Books That Burn

This episode we’re discussing “A Strange and Stubborn Endurance” by Foz Meadows. We originally recorded this under the impression that it's a stand-alone book, but the sequel (All The Hidden Paths) has been announced for late 2023.

• PUBLISHER: Tor Books

• YEAR: 2022

• LENGTH: 544 pages

• AGE: Adult

• GENRE: Fantasy

• RECOMMENDED: Highly

Topic 1: Social Isolation. Begins at (1:35), CW for homophobia, ableism, classism.

Topic 2: Intimate Partner Violence. Begins at (18:06), CW for sexism, misogyny, rape, suicide attempt.

Promo for Comics Quest; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (35:57).

Book TW for grief (graphic), sexual content (explicit), xenophobia, cursing, ableism, homophobia (graphic), transphobia (brief mention), misgendering, infidelity, pregnancy (brief mention), miscarriage (backstory), bullying (backstory), child abuse (backstory), panic attacks/disorders (graphic), kidnapping, confinement, alcohol (brief), alcoholism (backstory), vomit (graphic), blood (graphic), gore, violence (graphic), fire/fire injury, injury detail, medical content, medical trauma, sexual assault (graphic), sexual violence (graphic), rape (graphic), self harm (graphic), suicidal thoughts (graphic), torture (brief mention), murder (graphic), animal death (graphic), parental death (graphic), death (graphic).

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This episode features a book with fictional depictions of self harm and attempted suicide. If you're in the United States the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. For those of our audience outside of the United States, you may be able to find the suicide hotline number or other appropriate emergency services for your country inthis directory provided by OpenCounseling.

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Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.

Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.

This episode we’re discussing “Ptolemy’s Gate” by Jonathan Stroud. Really, we end up in a thematic discussion of how the main trilogy develops concepts of colonization, classism, and torture across its entire run.

• PUBLISHER: Listening Library

• YEAR: 2005

• LENGTH: 501 pages (15 hours 32 minutes)

• AGE: Young Adult

• GENRE: Fantasy

• RECOMMENDED: Highly

Topic 1: Colonization. Begins at (1:35), CW for colonization, slavery, war.

Topic 2: Classism. Begins at (18:25), CW for classism, ableism.

Topic 3: Torture. Begins at (39:19), CW for torture, deadnaming, slavery, colonization, war.

Promo for CPOV Men of Steel; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (58:36).

Book TWs: Graphic/Explicit CW for classism. Moderate CW for cursing, confinement, violence, police brutality, torture, slavery, war, colonization, murder, suicide, child death, death. Minor CW for ableism, fatphobia, xenophobia, sexism, misogyny, kidnapping, fire, rape.

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For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.

You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn.

Find all our links on our Carrd.

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.

Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.

This month we’re discussing “Mexican Gothic” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

• PUBLISHER: Del Rey

• YEAR: 2020

• LENGTH: 320 pages

• AGE: Adult

• GENRE: Fantasy, Historical, Horror

• RECOMMENDED: Highly

Topic 1: Torture. Begins at (1:35), CW for torture, confinement.

Topic 2: Incest. Begins at (11:38), CW for coercion, cannibalism, incest, death.

Topic 3: Eugenics. Begins at (22:45), CW for incest, racism, eugenics, colonization, miscarriage, child death, murder, death.

Promo for CPOV Autographs; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (41:04).

Book TW for sexual content, sexism, racism, eugenics, pregnancy, miscarriage (backstory), gaslighting (graphic), drug use, alcohol, alcoholism (backstory), confinement, mental illness, suicide (not depicted), fire/fire injury, vomit (brief), blood, gore, violence, gun violence, injury detail, body horror (graphic), sexual assault, rape, self harm (brief), medical content, incest, cannibalism, child death, suicide, murder, animal death (not depicted), death.

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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.

To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.

For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.

You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn. 

Find all our links on our Carrd.

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.

Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.

This month we’re discussing “The Grace of Kings” by Ken Liu, the first book of the Dandelion Dynasty.

• PUBLISHER: Saga Press

• YEAR: 2015

• LENGTH: 640 pages

• AGE: Adult

• GENRE: Fantasy

• RECOMMENDED: Highly

Topic 1: Intimidation/Murder. Begins at (1:35), CW for poison, injury detail, torture, suicide, murder, animal death.

Topic 2: Sexism. Begins at (18:25), CW for sexism, rape.

Topic 3: Slavery. Begins at (33:22), CW for slavery, murder.

Promo for Another Pass; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (42:52).

Book TW for sexism, misogyny, pregnancy, excrement, blood (graphic), gore (graphic), violence (graphic), fire/fire injury, genocide, suicide, torture, self harm, child abuse (graphic), animal cruelty, cannibalism, murder, child death, death (graphic).

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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.

To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.

For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.

You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn. 

Find all our links on our Carrd.

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.

Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.

This episode we’re discussing “Hench” by Natalie Zina Walschots. It's a story of using spreadsheets to show that the destructive "heroes" are the real villains.

• PUBLISHER: William Morrow
• YEAR: 2020
• LENGTH: 416 pages
• AGE: Adult
• GENRE: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Superheroes
• RECOMMENDED: Highly

Topic 1: Murder. Begins at (1:30), CW for murder.

Topic 2: Body Horror. Begins at (19:05), CW for gore, body horror.

Topic 3: Medical Trauma. Begins at (29:41), CW for injury detail, medical content, medical trauma.

Promo for CPOV Men of Steel; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (41:34).

Book TW for cursing, sexism, misogyny (graphic), ableism, grief (graphic), kidnapping (graphic), confinement, child abuse (brief), panic attacks (graphic), stalking, infidelity, toxic friendship, toxic relationship, sexual harassment (brief), alcohol (brief), drug use (smoking), excrement, blood, vomit (graphic), gore (graphic), injury detail (graphic), body horror (graphic), medical content (graphic), medical trauma (graphic), torture, violence (graphic), murder (graphic), major character death (graphic), death (graphic).

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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.

To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.

For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.

You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn.

Find all our links on our Carrd.

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.

Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.

This month we’re discussing “A Blade So Black” by L.L. McKinney, the first book in the NightmareVerse trilogy, retelling Alice in Wonderland with a Bi Black girl from Atlanta, Georgia.

• PUBLISHER: Imprint

• YEAR: 2018

• LENGTH: 384 pages

• AGE: Young Adult

• GENRE: Fantasy

• RECOMMENDED: Highly

Topic 1: PTSD. Begins at (1:35), CW for racism, police brutality, murder, child death.

Topic 2: “House” Arrest. Begins at (12:58), CW for confinement, death.

Topic 3: Wounds. Begins at (26:07), CW for medical content.

Promo for Saturday Morning Confidential from Certain POV; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (33:14).

Book TWs: Graphic/Explicit CW for grief, blood, violence. Moderate CW for sexual content, cursing, adult/minor relationship, vomit, gore, murder, injury detail, child death, parental death, death. Minor CW for ableist language, racism, dementia, alcohol, gun violence, body horror. Brief Harry Potter reference.

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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.

To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.

For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.

You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn. 

Find all our links on our Carrd.

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.

Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.

This fortnight we’re discussing “The Storyteller’s Daughter” by Cameron Dokey, a retelling of the Arabian Nights.

• PUBLISHER: Simon Pulse
• YEAR: 1997
• LENGTH: 221 pages
• AGE: Young Adult
• GENRE: Fantasy
• RECOMMENDED: Yes

Topic 1: Power Imbalance. Begins at (1:35), CW for death.

Topic 2: Infidelity. Begins at (16:46), CW for illness, infidelity, murder, death.

Topic 3: Misogyny. Begins at (29:12), CW for sexism, misogyny, infidelity, death.

Promo for CPOV - Screen Snark; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (41:17).

Book TW for grief, ableism, sexism, misogyny, bullying (brief), infidelity, infertility (brief), confinement, toxic relationship, blood, violence, terminal illness, murder, suicide, parental death, death.

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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.

To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.

For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.

You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn.

Find all our links on our Carrd.

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.

Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.

This fortnight we’re discussing “Queen of the Conquered” by Kacen Callender, the first book in the Islands of Blood and Storm duology.

This fortnight we’re discussing “Portrait of a Thief” by Grace D. Li, a thriller where five young Chinese Americans are hired to steal back Chinese art from Western museums.

• PUBLISHER: Tiny Reparations Books
• YEAR: 2022
• LENGTH: 320 pages
• AGE: Adult
• GENRE: Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller
• RECOMMENDED: Highly

Topic 1: Financial Insecurity. Begins at (1:35), no major CWs.

Topic 2: Betrayal. Begins at (20:33), CW for parental death (backstory).

Topic 3: Diaspora Experience. Begins at (32:42), no major CWs.

Promo for CPOV - RMC vs CG; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (52:52).

Book TW for alcohol, cursing, sexual content (brief), grief, racism (brief mention), xenophobia (brief mention), domestic abuse (brief), fire (brief), colonization (backstory), parental death (backstory), COVID pandemic (backstory).

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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.

To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.

For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.

You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn. 

Find all our links on our Carrd.

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.

Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.

This fortnight we’re discussing “Sassinak” by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Moon. This covers several decades of the protagonists life as she's enslaved by planet pirates and then spends several decades getting the skills for stopping them.

• TITLE: Sassinak

• AUTHOR: Elizabeth Moon, Anne McCaffrey

• PUBLISHER: Baen

• YEAR: 2020

• LENGTH: 304 pages

• AGE: Adult

• GENRE: Fantasy, Science Fiction

• RECOMMENDED: Yes

Book TW for sexual content (brief mention), ableism (brief), grief (graphic), xenophobia, bullying, sexual harassment, mental illness (brief), drug abuse (backstory), kidnapping, vomit, blood, gore, violence, gun violence, torture (brief mention), child abuse, slavery (graphic), suicide (brief), animal death (brief mention), murder, child death (graphic), parental death, death (graphic).

Topic 1: Abandonment. Begins at (1:35), CW for suicide, death.

Topic 2: Racism. Begins at (16:12), CW for racism, death.

Topic 3: Enslavement. Begins at (34:28), CW for slavery, death.

Promo for The Real Movie Critic vs the Cine-Guy; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (43:32).

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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.

To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.

For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.

You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn.

Find all our links on our Carrd.

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.

Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.