The 12 episodes became available as a BBC Three box set on BBC iPlayer on 26 April, followed by a BBC One airing on 27 April. I would love to learn more again about just what's going on in the brain versus it really is such a different experience than like watching TV or just passively consuming. But it's one of those books that I can absolutely see why people would just read this and think, depressing, full stop. And then in the present day, Candace has joined up with a band of, you know, the last few remaining survivors on Earth in this cult-like group, and she has a secret that she's not sure how she's going to reveal to the folks in her group. And now I'm thinking of our episode in, I think, late 2022 with Laura Vanderkam, where she talks about this like it does take effort, but it compels me to focus on the words on the page or on fictional characters troubles that feel real, you know?

A lot of the action happens in the past, and so throughout the book, Gifty is reflecting on the suffering in her family, and it's led her to reflect on all kinds of themes from her life. Based on Sally Rooney's namesake book, the story follows Marianne and Connell through the later years of their high-school, their years at college, and the post-collegiate restlessness, failing to be what one wished for oneself only years ago. But in general, as an adult, I haven't found as many books that are just, you know, straight fantasy that have really gripped me. Okay, Natalie, of the books we talked about, they were Olga Dies Dreaming by Xóchitl González, The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown, and The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty.One of the things that was really tough for me with my burnout and, you know, really important precursor was I'm just a terrible sleeper. Connell lives at home with his kind mother, and Marianne lives in a mansion with her distant, busy mother and hateful brother. ANNE: Hey, readers, I hope you enjoyed my discussion with Natalie and I'd love to hear what you think she should read next. Hand on heart, I preferred the TV series more, as they brought the characters to life and I found it easier to follow. I thought that you were interested in true fantasy or sci-fi books that are to your liking, but we're looking for more like starter titles.

At the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards, the series was nominated for four awards, including Outstanding Lead Actor for Mescal and Outstanding Directing for Abrahamson.And all of these issues are very near and dear to my heart but the pace of my life and the pace that I was working was just very unsustainable. As Marianne and Connell grow closer, Connell begins to spend more time with her friend group, despite not particularly fitting in with them. I just love the way that this book connects a lot of seemingly disparate themes and brings them together in a way that I think a lot of our brains do. This causes him to ask her to keep their relationship secret so that people do not find out his mum works for hers.

For a while, things are ideal and Connell and Marianne's renewed relationship blossoms due to lack of pressure for once. Finance is provided by PayPal Credit (a trading name of PayPal UK Ltd, Whittaker House, Whittaker Avenue, Richmond-Upon-Thames, Surrey, United Kingdom, TW9 1EH).The books Anne recommended as a slight stretch feel perfect for Natalie as Amina and then the Daevabad trilogy have so much depth beyond being adventure/fantasy books and are a great next step into fantasy after Babel! The two weave in and out of each other's lives during their university years, developing an intense bond that exposes their traumas and insecurities. And with the girth of the book and this very heady premise, I was thinking, okay, this might be actually like a very big challenge to get through this book. Connell receives an offer to study for a MFA program in New York for a year, prompting the pair to reflect upon their future together.

When you open the book, you find out that it says any door is every door, and slowly she figures out what that means. It's about peer pressure, fitting in, family, being a student, being a son or daughter, but above all else it's about love. It's not like the self-improvement Olympics over here, but I just know how much it has enhanced my life and my relationships and my sleep and all the things. But having thought about it since, and having seen the adaptation, I think it's probably the only ending that would have worked. Now we are stepping a little bit more into magical, fantasy, sci fi territory, if that's all right with you.But also about maybe some preconceived notions we have about how our world works and how relationships work and all those expectations. Alternating menace with overwhelming tenderness, Sally Rooney's second novel breathes fiction with new life. We originally planned to air this episode a few weeks from now in February, but rest assured, if you're listening to this immediately after release, there is still time to join our Spring Book Preview. Leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or giving a star to your favorite episode on Overcast, those things always bring a giant smile to our faces, and they help new listeners find the show, which is one reason they mean so much to us.