A new chapter

Page turners to mark the seasonal changing of the guards

By Holly Bader

Sinister Spring by Agatha Christie 

This collection of stories by Agatha Christie is short enough to hold your attention span in the days of lengthening sun but addictive enough to keep you reading through allergy-induced watery eyes. No one does it better than the Queen of Crime herself, and this collection is a great reminder of why Christie is still the best-selling author of all time.

Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler 

Published in 1993, "Parable of the Sower" begins in 2024, in a dystopian world where economic and climate crises have led to social calamity. Throughout the novel, Butler's characters work not only to survive but also to help themselves and others learn to thrive despite this new phase of humanity. This is a perfect novel for the season of rising temperatures, a reminder to ask ourselves the important question: what do we owe to Earth's future generations? And what do we owe to each other?

Your Utopia by Bora Chung 

This collection of offbeat short stories by one of South Korea's most popular writers will have you screaming "WHAT?!?" in about twelve different inflections. If you’re looking for something new to try out this summer, then you can't pick any imagination more fertile than Bora Chung's to delve into. This book is a wonderful balm to the soul, as cure for when you become jaded and convinced that "everything's been done before." Trust me,
it hasn't.

Notes on Shapeshifting by Gabi Abrão 

This slim volume is the kind of book that is bought by the handful so that it can be passed around to friends. Swimming between genres as both poetry and prose, this book acts as a talisman to its readers. It's a book that both alleviates the weight of being human and inspires you to decorate your home with flowers. What more could we ask for during a summer solstice?