In the world of dystopian fiction, two books have become the standard-bearers for radically different visions of society: 1984 by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. One is hailed as a chilling warning of surveillance and totalitarianism; the other, a prescient critique of consumerism and mindless pleasure. But what happens when these two collide? Are we witnessing a battle of ideologies,…

If you’re a fan of lyrical fiction, stories about identity, grief, queerness, and the immigrant experience, then chances are Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar and On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong are already on your radar—or your TBR pile. But which one hits harder? Which one lingers longer? Let’s dive into the beautiful messiness of both novels and see how they stack up.…

🎬 Introduction — Why Read All Fours and I Love Dick Side-by-Side? Feminist autofiction has exploded into mainstream conversation over the past decade, but Miranda July’s All Fours (2024) and Chris Kraus’s I Love Dick (1997; re-issued 2006) still feel uniquely combustible. July’s menopausal narrator and Kraus’s younger avant-garde persona crack open desire, art-making, and domestic rebellion with wit and formal audacity. Reading the…

In a year of bold, disobedient fiction, two books have fiercely divided readers: All Fours by Miranda July and Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar. One is described as “a raw masterpiece,” the other as “self-indulgent nonsense.” The twist? Those descriptions apply to both, depending on who you ask. So what’s really going on? Did Martyr! just edge out All Fours as the definitive novel of…