Crack open a good book with two wise-cracking besties. Sarah and Cyrus are two queer English majors who use their degrees to commit crimes against literature.
Podcast hosts
- AmeliaFisher
@AmeliaFisher
© 2023 Cracked Spines
Cracked Spines
Reviews
theredheadstephchild
5 out of 5 stars
Funny, good recs
I regularly add books to my tbr because of this podcast and I’ve finally given in and put Disco Elysium on my Steam wishlist because I want to partake in their joy about that game.
R Fnstrmchr
5 out of 5 stars
Two prolific readers repeatedly slam dunking
When Cracked Spines came back, I felt how I imagine Christians must feel about the return of Jesus.
SardonicWriter26
5 out of 5 stars
Hilarious
Absolute joy to listen to- solid analysis and jokes that will make you want to strangle the joke teller, but in a good way. Usually.
Podcast information
- Amount of episodes
- 95
- Subscribers
- 0
- Verified
- Yes
- Website
- Explicit content
- Yes
- Episode type
- episodic
- Podcast link
- https://podvine.com/link/..
- Last upload date
- May 17, 2023
- Last fetch date
- May 25, 2023 8:26 PM
- Upload range
- MONTHLY
- Author
- Cyrus Amelia Fisher and Sarah Palmer
- Copyright
- © 2023 Cracked Spines
susbcribers
- The Family Business (Which Is, In This Case, Creepy Puppets)MIME STOPS FOR NO MAN. In this episode we primarily discuss Grady Hendrix's newest horror novel, "How to Sell a Haunted House." Of course, we quickly devolve into discussing the entire Hendrixverse and its delicious all you can eat buffet of sloppy nightmare women. Why is Grady Hendrix so good at writing female characters? And most importantly, why must the puppets always be creepy? We demand positive clown/puppet/doll representation in horror ("we" meaning, very firmly, Sarah). Media Mentions: How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix The Final Girls Support Group by Grady Hendrix My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix The Southern Bookclub's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix0 comments0
- The Scum Villain’s So-Stupid SeductionHey guys, we got a crazy one. Bad sex, problematic dynamics, and weird, epic love(?): that's right, we're reading The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu! Sorry for all the cross talk in this one, we're just really excited about this absolutely bonkers book. Sarah physically cannot articulate the act of reading this book. Cyrus practiced Chinese name pronunciations really hard and also somehow manages to connect this gay unhinged webnovel to Les Miserables, which is actually kind of appropriate now I've typed that out. We give the most enthusiastically guarded recommendation in our podcasts history. Don't read this but if you do read this please read this.0 comments0
- Cracked Spines Apr 17 · 1h 3m The Bravest Little Girls in the ForestThis week, Sarah and Cyrus tackle a subject that is a particular passion of one of them: the character type of Brave Little Girls. Sarah posits a working definition of what this phrase might mean, and gushes over fictions weird little girls who are asked to do too much and who rise to the occasion. Cyrus wonders if anyone had a normal childhood or what a thing might mean. We also talk about Misha Collins and some big questions about gender. (Those are two separate topics, we promise.) Our patreon! Pretty sparse right now but we have big yet achievable dreams for it. Media discussed The Tiffany Aching Series by Terry Pratchett Spirited Away (2001) Over the Garden Wall (2014) The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien Coraline by Neil Gaiman Abarat by Clive Barker The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis Macbeth (for some reason) by William Shakespeare The poems of William Wordsworth, specifically "Ode on Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood"0 comments0
- An Approximate Definition of a Haunted HouseThis week on Cracked Spines, we're talking about one of Cyrus' top books of last year, Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, a story about one of our favorite things--a real weird location that does weird things to your brain. Neat! Sarah likes the book but isn't really sure it's about a haunted house. Cyrus likes the book and maintains that of course, of course it is. One of us is right. (Hi this is Sarah, commenting after editing the episode: Cyrus was right. Don't tell them I said that.) This episode was recorded and aired in a timely manner, don't worry about it.0 comments0
- The Sanderson-Pixar CarsmereDid you know that Pixar's Cars is actually an installment of the Cosmere? The pieces are all right there. This episode, your hosts talk about epic fantasy to the tune of Brandon Sanderson, from the Stormlight Archives to Mistborn (Sarah's read that, right?) Let's dig into what makes Sanderson's work so hugely popular, and why it doesn't always hit the same buttons for your humble hosts.0 comments0
- War Crimes 4 KidsThis week on Cracked Spines, it's Sarah's turn to take the wheel with an episode about the television show Avatar: The Last Airbender, which calls its seasons "books" so it counts for this podcast. Cyrus shares their teenage Zuko tribute experience. Sarah shares her adult Zuko tribute experience. We also talk about people who aren't Zuko. Discussion points include the benefits of revisiting media, the efficiency of children's tv shows, and why there should have been a fourth season. I mean book. This is a book podcast. Comics mentioned oh so briefly: Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Promise Avatar: The Last Airbender--The Lost Adventures0 comments0
- She Who Transed Your GenderThis week, we're talking gender! Culture! More gender! There's a whole lotta gender in this one, lads! It's She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker Chan, much beloved by both hosts, who do their best to have an intelligent discussion about an intelligent book with varying degrees of success.0 comments0
- Schrödinger's P---esF. Murray Abraham? Don't mind if we do! This week, we're talking body horror, we're talking cosmic horror, and we're talking sad old men — which is to say we're discussing The Autopsy, a short story by Michael Shea and an episode of the Netflix show Cabinet of Curiosities. As with all things involving body horror, Cyrus is a depraved little pervert and Sarah rises to the challenge to match their energy. Stan Aurelius for clear skin!0 comments0
- Cracked Spines Jan 24 · 1h 7m 2023: Believe, Dang It, So Much!And we're back! Welcome to our big beefy kickoff for 2023. In this episode your hosts discuss their reading goals for 2022 (including far more stats than anyone could possibly want), their favorite (and least favorite) reads of the year, and a whole slew of goals for the coming solar cycle. Also including multiple bouts of blistering sincerity about our personal lives and our reflections on the year. Gross.0 comments0
- Kid Lit's Profound GloomThis week, Sarah and Amelia are back after faking their own deaths and disappearing to the desert (didn't work), and it's a bit of a grab bag. Sarah discusses her difficulty with reading lately (yeah, another one of those episodes) and how she's powered through it by taking things from small children. Amelia engages in combat with a 56 hour audio book and reads a sentence that made her therapist wince. We also establish that Clive Barker, at time of posting, is alive. That's it's own little journey. Media discussed: The Stormlight Archives series by Brandon Sanderson When You Know What I Know by Sonja K. Solter Abarat by Clive Barker How to Write Short: Word Craft for Fast Times by Roy Peter Clark0 comments0
- Play Me Off With The Death KazooThis week, Sarah and Amelia get deep. About six feet or so. In an episode that totally isn't a disaster of conflicting tones, we discuss the book Advice for Future Corpses (and Those Who Love Them), a very good book that both of us recommend but neither of us necessarily enjoyed. Sarah shares too many work anecdotes that all involve how bad she is with corpses. Amelia revels the least surprising fact about what she wants done with her body after death. We both say a bunch of really correct facts about decomposition. Guys, you GOTTA watch out for the corpse goo. Media discussed: Advice for Future Corpses (and Those Who Love Them): A Practical Perspective on Death and Dying, by Sallie Tisdale...Disco Elysium but just a little bit I promise0 comments0
- All Victorians Were Stinky Little FreaksThis week, Sarah and Amelia meet at different ends of the sleepiness spectrum to discuss the fantastic worldbuilding and historical resource that is The Victorian City by Judith Flanders. We talk about sewage seepage, watercress sellers, the infernal din of the city, and a couple of kinky Victorians who left detailed diaries behind. Amelia picks a fight with Victorian street sellers and accurately remembers all the members of the British royal family. Sarah has traumatic flashbacks to reading Bleak House and immediately forgets basic facts from her history degree. We both are very tasteful and respectful and not at all ghoulish about Queen Elizabeth's death. Media discussed: The Victorian City: Everyday Life in Dickens' London by Judith Flanders "Stuff vs Theory" by Judith Flanders "Class and Gender in Victorian England: The Diaries of Arthur J. Munby and Hannah Cullwick" by Leonore Davidoff, originally published in Feminist Studies : Spring, 1979, Vol. 5, Issue 1.0 comments0
- Ned Stark's Book Five Plotline Really SlappedThis week, we're talking political marriages! Icy locales! Disco Elysium! Magical political intrigue! Fictional soccer coaches! Mirror travel! And of course, more Disco Elysium! Technically this episode is about A Winter's Promise by Christelle Dabos, but as usual, we get a bit off topic. We discuss our thoughts on YA vs adult fiction, intellectual elitism, whether or not Disco Elysium is the great masterpiece of our age, and our grim predictions for season three of Ted Lasso. Also, our deepest apologies for managing to mess up some aspect of the author's name in literally every instance we cite it.0 comments0
- We Are Both Doing Equally Well With Our Goals, ThanksThis week on Cracked Spines, we are revisiting all our big dreams we had in January and inadvertently have the exact same conversations as we did then. Amelia is riding high on her book list. Sarah is forcibly humbled. And I'll be honest, then we talk about Trent Crimm from Ted Lasso for about ten minutes. No, we don't provided context on who that man is. You just need to know that he's definitely definitely exactly what the two of us have imagined him to be.0 comments0
- Cracked Spines Jul 19 · 47m Dense Little Weirdos: Short Story CollectionsThis week, Amelia and Sarah are talking about short story collections by a single author that bodied us and kicked us while we were down. In a good way! We discuss three books that are strong contenders for our faves of the year, while every plane in the PNW circles overhead. I know you can't hear the planes that much in this final version. That's because I'm a hero and I have sheltered your ears with the feeble powers of Audacity. Amelia encounters a horror story that genuinely chills her frozen heart. Sarah gushes about Gwen Kirby's work so effusively that in editing, we had to cut a lot of it out because it was just incoherent love. Scurvy meows pitifully and we make fun of her. You know. The usual. Media discussed: Shit Cassandra Saw by Gwen E. Kirby Everyone on the Moon is Essential Personnel by Julian K. Jarboe Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung, trans. by Anton Hur0 comments0
- Avada Kedavyaknowwhat, we're not doing thisIf you love something, let it go: or at least maybe stop giving it your money and putting it in your tumblr blog description. This episode, Sarah discusses two of her favorite childhood series--Ender's Game and Harry Potter--and the frustration of still liking a piece of media when the creator is an active sewage volcano. Is is possible to separate the creator from their creation, and is that a task we should even try to undertake? Also Amelia is there, sitting pretty on the fact that they never really got into Harry Potter as a kid and are really just above the whole thing. (She got out of World of Warcraft early, that's why she gets to be smug.) Media discussed: Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card The Scholomance series by Naomi Novik The Cater Street Hangman Anne Perry Spoilers for all the above, and also Buffy the Vampire Slayer but also come on it's been ten years now, ya'll.0 comments0
- The Super Duper Ultra Stuffed Lesbian Romance Rant (for Pride!)WHEW WE HAD A LOT TO SAY. This week, we're discussing lesbian romance novels and, unfortunately, why we just don't like a lot of the ones we've read. Amelia discusses gender exploration and lesbian relationships with gay men. Sarah laments the lack of butches and why Regency era women should be allowed to do rampant infidelity. We both spend a long, long time trying to figure out why the sex is so boring. Afterwards when Sarah was editing the episode, Amelia asked her to try to make us not sound like evil dark sex perverts. This feat that proved to be absolutely impossible. Media discussed: Olivia Waite's Feminine Pursuits series which includes The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows The Hellion's Waltz The Perks of Loving a Wallflower by Erica Ridley A Proper English by KJ Charles The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood The Thousand Names by Django Wexler A Little Light Mischief by Cat Sebastian How to Find a Princess by Alyssa Cole* (non-ff media) Think of England by KJ Charles The Simple Art of Fortune Hunting by KJ Charles Any Old Diamonds by KJ Charles *Note from Sarah: I mentioned at the beginning of this episode that I read this book, and then proceeded to say nothing about it. Since I spoke pretty disparagingly of contemporary lesbian romance in this, I wanted to clarify that while I still didn't connect with the central romance of this book, I enjoyed reading the story overall and would recommend it to people looking for a modern twist on a princess-bodyguard story starring two Black woman, a fictional country, a critique of the idea of monarchy while still enjoying some of the trappings, and a fun cast of main and side characters.0 comments0
- Mary Oliver and Owen Wilson: Gay Poetry For DummiesThat's right, we're back on poetry again! We finished the Odyssey and, hungry for more punishment, dove into Mary Oliver's work. Amelia humorously mistakes two vastly different modern poets; Sarah humorously botches an 20th century poet's name (wow). We discuss religion, medicine, nature, DOGS, cats, prose, and more religion. Media Discussed Mary Oliver: Dog Songs, Evidence, "The Summer Day," "Wild Geese" Billy Collins: "Sonnet," "Introduction to Poetry" John Milton: "On His Blindness" E. E. Cumings: "anyone lived in a pretty how town" Claudia Emerson: "Frame, An Epistle"0 comments0
- Death to the Living, Rights to the Sperm WhalesThis week, we're discussing In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex, by Nathaniel Philbrick, the real life story of the shipwreck that inspired Moby Dick, a book we PROMISE that at SOME POINT we will read. Amelia gushes with frankly alarming intensity about how metal whaling culture and Nantucket Quakers were. Sarah offers some Monday morning quarterbacking about nautical survival techniques. We both feel extremely sad about people, whales, and Galapagos turtles while our cat in the background tries to destroy our recording area. Sorry about some of the audio and flow on this one. Everything I cut out in editing was our wild, frenzied cat attempting to eat the microphone. Media discussed: In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex, by Nathaniel Philbrick In the Heart of the Sea, the movie neither of us watched but nevertheless discuss a weird amount Moby Dick, by Hermann Melville, the book neither of us read but WE'RE GONNA SOMEDAY WE PROMISE0 comments0
- Hey Wait A Sec, Did The Trojan War Suck?This week on Cracked Spines your hosts read a whole slew of words centering around the Trojan War, from The Song of Achilles by Madeleine Miller to Homer's Illiad, Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida, and The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker. From across the millennia, one single sentiment rings true: Agamemnon is the wooooooooooooooorst. In other news, Sarah had a great time reading the Illiad and doesn't complain about it at all, Achilles is the original jock, and some (war) crimes can never be forgiven, but like, really though, we're not going to. Content warning for discussions of slavery and sexual abuse.0 comments0
- Cracked Spines Apr 25 · 57m Odyssey Hot Takes: Ten Years Seems Like A Bit MuchWe read The Odyssey! We actually did it!! And we only whined a little for weeks on end. Amelia lets her love of milfs fatally blind her to the will of the gods. Sarah overestimates how much Odysseus is naked and murdering people but maintains that just doing it once is enough to make it His Thing. Discussion points include: is this book good? Do we like Odysseus as a character and as a person? Is free will even a thing in this world of gods? And how can Sarah make all of this about her favorite poem from high school? Media Discussed: The Odyssey, by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson The Terror (tv show) Ulysses, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson ( read it here) The Song of Achilles, by Madeleine Miller Circe, by Madeleine Miller0 comments0
- Black Bonnets and Tortured BystandersOur Flag Means Death is a win for gays and dads alike. In this episode we tackle the big questions, like "Why did this delightful little pirate show became so popular so fast," and "Isn't it okay to torture your hostages just a little, as long as it's funny?" Also featuring the joys of good representation, the horrors of the British Navy, the complicated nature of exploring piracy in fiction, and most importantly, Rhys Darby's calves. Media discussed this episode: Our Flag Means Death (2022-2028, SIX SEASONS AND A MOVIE) Black Sails (2014-2017) Island of the Lost by Joan Druett Pirate Women: The Princesses, Prostitutes, and Privateers Who Ruled the Seven Seas by Laura Sook Duncombe She Captains: Heroines and Hellions of the Sea by Joan Druett0 comments0
- Coming Full CirceThis week, we're discussing Circe by Madeleine Miller and Women and Other Monsters: Building a New Mythology by Jess Zimmerman. Sarah gets mad about how she stopped being mad about the treatment of women. Amelia discusses the shackles of gender and commits a minor act of arson against Sarah's most prized possession (again). We got a little depressed in the middle there, not gonna lie, but I think the discussion was interesting. This episode description is the one thing keeping us from watching the final episodes of Our Flag Means Death. Media discussed: Circe, by Madeleine Miller The Odyssey, by Homer Women and Other Monsters: Building a New Mythology, by Jess Zimmerman The Selfishness of Others: An Essay on the Fear of Narcissism, by Kristen Donbek0 comments0
- Such A Good Anthology, And The Soundtrack To HellThis week, your hosts read Far Out: An Anthology of Recent Queer Science Fiction and Fantasy, edited by Paula Guran, aka an absolutely kickass collection of speculative short stories ranging from a cat-loving AI to gut-wrenching horror. Both Amelia and Sarah agree that this is one of the best anthologies they've encountered, with an effective theme and a wide selection of engaging and imaginative stories. Also, Amelia brushes the fringe of a deep musical conspiracy involving a "hellish" pop song played in H&M which was at the center of multiple murders and an apocalypse cult, probably, according to her lack of evidence and the general vibes. Sarah liked the beat. Stories discussed: Cat Pictures Please by Naomi Kritzer The Deepwater Bride by Tamsyn Muir I’m Alive, I Love You, I’ll See You in Reno by Vylar Kaftan Das Steingeschöpf by G. V. Anderson The Shape of My Name by Nino Cipri Don’t Press Charges and I Won’t Sue by Charlie Jane Anders Né łe! by Darcie Little Badger Seasons of Glass and Iron by Amal El-Mohtar Calved by Sam J. Miller The Lily and the Horn by Catherynne M. Valente The Duke of Riverside by Ellen Kushner CONTENT WARNING: This episode briefly discusses a horror story involving the forcible detransition of a trans woman (timestamp 37:15 - 39:00).0 comments0
- Of Mist, and Grass, and Snake, Oh God Wait There's a Snake??This week, Amelia and Sarah discuss fantastical healthcare in Vonda McIntyre's Dreamsnake under the pointless time crunch of precious homemade goods cooking in the oven. Amelia finds new reasons to swear off pregnancy. Sarah gets real emotional about the concept of witches. We both lament how often genre fiction neglects the narrative potential of realistic injuries and healing, and our cat, again, goes briefly insane. Amelia's etsy store which again Sarah is posting, hi it's me Sarah, Amelia would rather die than self-promote this aggressively which is why I'm putting this in here AMELIA I LOVE YOU AND THE THINGS YOU MAKE!! Media mentioned: Dreamsnake, by Vonda McIntyre Tiffany Aching Series, by Terry Pratchett" Common Cyborg," by Jillian Weise Circe, by Madeleine Miller0 comments0
Podcast hosts
- AmeliaFisher
@AmeliaFisher
© 2023 Cracked Spines
