Hushed Tones 29 – June '26
Summary
The host reviews five books from June, starting with Gemma Amor’s 90s-set novella *Happy Hour* and expressing strong dislike for Sayaka Murata’s *Earthlings* due to its flat translation. He then praises Tom Lin’s sci-fi novel *Babylon, South Dakota* and Paul Tremblay’s *Dead but Dreaming of Electric Sheep*, noting the latter’s divided narrative styles. Finally, he enthusiastically recommends Chuck Tingle’s *Fabulous Bodies*, a violent yet heartfelt story about a grave-robbing influencer.
Topics discussed
Intro: Solar eclipse, reading challenge, and writing updates
Review: Happy Hour by Gemma Moore (90s nostalgia and fun horror)
Review: The Factory by Natsuki Ikezawa (Critique of translation and prose)
Review: Babylon, South Dakota by Tom Lin (Immigration and soft sci-fi)
Review: Dead but Dreaming of Electric Sheep by Paul Tremblay (AI and narrative style)
Review: Fabulous Bodies by Chuck Tingle (Fashion, grave robbing, and consent)
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