Horror, Fantasy, and Science Fiction

Hell-bent on escapism! That’s what you must be when your favorite genre is Fantasy. So some people think. If you love fantasy, then you must hate dealing with the real world. At first glance, this can certainly be the case; fantasy is all about creating an entirely new set of rules for our universe and throwing out the old ones. Upon closer inspection, though, the fault in this thinking is evident. With every fantasy novel written, deep parallels to our own lives come to light, and these can’t be ignored for the sake of comfort. Lud in The Mist , for example, is an excellent commentary on substance abuse. The effects of fairy fruit, which has become a widespread addiction in the novel, are not completely known, but enough clues show that it’s a mind-altering substance. At the novel’s first publication, the prohibition in America probably inspired the work. While the author, Hope Mirrlees, was in England at the time (which never had a full-out ban on alcohol), it is still very possib...

Unlike the witch tales of yonder years, most magic-centered novels (especially YA) are now centered on the theme of “coming of age”. There’s something appealing about how “magic” can represent adulthood and all the maturity that comes with it. Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor is no exception to this. It is unique, however, in how it executes this concept. Like most coming of age stories, Akata Witch is centered on a twelve-year-old who is trying to find her place in the world. Sunny, though, has a lot of places to find: a place for herself as an American in Nigeria; as an albino in an intolerant society; and as a newly discovered Leopard Person (or, magic user). In most ways, she’s an isolated individual who wants to fit into a community. Throughout the novel, she finds a small circle of friends who accept her and she discovers her own autonomy. Her individuality is emphasized by the reveal of her spirit face, which is a spiritual reflection of her own self. Culture shock is a big...