Summary: After we recorded our interview about My Oxford Year, author Julia Whelan asked if I ever did more spoiler-heavy analytical conversations about books after they’re published. Well, we do now! In this episode, we do a deep-dive into the book, the themes and Easter eggs hidden within it, and the structural and stylistic decisions that went into the creation of the story. If you haven’t read it and you think you might want to, beware of all the spoilers herein. We talk poetry, and the reasons to tell a story with a big twist. We talk about the ways information is hidden in first person present tense narratives, and why trust is a big component of making that narrative choice work. We talk about grief and the challenge of perseverance when facing and departing from loss, and how writers have communicated grief. I also have questions from folks on Twitter, and from the Patreon community as well. There’s a lot of nerdy literary talk, so if you’re a book nerd, welcome! Come join us! The water’s fine. Thanks to folks who supported the podcast Patreon, and to folks on Twitter who asked thoughtful questions: Sarah Rider, Ellen Grafton, Cat McGuire, Hayley Ann Gienow-McConnell, and Megan Larsen.
