by Madeleine Rose Jones | Oct 26, 2023 | The World, Visual Arts & Sculpture
High in the Himalayas, a family of four journey around Bhutan, an ‘unspoiled’ country rich in natural beauty, Buddhist monasteries, hiking trails, and happiness. The parents are also YouTubers and are capturing the entire experience on high-resolution cameras. They...
by Madeleine Rose Jones | Oct 4, 2023 | Writing Tips
There’s a new, exciting tool for novelists. It is, however, controversial – like the best stories are, from Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex to the bleak realities depicted by Michel Houellebecq. Yet whereas these tales cause your throat to churn, this tool delights and...
by Madeleine Rose Jones | Sep 9, 2023 | literature, The World
Imagine seven tiny baby faces hiding behind leaves. On top of each child’s head, half of a nut acts as a hat and allows them to camouflage into the background depicting the outdoors. These babies gap in amazement and are dazzled to earn your attention. You are staring...
by Madeleine Rose Jones | May 26, 2023 | Writing Tips
Rewriting sucks. Writers spend months on their first drafts – some, even years. It takes time to turn loose ideas into a full-fledged story with characters and a cohesive narrative. That is why, for nearly all writers, the prospect of rewriting seems nightmarish and...
by Madeleine Rose Jones | May 19, 2023 | Harry Potter, literature, Writing Tips
Readers never forget a captivating magical school. Since the success of Harry Potter, there has been considerable attention to magical schools. Notable examples include The Magicians by Lev Grossman, The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss and Vita Nostra by Maryna...
by Madeleine Rose Jones | Mar 24, 2023 | History, literature
Gothic literature cannot exist without history. In Elizabeth Kostova’s marvellous novel, The Historian, the readers encounter castles, mosques, medieval manuscripts, ancient churches, Oxford sidewalks and cathedrals. It’s a story dripping in history. Hence, the title....
by Madeleine Rose Jones | Mar 16, 2023 | literature
On Instagram, readers frequently upload lavish pictures of bookshelves and books in an aesthetically pleasing way. The reason is clear: books are beautiful. We can recall the scene in Beauty and The Beast, where the latter surprises Belle with the magnificent library....
by Madeleine Rose Jones | Feb 24, 2023 | The World
In 2017, I decided to learn Russian. I began the Russian course on Duolingo and watched grammar videos on YouTube. Whilst I learnt the Cryllic alphabet easily, it took nearly six years until I could mutter some sentences, and this was only after incorporating other...
by Madeleine Rose Jones | Feb 16, 2023 | History, Liberty, The World
In the past decades, medieval scholars have voiced concerns about the misuse and abuse of the Middle Ages, particularly within pop culture and among right-wing politicians, whether populist, neoconservative, or fascist. I’ve covered this topic previously. For those...
by Madeleine Rose Jones | Feb 10, 2023 | Harry Potter, literature
Not everyone is a fan of Harry Potter’s worldbuilding. A recent viral Twitter thread demonstrated the ‘flaws’ inherent in the Wizarding World. Why does poverty exist where magic replaces labour? Do Scottish students have to travel to London, then take the Hogwarts...