THE FICTIONFOX

Mermaids are a staple of folklore, and almost every culture historically has a variation on this half-human half-fish creature embedded in their mythology somewhere. As a lover of the ocean, bodies of water, and swimming myself, I've been equally fascinated with these creatures, but less so with their romanticized version in popular culture. Today (on the 12th of May) I bring you 12 recommendations for books featuring mermaids, where all of differ a little from your typical p

Representation within fiction has been a huge passion of mine for as long as I've been active as a reviewer. No form of representation has had the same personal significance to me, as that of disabled, (chronically) ill or divergent bodies. Growing up, illness and disability were always a big part of my life, and I've spoken about how it shaped my relationship with reading as well. My love of reading started in hospital-beds, escaping the reality of my own "stroke of bad gene

With the first quarter of 2026 behind us it’s time for me to give my first of many wrap-ups. And by “time” I mean, almost a month overdue… Thanks to the hectic and eventful month I’ve had, I completely missed the Q1-mark, and instead am giving you a “tertile” review instead… At the time of writing, I’ve completed 41 books, according to Goodreads. Here are the ones that stood out the most. Favourites: Hemlock – Melissa Faliveno A blend of disorienting magical realism and horro

Genre: Contemporary Fiction Published: Soho Press, March 2025 My Rating: 1/5 stars "You look at him, puppy-eyed. At this man who looks like Leo, but isn’t Leo and want to say “my husband always kept pens in his pocket too. I miss you already.” I thought long and hard on how to rate this novel. What I eventually ended up with was the longest review I've ever written, and a rating of a single star. Although it has a bunch of redeeming qualities, which I will address below, I u