#character-speculation

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Books
fromPsychology Today
15 hours ago

Do You See Yourself in a Story?

Comic books have evolved into a serious medium for exploring trauma and psychological depth, exemplified by works like Maus.
Podcast
fromABA Journal
3 days ago

The Burton Book Review: A discussion on 'When You Come at the King'

The first episode of The Burton Book Review Podcast features an interview about Elie Honig's new book, 'When You Come at the King.'
DC food
fromIndieWire
1 day ago

'DTF St. Louis' Review: A Sensational Finale Reveals Far More Than Who Dun It - Spoilers

Detective Homer believes Clark Forrest is innocent despite doubts from the district attorney.
Film
fromDefector
3 days ago

'The Drama' Has More Going For It Than A Provocative Twist | Defector

Kristoffer Borgli uses dark humor and controversy to engage audiences and promote his films.
Television
fromwww.theguardian.com
3 days ago

There's no shortage of terrifying technology': how AI became TV drama's new go-to villain

AI is portrayed as a powerful and dangerous tool in modern surveillance and military operations.
Writing
fromVulture
4 days ago

It Would Be Crazy If Your Brain Doctor Wrote The Housemaid

Freida McFadden, a best-selling author, is actually Sara Cohen, a doctor who treats brain disorders.
Typography
fromPR Daily
4 days ago

4 reasons your writing accidentally sounds AI-generated (and how to fix it) - PR Daily

AI-generated content is losing favor, prompting brands to label their content as human-generated to maintain trust and authenticity.
NYC parents
fromVulture
4 days ago

All The Mistakes in Big Mistakes

Nicky and Morgan's theft of a necklace leads to dangerous consequences involving criminals and escalating family drama.
fromKotaku
4 days ago

Cult-Hit Doki Doki Literature Club Fights Sudden Android Removal

Their explanation is that the game's content violates their Terms of Service in its depiction of sensitive themes. DDLC is widely celebrated for portraying mental health in a way that meaningfully connects deeply with players around the world, helping them feel heard, understood, and less alone on their journey.
Games
fromwww.npr.org
4 days ago

What draws people into cults? A new book tracks the journeys of two followers

Deborah Green, a frail 71-year-old woman, was the self-described general of the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps, a cult that operated for decades.
Right-wing politics
US Elections
fromemptywheel
5 days ago

The Maggie and Swan JD Vance Fan-Fic - emptywheel

Trump's actions may signify the decline of American hegemony or lead to regime change in the US.
Books
fromInverse
13 hours ago

49 Years Later, Star Wars Just Inverted Its Most Formative Plot Trope

Villains in Star Wars, like Maul, often perceive their journeys similarly to heroes, showcasing the complexity of their narratives.
#writing
Writing
fromDefector
3 days ago

Why Would You Ask AI To Tell The Story Of Your Own Life? | Defector

Writing is a challenging profession with many aspiring writers and few opportunities for steady income.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 day ago

Too hot to handle? Why it's time for straight male authors to rediscover sex

Straight male writers often avoid writing about sex, fearing it may seem exploitative or gratuitous, unlike their female counterparts.
#romantic-comedy
Film
fromInsideHook
1 week ago

"The Drama" Has No Idea How to Handle Its Controversial Twist

The Drama presents a romantic comedy that takes a dark turn with a shocking revelation about a character's past involvement in a school shooting plot.
Film
fromThe New Yorker
1 week ago

"The Drama" Struggles to Justify Its Combustible Premise

Charlie and Emma navigate their relationship's challenges through humor and the concept of starting over.
Writing
fromFuturism
4 days ago

We Talked to a Writer Accused of Publishing An AI-Generated Essay in The New York Times

AI was involved in the conceptualization and editing of a personal essay published in the New York Times.
fromAnOther
6 days ago

Night Stage: Anatomy of a Modern Erotic Thriller

The illicit thrill of hidden desires definitely propels Night Stage, a riveting queer noir about an up-and-coming actor Matias and an aspiring politician Rafael who begin hooking up in public spaces.
Film
LA Kings
fromEsquire
2 weeks ago

These 'Paradise' Fan Theories Might Explain Alex, Link, and the Finale

Paradise captivates audiences with its blend of emotional storytelling and sci-fi elements, sparking numerous fan theories about character origins and plot twists.
#infinite-jest
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 weeks ago

The Writer and the Traitor by Robert Verkaik review divided loyalties

Graham Greene announced that he was resigning from MI6. Kim Philby, his chief in Section V, MI6's counterespionage arm, blinked. Greene had played his part in tending the illusion.
London politics
Writing
fromThe Atlantic
6 days ago

The Feeling of Becoming Less and Less of a Person

The advent of the smartphone marked a significant shift in human perception and relationships, altering the human sensorium since June 2007.
Digital life
fromFast Company
3 weeks ago

Is AI killing the human voice in writing?

Predictive language technologies challenge individual expression by influencing how writers generate and complete their thoughts.
#science-fiction
Film
fromVulture
3 weeks ago

Project Hail Mary Needs About 39 Percent Fewer Jokes

Project Hail Mary is an entertaining science-fiction adventure that balances humor with an intriguing apocalyptic story about stopping star-eating organisms threatening Earth.
Film
fromVulture
3 weeks ago

Project Hail Mary Needs About 39 Percent Fewer Jokes

Project Hail Mary is an entertaining science-fiction adventure that balances humor with an intriguing apocalyptic story about stopping star-eating organisms threatening Earth.
Television
fromVulture
2 weeks ago

Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen Could've Been a Classic

A woman with a mysterious background and a sixth sense navigates family dynamics and impending doom before her wedding.
fromKotaku
2 weeks ago

I Can't Stop Playing This Terrible Game, So Maybe It's Good?

Timber Rush is about numbers going up in the crudest way imaginable, a clicker game that barely even features clicking, in which you move your woodcutter side to side as increasing numbers of increasingly silly logs fly around the screen.
Games
Film
fromVulture
1 week ago

The Twist in The Drama Is Not the Problem

The film features a controversial plot twist involving a character's past plan for a school shooting, sparking significant online speculation and backlash.
Independent films
fromInverse
3 weeks ago

'Project Hail Mary' Author Reveals Why That Twist Ending Is So Essential

Project Hail Mary succeeds through its relatable protagonist Ryland Grace, whose character arc includes a late-film revelation that recontextualizes his heroism and ends with him teaching science to young Eridians on an alien planet.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
3 days ago

The best recent science fiction, fantasy and horror review roundup

Marc Winters investigates a cult's past while facing existential threats in a climate-changed Britain.
#film-vs-literature
Books
fromThe Atlantic
5 days ago

Ghostwriting Is Good, Actually

Ghostwriting, when done by humans, can provide valuable support to authors and help share unique perspectives.
Writing
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 weeks ago

Transcription by Ben Lerner review a stunning exploration of technology and storytelling

The novel explores themes of touch, familial inheritance, and the complexities of communication through a narrative involving a final interview with a mentor.
Artificial intelligence
fromThe Atlantic
3 weeks ago

The Human Skill That Eludes AI

Generative AI has paradoxically declined in creative writing quality since GPT-2, despite advancing in technical capabilities, with current models producing formulaic, flawed prose despite access to centuries of literature.
Psychology
fromPsychology Today
4 weeks ago

The Shift That Happens When You Write a Non-Fiction Book

Writing a book transforms tacit knowledge into explicit frameworks, forcing experts to articulate intuitions they've developed through experience into clear, communicable ideas.
Books
fromThe Nation
1 week ago

Ben Lerner's Novel of Fathers and Sons

Modern masculinity is characterized by anxiety and insecurity, regardless of age or responsibilities, as depicted in Ben Lerner's fiction.
#literature
fromThe Atlantic
1 week ago
Books

Unconventional Novels About Conventional People

Aging revolutionaries and conformists share parallel narratives of disillusionment and the loss of youthful dreams in recent literature.
Books
fromThe Atlantic
1 week ago

Unconventional Novels About Conventional People

Aging revolutionaries and conformists share parallel narratives of disillusionment and the loss of youthful dreams in recent literature.
Books
fromThe New Yorker
1 week ago

The Sci-Fi Novelist Who Disappeared for Decades

Cameron Reed's science fiction explores cognitive estrangement, revealing alien worlds that reflect and challenge our own societal norms and moral dilemmas.
fromBustle
1 month ago

Exclusive: Leo Woodwall Breaks Down The *Very* Twisted Ending Of 'Vladimir'

There is an allure about him. There's a warmth to him, and something new about him, but also it's the timing. The backlash of her open relationship with John is really starting to take on a new shape, and I think he's a sort of exciting escape from it too.
Television
Books
fromPsychology Today
2 weeks ago

Fiction Is Indispensable to Life's Journey

Fiction is essential for emotional connection, learning, and social cognition, allowing us to escape reality and engage deeply with narratives.
Music
fromwww.npr.org
1 month ago

Why music has become such a big part of the romance novel reading experience

Romance novel readers increasingly use pop music playlists to enhance their reading experiences, creating a community that bridges book fandom and music fandom, exemplified by Charli XCX's Wuthering Heights album.
Video games
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

It's a loving mockery, because it's also who I am': the making of gaming's most pathetic character

Baby Steps uses deliberate frustration and an inept, awkward protagonist to transform player irritation into empathy, identification, and unexpected affection.
Philosophy
fromBig Think
1 month ago

The 3 colors: What folktales teach about how to grow wise

European folktales use red, black, and white colors to represent three modes of being that map human maturation: red as ambition and life force, black as introspection and shadow, and white as wisdom and transcendence.
fromMedium
1 month ago

Things that don't matter when you write

To deny one's own experiences is to put a lie into the lips of one's own life. It is no less than a denial of the soul. The concept I stick to - my core principle - is simple: I write in plain English, and only when I actually have something to say.
Writing
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Burn Your Romance Novels!

The short answer is yes, unless you take fiction for what it is-fiction. When you long for something you don't have, it can lead to dissatisfaction with what you DO have. Romantic fiction has witty, heartfelt dialogue, buckets of romantic gestures, and protagonists who have a preternatural ability to read each other's minds. It's easy to forget it is not real. This can set up unrealistic expectations both conscious and unconscious.
Relationships
Video games
fromKotaku
2 months ago

Split Fiction's Director Dishes On Clair Obscur, EA, And Gen AI

The games industry must preserve diversity across AAA, AA, and indie projects rather than converging solely on perceived 'safe' AA successes.
Books
fromThe Atlantic
1 month ago

How Not to Recommend a Book

Reader's advisory—the skill of matching specific books to individual readers' preferences—is essential for successful book club experiences and literary recommendations across libraries, bookstores, and online platforms.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

Daisy Johnson: I wasn't a fan of David Szalay, but Flesh is a masterpiece'

Reading shapes identity across life stages, from childhood memories through formative teenage years to adult perspectives, with specific books creating lasting connections and inspiring creative ambitions.
fromThe Atlantic
2 months ago

A Romance That Actually Takes Sex Seriously

When I first heard of Heated Rivalry, I didn't think much about it. The words Canadian ice-hockey TV series slid into my brain and slipped right back out. But a week later, approximately everyone I'd ever met wanted to talk about it. People kept telling me that it was fun, sweet, and addicting. Most of all, they emphasized that it was really smutty. Every recommendation seemed to come with a warning to not watch with my parents.
Television
Television
fromBustle
2 months ago

'Vanished' Starts Sweet, Then Drops You Into A Twist-Heavy Mystery You'll Devour

A woman’s romantic trip turns into a dangerous, twisty thriller as she pursues her mysteriously disappeared boyfriend across Europe, becoming a competent, action-ready heroine.
Books
fromSlate Magazine
1 month ago

Something Strange Is Happening With Books. It Could Reshape Literary Culture.

BookTok readers increasingly prefer first-person narrative perspective in romance and fantasy novels, viewing third-person narration as unnecessarily complex and off-putting.
Books
fromHarvard Gazette
1 month ago

That's a book? - Harvard Gazette

Italo Calvino used tarot card decks as a computational system to generate interconnected narratives, predating modern AI by decades and demonstrating how structured systems can create complex literary works.
Television
fromwww.esquire.com
2 months ago

The Best 'Landman' Season 2 Finale Fan Theories and Predictions

Tommy Norris was abruptly fired by Cami in Landman season 2 episode 9, prompting fan speculation about reinstatement, takeover, or revenge.
Film
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

People feel like they're in on the joke': the new wave of pseudo-biopics

Filmmakers increasingly create pseudo-biopics that borrow recognizable elements from real people and events while changing names and details to avoid legal liability and maintain creative freedom.
fromSilicon Canals
2 months ago

7 things people do when telling stories that make others tune out immediately without realizing it - Silicon Canals

We've all been there. Someone starts telling a story, and within seconds, your mind starts wandering. Maybe you pull out your phone, suddenly remember an urgent email, or find yourself mentally reorganizing your weekend plans. The storyteller doesn't notice. They keep going, completely unaware that they've lost their audience. After interviewing over 200 people for various articles, I've noticed patterns in how people communicate their experiences. Some captivate you from the first word, while others lose you before they've even gotten to the point.
Writing
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

Saba Sams: I've no interest in reading Wuthering Heights again'

Jacqueline Wilson's unflinching approach to children's literature, alongside works by authors like Gwendoline Riley and Clarice Lispector, demonstrates that literary courage and emotional complexity resonate more powerfully than conventional safety or virtuousness.
fromThe Independent
1 month ago

17 great movies ruined by terrible endings

10 Cloverfield Lane Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman and John Gallagher Jr are locked in an underground bunker for the majority of this left-field sequel to Cloverfield, with thrilling results. In the film's final throes, Winstead's character exits the bunker, and finds that her captor was telling the truth about an alien invasion above - a twist that completely and ruinously dissipates the hard-earned tension that came before.
Film
Writing
fromVulture
1 month ago

The Horny Girls Who Walked So Heated Rivalry Could Run

M/M slash fanfiction, often written by women and known as BL in Asia, evolved through fandoms like Star Trek, enabling mainstream successes like Heated Rivalry.
Film
fromInsideHook
2 months ago

In Defense of Movie Sex Scenes

Onscreen sex scenes can be narratively essential but are often gratuitous, harmful, or disruptive when objectifying participants, reinforcing stereotypes, or damaging a film's flow.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

They by Helle Helle review a novel to make the reader slow down and take notice

A Danish novel explores the deepening bond between a teenage daughter and terminally ill mother through minimalist prose that captures unspoken emotional intimacy and life's quiet, defining moments.
Film
fromVulture
2 months ago

Finally, a Smooth-Brained Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights emphasizes tactile, erotic visuals and lush spectacle, trading sustained thematic depth for provocative, bodily cinematic moments.
Books
fromThe Atlantic
1 month ago

How to Put Sex in a Novel

Contemporary literary fiction increasingly avoids depicting heterosexual intimacy while queer novelists freely explore sex's complexities, as exemplified by Jan Saenz's unconventional novel about selling experimental orgasm-inducing pills.
fromThe Atlantic
2 months ago

A Biography Without 'The Boring Bits'

Sophia Stewart poses a choice that many biographers struggle with: "what to do with the boring bits."
Books
Books
fromThe Atlantic
1 month ago

When Did Literature Get Less Dirty?

Philip Roth's Zuckerman Unbound functioned as a response to the controversial reception of Portnoy's Complaint, with Roth's protagonist expressing regret over writing sexually explicit material that drew accusations of anti-Semitism and misogyny.
fromJezebel
1 month ago

Turns Out, When You Write a Novel About Killing a Politician, People Tell You How They'd Do It

When the people who are after me get here, they'll arrest me and put me on trial, or they'll disappear me to some black site. Or they won't bother with any of that and they'll just kill me. All of these seem like plausible outcomes, but in the novel's prologue, the narrator seems much more confident of her success: I am a fucking genius, a gorgeous fucking genius, and the only thing left to do is sit down and write.
Books
Books
fromwww.nytimes.com
1 month ago

Romance Glossary: An A-Z Guide of Tropes and Themes to Find Your Next Book

Lists 101 romance-genre terms (e.g., cinnamon roll, shadow daddy, fae) to help readers identify subgenres and find recommended books.
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

There's only one bed', fake dating' and opposites attract': how tropes took over romance

Tropes, as these bullet-point ideas have come to be known, have taken over romance. Those who write, market and read romantic fiction use them to pinpoint exactly what to expect before the first page is turned. On Instagram, Amazon and bookshop posters you'll find covers annotated with arrows and faux-handwritten labels reading slow-burn or home-town boy/new girl in town. Turn over any romance title and they'll be there listed in the blurb.
Books
Books
fromMedium
2 months ago

How to start writing (like it's easy)

A profoundly immersive book can deeply alter readers and provoke self-doubt about one's own creative abilities.
Books
fromThe New Yorker
2 months ago

How Do You Write About the Inexplicable?

Rational skepticism coexists with a persistent tendency to personify evil and read coincidences as omens.
fromThe Atlantic
2 months ago

The Writer's Magic Trick

A writer is a kind of magician. Their job is to create living, three-dimensional people out of the ordinary stuff of ink and paper. This is no easy task, because readers can't literally hear, touch, or observe a character. Everything that defines a human being in real life-the physical space they occupy, or how they smell, feel, and sound-is stripped away, replaced by description. But authors have one major, mystical advantage: They can show you what's happening inside of someone's brain.
Books
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

The best recent crime and thrillers review roundup

Two contemporary novels probe suburban domesticity, revealing secrets, manipulation, and moral ambiguity through slow-burn suspense and darkly comic plotting.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

Myth, monsters and making sense of a disenchanted world: why everyone is reading fantasy

Fantasy is a dominant, all-pervading cultural form offering diverse subgenres, serious artistic value, and lineages from varied creators and traditions.
Books
fromDefector
2 months ago

Fanfiction's Total Cultural Victory | Defector

Fifty Shades of Grey's transition from fanfiction to mainstream publishing transformed the industry, proving fanfiction-originated romances can be highly lucrative and culturally influential.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

Is listening to an audiobook as good as reading?

Audiobooks and comics are legitimate, effective forms of reading that expand access, boost literacy, and contribute significantly to the publishing industry.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

Good People by Patmeena Sabit review addictive mystery caters to modern attention spans

A novel uses short testimonies to unravel a teenager's death while exposing immigrant family dynamics, communal gossip, wealth-driven envy, and cultural tensions.
Books
fromEngadget
1 month ago

What to read this weekend: The unsettling new horror novel, Persona

A trans woman uncovers non-consensual pornography of herself and is drawn into escalating horrors involving identity, exploitation, internet influence, and economic precarity.
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