Translation, colonialism, and nothing happening: Babel, or the Necessity of Violence by R.F. Kuang
Babel reads like a world-building reference that Kuang will use to write a better, more interesting novel later.
Fussy, delightful prose, and convincing folklore: Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
In this romantic historical fantasy, Fawcett sharpens whimsy to a swordpoint with an endearing stuffy faerie lore researcher, a capricious dandy love interest, and sentences that make you laugh out loud.
Corpses, bad name-based puns, and 100 pages too many: The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen
Bannen promises a lot — a hot female undertaker, a demigod patrolman and letters so hot that their writers fall in love with each other, all against the backdrop of a dangerous fantasy wild west — but her exciting premise is failed by an execution that offers the same intellectual stimulation as a Hallmark movie.
Mu Lan Taiwanese Restaurant: a great Cambridge dining staple
Mu Lan is a great option for its proximity to campus, the variety of menu options, and its moderate price range.
A little heavy on the Kool-Aid: The Productivity Project by Chris Bailey
Want to see what a year-long trial of productivity looks like? Read The Productivity Project — but only if you can stomach the author’s on-page personality.