Michael Wu's New, True Review

            “Metafiction” is the word used to describe literature that intentionally references its own creation and fictionality. It has become increasingly popular for stories to admit to you that they aren’t real and to carry that notion with them as they progress. But like all things, metafiction comes in different tiers. On the one hand, you have stories that don’t take themselves seriously at all, where the prospect of realistic immersion is completely nullified by the absence of a fourth, third, second, and first wall. On the other hand, there are some stories that function, for the most part, as totally self-contained narratives, but that have a couple cheeky pointers sprinkled between their pages. Authors tend to get very creative when inserting these small metafictional nods into their stories. The nods themselves may not even be fourth wall breaks in the traditional sense. In fact, I have found that there are many more interesting implications to...

“One may smile, and smile, and be a villain.”             When looking for adjectives to describe the tone and plot of Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home , one of the last words that comes to mind is “happy.” From start to finish, this graphic novel is awash with somber reflection, calculated literary allusion, and dark, twisted humor. “Funny” doesn’t always mean “happy,” and Fun Home is a great example of that. Bechdel’s writing, while eloquent and engaging, leaves little in the way of cheerfulness. The same can be said about the novel’s visuals. The color palate, with its single shade of dull, watercolor blue at various levels of saturation, does a good job of evoking the idea of memory, but not in a particularly positive way. But perhaps the most jarring visual indication of the deep sadness inherent in this novel can be found in the faces of the characters themselves. This particular design choice on the part of Bechdel was very quickly pointed out during dis...

               One of the most defining aspects of The Bell Jar is Sylvia Plath’s unique style of narration. Her writing is characterized by a decidedly poetic descriptiveness that helps to convey details and emotion in an incredibly nuanced way. The book is jam-packed with similes, metaphors, and other literary devices scattered among the pages amidst a backdrop of consistently vivid descriptions. And while these details are essential for the overall character of the novel, they are ultimately traditional literary techniques that you could theoretically find in many other works of poetry or prose if you looked hard enough.             However, there are some other aspects of Plath’s writing that stand out to me far more than the blanket-level similes and descriptions, like the intense, aromatic herbs and spices that add robust flavor to an already fragrant, satisfactory dish. There are ...

As one of the pioneering works of the coming-of-age genre, J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye is built on the concept of change. Although the degree to which Holden’s perspectives and life philosophy actually develop from the beginning to end of the book is up for debate, it is hard to dispute that the events of the novel shed a clear light on Holden’s various issues and, if nothing else, indicate to the reader that change is needed , even if it is yet to materialize. Technically speaking, Holden is actively seeking changes throughout the entirety of the novel. The numerous changes in setting from chapter to chapter are mostly initiated by Holden himself. He is always the one to spontaneously feel dissatisfied with his current predicament and seek out a new setting with new company. His plans range from small scale actions like leaving bars and travelling in and out of his dorm to huge, life-changing decisions like his split-second choice to move to a cabin out west (218-219). T...