hans Peter Richter
 
Additional segments throughout the podcast include:
 
Mantle Piece Moments
What are you reading?
On that Quote
 
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRQzE_T2r6qPR_jbZNgZC1Q
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-novel-review-podcast/id1681724908
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5uCgZyBj9T5uPQsfbqTUW5
Podbean: https://anovelreviewpodcast.podbean.com
 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/novelreviewpod
Email: anovelreviewpodcast@gmail.com
 IG: https://www.instagram.com/anovelreviewpod/

Wake in Fright By Kenneth Cook - The paradox of living free from judgement

To follow and support us, click here: http://anovelreviewpodcast.com
 
Is the isolated outback town of Bundanyabba a paradise of absolute freedom or a living nightmare? This week, Kenneth Cook's novel, Wake in Fright, explores the disturbing duality at the heart of the story and how the lack of judgment in The Yabba can make hell of heaven in a life of excess and indulgence - a dangerous freedom that strips away social constraints. For the locals, this is heaven; a life free from moral scrutiny, for John Grant it is a nightmare he spirals into until the thing he wants to escape is the fabric of a town he is now intimately part of.
 
Painting: Today I painted a beer
 
Some of the books and authors discussed in this episode include:
 
Wake in Fright by Kenneth Cook
My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin
The Moustache by Emanuel Carrier
 
Additional segments throughout the podcast include:
 
Mantle Piece Moments
What are you reading?
On that Quote
 
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRQzE_T2r6qPR_jbZNgZC1Q
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-novel-review-podcast/id1681724908
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5uCgZyBj9T5uPQsfbqTUW5
Podbean: https://anovelreviewpodcast.podbean.com
 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/novelreviewpod
Email: anovelreviewpodcast@gmail.com
 IG: https://www.instagram.com/anovelreviewpod/
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#WakeInFright #KennethCook #Duality #Indulgence #LackOfJudgment #Outback #AustralianGothic #LiteraryAnalysis #PsychologicalThriller #BookAnalysis