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Let me just say, the genre swing this month was wild. I went from a magical Roman Empire-esque rollercoaster to a satirical and smutty dark comedy. While this wasn’t my biggest reading month, it did give me two very distinct reading experiences.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Half His Age – Jennette McCurdy
- Waldo is a lonely and impulsive seventeen-year-old who becomes fixated on her creative writing teacher, Mr. Korgy.
- As her attraction intensifies, she pursues the connection despite the obvious complications surrounding his age, marriage, and position in her life.
- The relationship forces Waldo to confront the intensity of her longing and the instability beneath it.
I was stoked to finally get my hands on a library copy of Jennette McCurdy’s highly anticipated fiction debut. The plot sparked controversy from readers who detest its “romanticization” of grooming and age-gap relationships. But I actually have deep respect for McCurdy tackling such a taboo and nuanced topic with honesty and hilariously crafted satire.
The plot is also based on what McCurdy herself experienced as a young actress in Hollywood, which gives the story a necessary layer of insight. I see this book less as a romanticization and more as a case study in the psychology of people who find themselves entangled in relationships like Waldo and Mr. Korgy’s.
Yes, many parts of this book are infuriating and uncomfortable. That’s the point. Waldo is deeply insecure and reliant on external validation from men, regardless of the consequences. She is obsessive, impulsive, and uses shopping and sex as quick ways to “fill” the emptiness inside.
The main reason for my 3.0 rating was the writing quality; I found it weak in some areas. But McCurdy certainly has a talent for witty, honest, and bold prose, and I respect that. I would read another book by her, fiction or nonfiction, no questions asked.
The Will of the Many – James Islington
- Vis is a royal orphan hiding his identity after the Catenan Republic conquered his homeland.
- He is recruited by a powerful official to attend the Academy, a prestigious and brutal school where the empire’s elite compete for power.
- Undercover as the official’s adopted son, he must navigate a ruthless hierarchy while secretly investigating a suspicious murder.
It feels almost impossible to sum up the scope of this book in a few short points. I first heard about it back when Fourth Wing was popular in fall 2023; many seasoned fantasy readers recommended this to anyone looking for “true dark academia fantasy.”
I see what they meant. From the jump, the world of this book is nothing short of epic. It genuinely feels like the Roman Empire meets Harry Potter meets Game of Thrones. It took me some time to settle into the language, names, locations, and who was who, but that’s to be expected with fantasy of this scale.
This book is over 600 pages of dense, small-font text, and normally that means parts of the story slow down while the stage-setting happens. But the gripping action started almost immediately. By page 200, I couldn’t believe what I was reading or how much had already happened. The pacing is honestly fantastic for a book of this length.
The narration is also excellent. You don’t know who to trust, not even the narrator himself. It reminded me of Game of Thrones in the way politics, relationships, secrets, and hidden motives intertwine. Add in the dark academia energy of Hogwarts and Fourth Wing, and it had a lot working in its favor for me.
March is a short list, but two very different and enjoyable reads. Some other art highlights from the month:
- Project Hail Mary released in theatres on March 20th with a (big) bang—it made over $140 million globally after its opening weekend. Amaze, amaze, amaze✨
- James Blake released his seventh studio album—Trying Times—on March 13th. It’s unbelievable how he continues to release exceptional music 17 years after his debut. My personal favourite track: “Rest of Your Life”
See you soon,
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