Author: Holly Peckitt

Photo by James West (CC BY-SA 2.0) Ever since Broadchurch in 2013, we’ve seen a surge in crime-thriller dramas. They are the boxset binge for those who have run out of period dramas and Downton Abbey. Time and time again these are unrealistic spending sprees on the part of a TV commissioner, and while they momentarily grip us from night to night, very few stick with us for long past the credits. This is certainly not the case for ITV’s new drama Too Close. Despite many double page spreads in print media beforehand, little light has been shed on reviews…

Shakespeare may be considered English literature’s finest playwright, or even the finest writer in any genre, but that does not mean that the Bard is always an accessible author. Add up early modern English and iambic pentameter and you don’t get an easy read. Often Shakespeare feels out of reach, especially if you didn’t study his works beyond GCSE. In fact, unless we’ve studied humanities degrees (and even then), that doesn’t mean we have been intrigued or enchanted to explore Shakespeare further. One of the great means through which we can do though is via adaptation, and in recent years…

Photo by Shayna Douglas As ever, we are being inundated with more literary adaptations of popular texts than ever before. While the pandemic has hit productions and shooting hard, the beauty of a staggered release date has never been so appreciated, especially when fans of a book flock together to see its TV or film adaptation.  In many of the Netflix binges that have ensued over recent months, we’ve all found ourselves addicted to a particular show or another re-watch of that new film, but at what point do we lose our sense of magic? Critics rave and criticise and…

Whether we’re together or apart in another difficult year, Mother’s Day is something many of us treasure. A time of celebrating the mothers and motherly figures in our lives, these are the people who have guided us through life and left their indelible prints on our hearts. Your mum might have shaped your love of reading (I know mine certainly has!) and filled your world with stories of all varieties. From doses of wisdom to sources of joy, mothers and books are very similar. So in celebration of Mother’s Day, we’ve looked at our favourite mothers in literature. Molly Weasley…

Photo by James Eades On 17th February, I was fortunate enough to be given a ticket to an online event – Dr David Olusoga in conversation with Dr Adam Rutherford.  Anyone who enjoys history, whether fictional or factual, will know of Olusoga; a professor at the University of Manchester and TV Historian whose notable works include The House through Time, and Black and British: A Forgotten History. His works provide a much-needed and jarring account of history from the lens of marginalised voices and came to the forefront of media attention in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement,…

Photo by Taylor Wright Whether you’re still hungover from St Patrick’s Day or you’re planning a future getaway to the Emerald Isle, a longing for Ireland can easily be cured with a generous dose of Irish literature. Maybe I’m biased as a part-Irish person, but Ireland (both North and Republic of) have some of the best English-language literature to offer. From Wilde to Yeats and Friel, prose to poetry to plays, extraordinary stories have come from every crevice of Ireland, and why not celebrate St Patrick’s Day by enjoying some? Icons to up and coming talent, here is a rundown…

As we enter another month of lockdown, while restrictions may be easing, we are still very much confined to the Bangor area. There is a finite number of things to do in Bangor, but if you love literature and are looking for something slower paced, then why not take a walking tour of Bangor’s literary connections! There are a few characters of literary characters encounters taking place in Bangor, perhaps the most famous (but most forgotten) one being in William SHakespeare’s Henry IV Part I. In Act 3 Scene i, Hotspur, Mortimer, Worcester and Glendower meet in Bangor – specifically…

Whether you have Netflix or not, by now if you haven’t heard of Bridgerton then perhaps you’ve been living under a rock. The new series, inspired by the novels of Julia Quinn, has been taking social media and the world by storm, in part because they are highly-charged reimaginings of Jane Austen, and partly because these are dramatic tales of love and power in Regency London. If you are in love with the riveting new TV series and are craving more, then we reckon you’ll love these books! Note: These books aren’t pure sex. If that’s your thing, see E.L.…

We may be one month into 2021, but with 11 months remaining, there is plenty of time to tuck into a new book and discover some new and exciting reads! From poetry to the new best novel, here’s something to look forward to in the darker times and to lose yourself in when a freshly printed book arrives on your doorstep! Today we’ll be diving into February, a cold month  – no better time to curl up with a new read or discover a favourite author. Light Perpetual by Francis Spufford  After winning the Costa Book Award for Fiction five…

At the end of a groggy year, there is no doubt that we have all arrived at Christmas having spent a lot of time in other worlds, whether it be through music, TV, or books. The arts have been a lifeline to so many of us this year; a helping hand in the most uncertain of moments. Books are always a great solace and comfort in a chaotic world, and as we send gifts to friends or celebrate on Skype, we will all be sharing our favourite reads from lockdown with loved ones. The same will be said for my…

Following the announcement of 2020’s Booker Prize Winner last month, bookshops have been shouting from the rooftops – rightfully so – about Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart. Yet, while the book world gets excited for another modern classic, many of us are also still reeling from the publication of last year’s winner. No, not Margaret Atwood, but Bernardine Evaristo, specifically, Girl, Woman, Other (2019). “This is Britain as you’ve never seen it. This is Britain as it has never been told. From Newcastle to Cornwall, from the birth of the twentieth century to the teens of the twenty-first, Girl,…

At the end of another semester at Bangor, it is nearly time for the Christmas holidays; this year, the end of semester is a little bittersweet. Because of COVID-19, the next few weeks will feature the end of any in-person classes and a mass-migration across the country for any student going home. Whether you’re going by train, sharing a car with housemates or hopping on the bus, it’s going to be a long ride home for Christmas. Your phone battery may run low, the Wifi might be terrible, so what better way to spend your time than delving into a…

Photo by Wan San Yip for Unsplash (CC-by-SA 4.0) In a shortlist hailed as “the most diverse” to date, one author has come out on top. The winner of this year’s Booker Prize, announced last week, was Douglas Stuart for Shuggie Bain. After months of anticipation, and an award ceremony later than usually planned (thanks, Covid-19), we finally have a winner who no doubt will go on to join the prestigious ranks of Booker alumni. The Booker Prize is one of the highest accolades in literature and acts as a huge selling point within the English language book trade. From…

Photo by Juliana Malta (CC-BY-SA 4.0) Whether you celebrate it or not, Christmas is quickly coming around once again. After what has been a difficult time for, well, everyone, coupled with the fact that we may not be able to spend time with those that we love this year, what better way to show your appreciation and care this year than with a thoughtful gift? Anyone with a book lover in their life knows that although books are an easy gift, the trouble is knowing what your favourite bookworm hasn’t read. So we’ve whittled down some of the best tips,…

After several months of trial and experimentation, Bookshop.org has officially launched in the UK! Sure, you may not have heard of it til now, but give it a few weeks and no doubt this will be the website at everyone’s finger tips. Bookshop.org aims to provide significant financial support to independent bookshops across the country. The process is, in actual fact, surprisingly simple. Search for your book of choice and add to the basket If you have a preference, select a book shop you’d like the proceeds to go towards. Buy your next read! Now, your money will be paid…

“There was no possibility of taking a walk that day.” This is the opening line of Jane Eyre, the classic gothic romance novel written by the eldest of the three Brontё sisters, Charlotte. Words that ripple across time are incredibly rare, but in the case of the Brontё sisters, each line of prose is a whispered moment of three lives remembered, their circumstances (isolated in the Yorkshire Moors) oft-forgotten. Their names were Charlotte, Emily, and Anne. As the nights draw in and each day gets a little colder, mistier and vibrant with each shade of autumn, we are all in…