Read: Han Kang’s “The Vegetarian”
What is so great about this novel is how easy it reads. It’s fast-paced, short enough to read in one day and totally enthralling. The haunting story is told in three parts and follows Yeong-hye as she assumes a vegetarian diet following a nightmare that she has. Each part is narrated by a different member of Yeong-hye’s family: her husband, her brother-in-law and, finally, her sister. While each gives an entirely different view of the young homemaker, the reader never gets her perspective. This is especially interesting in a story that centers around freedom and individual expression. A perfect book to escape the first few weeks of classes or procrastinate on that first project, it will terrify and totally captivate any audience.
Watch: “A Series of Unfortunate Events”
Lemony Snicket’s, “A Series of Unfortunate Events,” (a Netflix exclusive) is an interesting adaptation of the early-2000s children’s book series. The series is a bizarre account of the Baudelaire orphans’ lamentable adventures after losing their parents in a fire and how they continuously manage to escape the clutches of the treacherous Count Olaf, a man after their vast fortune. The series watches like a cheesy, more mature, 2017 adaptation of both the series of books and the 2004 movie. Whether or not this “cheese” is done on purpose, Neil Patrick Harris who plays Count Olaf (often in disguise) is the source of the show’s odd ambiance and gives it the feel of a musical as each episode begins with a unique musical summary of what is to come. Cheese or not, this short series is worth a binge on Netflix – despite the warnings from Lemony Snicket himself to not burden yourself with the plight of the orphans.
Listen: Sorry About Last Night’s comedy podcast “Guys We F****d”
Comedy duo “Sorry About Last Night’ just celebrated their three year anniversary of producing this podcast and it is still a gem. Corinne Fisher and Krystyna Hutchinson balance humor and wit with sound advice and personal anecdotes. Each episode is more interesting than the last and their guests have included everyone from former boyfriends to sex experts to fans offering interesting stories. In this podcast, they not only manage to put out a hilarious product, but they also discuss important sex issues while reinforcing a refreshing, sex positive message.
The post Read, Watch, Listen: Media to get you through the beginning of the semester appeared first on The Retriever.
