philosophical Archives - Novel Notions

Book Review: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

March 25, 2021 Petrik Leo Comments 2 comments

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Cover art illustrated by: Charlie Mackesy

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Genre: Self-help, Philosophy

Pages: 128 pages (Hardcover edition)

Published: 10th October 2019 by Ebury Press (UK) and 22nd October 2019 by HarperOne (US)

Well, isn’t this just incredibly wholesome and hopeful.

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy was a book that I spotted several times on many best-sellers list. However, I was never interested in it; I never expected or planned to read this book. This was a book gifted to me by my co-blogger, TS; she insisted her co-bloggers receive this wonderful gift, and I’m really thankful for her generous gesture. Why? Because I surprisingly loved it. It arrived at my doorstep earlier today; I took a peek and ended up being charmed thoroughly to the end.

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Book Review: The Orchard by David Hopen

November 29, 2020 Celeste Comments 1 comment

The Orchard by David Hopen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, Ecco, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

“…some find God while trying to lose Him…others lose God while trying to find Him.”

I have a terrible weakness for dark academia novels, which I didn’t even realize was a thing until very recently. I read the O.G. of the genre, Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, first the first time at the beginning of this year. I can’t believe I waited so long to read it, but it immediately became an instant favorite. I also adore any book that delves deep into religion or philosophy or, even better, the intersection of both. David Hopen managed to combine both the academic setting and the religious contemplation that I love so much in his debut(!!) novel, The Orchard. …

Book Review: The Secret Commonwealth (The Book of Dust, #2)

October 29, 2019 Celeste Comments 0 Comment

The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Pullman has created something so special with Lyra’s world and the mythos of other worlds he set up in the original His Dark Materials trilogy. La Belle Sauvage, the first installment of this spin-off trilogy, took us back to Lyra’s beginning, giving up the wild story of her infancy and the two children who rescued her. This second installment fast forwards to years after the events of the original trilogy, when Lyra is grown, having just tipped over the cusp of adulthood. The final events of that first trilogy haunt her still, but she is convincing herself more and more that those events aren’t quite true. As she falls into the trap of rationality Pantalaimon, her dæmon, rebels against her loss of imagination. From there, the plot goes wild. …