I can’t believe it but it’s been a year since I started this newsletter. I’m typing from the same room in my childhood home but in a totally different spot in life. This project was a way for me to jump back into writing and to stay as consistent as I could after going back to school. And in the same year, I started my first legit job and published two stories in local publications.
Every message I have received from my readers have kept me going. I’m grateful to have this small community to share what I have been reading, watching, listening, and even writing. I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions since I often fall off track. But I’m hoping to keep this up and share more writing projects in the coming months.
BOOK: A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers -⭐⭐
Dorothy Daniels takes “maneater” a little too literally. As a food critic, she is on the hedonistic pursuit for her perfect meal, which she discovered is made of human flesh. A Certain Hunger is her memoir that recounts her cannibalistic journey from one lover to another.
Besides loving food and sex, Dorothy takes great pleasure in writing overloaded and self-absorbed prose. Her tone flattens her as a character, only focusing on her erotic and egotistical sides. Unfortunately, more personal and vulnerable details are revealed much later but could have helped round out her character earlier on.
Tension and excitement occurs too late in the novel. Dorothy meets someone she recognizes as a contender — the detective investigating her most recent murder. Considering this, I think A Certain Hunger would have been better off as a mystery thriller novel rather than a mock memoir. At its current state, it serves more of a comprehensive character study for a more exciting novel yet to be written.
MOVIE: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) - ⭐⭐⭐
Bored out of his mind from quarantine, Detective Benoit Blanc finds himself crashing a murder mystery party among an eclectic group of friends, including a progressive governor, an outspoken celebrity, a right-winged streamer, and an ambitious tech billionaire. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is a referential joyride that seems more concerned about making a statement rather than making a murder mystery.
Take away those references and the whodunit film is left as a flimsy thought experiment. The sequel’s ensemble, their potential motives, and their histories, are not compelling enough to incite suspicion. The non-linear storytelling feels too familiar to the first film.
But where the film lacks in pacing and world-building, it makes up in pure fun. Daniel Craig’s eccentric and overly perceptive Benoit Blanc is on its way to outshining his James Bond. Even Janelle Monáe gives comic relief at the most gripping scenes.
MUSIC: Swimmer by Tennis (2020) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Indie pop duo Tennis uses 50s pop and 70s soft rock to create Swimmer, an EP that expertly illustrates tension, conflict, and nuance. Tennis incorporates electronic drums with classic synths and decades melodies, creating tension between the old and new. This is especially the case with “Need Your Love”, which smoothly combines somber keys and vocals with a punchy drums. Vocalist Alaina Moore also has a distinct fragility that hypnotically delivers their yearning and bittersweet lyrics with an extra level of verisimilitude.
Each track is slightly nuanced from one another, showcasing their production range. “Late Night” and “Matrimony II” are somewhat updated ABBA songs with funkier bass lines and softer drums. Meanwhile, “Tender As A Tomb” stands out as a tropical and playful track. “Runner” is one of their more modern songs, using breathier vocals and staccato piano riffs. Through precise production and composition, Swimmer by Tennis is one of the most conceptually consistent and emotional EPs I have listened to.