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By Rowen Murphy
Entertainment Columnist On our first edition of Critiquing Cult Reads, I am thrilled to introduce you to the works of Kelly Andrew. With the release of her latest novel, ‘I Am Made Of Death’, she adds to the narrative of her paranormal trilogy which features a cast of new characters along with some recurring ones. Andrew’s linked trilogy is comprised of ‘The Whispering Dark’, ‘Your Blood, My Bones’ and ‘I Am Made Of Death’. The Whispering Dark Perfect for fans of Maggie Stiefvater’s ‘The Raven Cycle’ and C.G. Wells’s ‘Don’t Let The Forest In’, Andrew’s ‘The Whispering Dark’ is marked by an intersection between dark academia and urban fantasy. With her atmospheric writing, Andrew is sure to transport you into a whirlwind romance which she cleverly sets against the backdrop of a sprawling college campus, a secret society and research on an obscure theory best left forgotten. As a transfer student of Godbole University, Delaney must navigate her life devoid of sound, that is, until her hearing aid begins picking up voices that are not of this world. Your Blood, My Bones With Andrew’s lush prose drawing its likeness from the conscious forest creeping ever closer, ‘Your Blood, My Bones’ is perfect for anyone in need of a fresh twist on a dark fairytale. Bringing together aspects of the well-loved story, Peter Pan, Andrew displays the profound ability to pick apart pieces of the legend and twist them into something almost unrecognizable, yet achingly familiar. Returning with a matchbook in hand, Wyatt plans to reduce her childhood home to cinders. That is, until she unveils the century-long mystery surrounding the grounds of the farmhouse and that of the person chained to its basement walls. With the forest encroaching on the house, Wyatt’s loyalty to an old friend is called into question. Her task is to assume her rightful place as keeper of the forest. His task is to stop her. No matter the cost. I Am Made Of Death With elements glimpsed in the film Black Swan and allusions to the upside-down world of Wonderland, Andrew revisits themes of her first work through the lens of an art school in the south, cults posing as college clubs and the gauzy veneer of funhouse mirrors in an empty ballet studio. In her latest work, ‘I Am Made Of Death’, Andrew blends the monstrous feminine with aspects of girlhood revolving around an inherently female urge to break free and become something more. She explores adolescence and the staggered changes that come with transforming into a young woman through the intervention of an accidental possession, impacting the main character's personal agency. With a focus on body horror, nightmare-scapes and a distinct disillusionment from reality, Andrew paints a macabre portraiture of the main character, Vivienne. With this comes the narrative of a woman choosing to remain mute, solely using sign language, as the powers imbued in her words become poison. Beneath her facade as a moneyed ballet dancer, Vivienne hides a chilling secret. She is not the only one to share her body. Disaster will befall those who surround her if she is unable to break the ties that keep the monster burrowed in her mind. I chose to spotlight Kelly Andrew due to her lush literary prose, which gives voice to the competent female protagonist we all need. Andrew’s work is best viewed through a fantastical lens, yet it also garners respect by highlighting the stories of young women, which is necessary given the era where erasure of these voices is perpetuated by male-dominated media. As such, it is essential that we uplift female-centric stories and celebrate diversified points of view. I hope you’ll pick up this charmingly haunted trilogy.
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By Bryce Miller
Arts and Entertainment Captain America: Brave New World brings a brutally epic story of conflict to our government and its relations with other nations. Following the conclusion of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), AKA The Falcon, has officially taken the mantle of Captain America. Working with the new U.S. president, Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford), who was recast as the character after the death of actor William Hurt, Wilson tries to maintain political relations between the United States and Japan, and measure up to the “Star-Spangled Man With The Plan.” Ross is known in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for his creation of political controversy, specifically against superhumans. Ross’ character is known for his involvement in sending the military after Bruce Banner in The Incredible Hulk (2008) and implementing the Sokovia Accords in Captain America: Civil War (2016). In this film, however, he is open to incorporation, trying to make amends to his family and the superhuman community for his past. Ross’ change of heart is disrupted by the film's antagonist, Samuel Stern (Tim Blake Nelson), AKA The Leader. Stern is known for his involvement in aiding Bruce Banner in The Incredible Hulk (2008), but has not been seen since. The brutal elements of, as well as the sinister actions of the antagonist, targeting President Ross, trying to destroy everything that he has worked for, trying to prove to his family and the superhuman population that he is different now. Throughout the film, Stern is causing mayhem across the planet, while making sure Ross knows the reason this is happening is because of him, driving Ross mad as he tries desperately to hold his presidency and himself together. Having this psychological conflict with Ross and The Leader, one of the smartest characters in Marvel comics, made the film more hard-hitting than previous Marvel movies. This intelligent, psychologically dangerous story gives the audience something that they have never seen or experienced before in this new era of Marvel. In the film, the central conflict is brought about by the discovery of a brand-new element in the MCU, known as Adamantium. It was said to be a material capable of limitless potential, only found on Celestial Island, which was created at the end of The Eternals (2021). The discovery of this new element sparks political turmoil among the leaders of other nations, as they debate with each other on who has the right to lay their claim on the new element. This debate plays into the hands of The Leader and his greater goal to destroy Ross’ presidency and his life. Sam Wilson, throughout the film, isn’t his usual energetic, can-do self. However, those character elements are adopted by the New Falcon, Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez). This new dynamic, with Wilson as the new Captain America and Torres as the new Falcon, gives the film a similar feeling to the friendship that Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson had in their partnership. As expressed in the previous film, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Wilson doesn’t feel worthy of being called Captain America as he doesn’t have the same capabilities as Steve Rogers. Wilson, without the Super Soldier serum that gave Rogers his powers, is operating at only 50% of the capacity that Rogers had. He has no enhanced strength, speed, or endurance to assist him in his fight against those who would do the country and the world harm. He asks himself constantly, “Should I have taken the super soldier serum?” or “Does the world really need a new Captain America?” Brave New World and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier provide great moments of character growth for the character of Sam Wilson. He tried to make his own difference politically and culturally for the world to look up to him as America’s hero. Even though throughout the film he shows just how capable he truly is, this film brought new elements of gore to the MCU. Not that blood and violence have never been in Marvel films, but in this film, the use of blood in the film’s action scenes really sets the tone for the brutal hero/character that Wilson can be. Because of the use of these graphic/gore elements, Anthony Mackie has brought a form of Heroism that we have never seen in a CA film. In Brave New World, the story is constructed differently than most Marvel films. It is more of a sequel to The Incredible Hulk, rather than The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Viewing the film as a sequel to The Incredible Hulk is easy, especially when considering characters like The Leader and Thaddeus Ross. Though Ross’s character has been seen three times since The Incredible Hulk, the film makes more direct references to the events of The Incredible Hulk than any other movie/series in the MCU. Finally, Brave New World gives viewers clarity on the aftermath of The Incredible Hulk, which took place seventeen years prior to this one. Brave New World has clarified a lot of long unanswered questions since 2008. Where is The Leader and what happened to him? What happened between Betty and her father? Both of these questions have been on the minds of Marvel fans since 2008 without any clarity whatsoever. While getting the answers to these questions means a lot to Marvel fans, it felt as though these characters were distracting from the real point of the story, which is the evolution of the character of Captain America. The film focuses on Wilson’s struggle with this new role in the world as its new protector. Making himself question if he, as a regular person is truly capable of protecting the world from any threat be it man-made or intergalactic. But there should be more to his character’s conflict than that, especially since the previous CA films have expressed much more emotional complexity. Because the previous Captain America films all focus on Steve Rogers and what he struggles with as “the man out of time,” they also slowly give us more detail on his personal life and family. Wilson’s family was established in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, but we haven’t seen or heard anything about them since the show ended. So using them in the film would’ve given the audience something to think more about other than him feeling unworthy of the mantel of Captain America. Overall, the film reignited my love of the MCU franchise. It shows a form of heroism that we have never seen before. If you are a Marvel fan, or more specifically a fan of the CA trilogy, would enjoy this film and the new elements Disney Studio is introducing to the franchise. |
STAFFAndrew Martinez Cabrera '26, Archives
May 2025
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