Christine Ro

Christine writes about books for Literary Hub, VICE, and the Ploughshares blog. She occasionally writes about other topics, because someone once told her (although it seemed implausible) that there’s life outside of books. Blog: https://www.christinero.com

How THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE Has Shaped Our Ideas of Haunted Houses

Here are just a few quotes from the novel that hint at why THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE resonates when it comes to ideas of haunted houses.

Fascinating Tidbits about Female Bodies from GROSS ANATOMY

Women are socialized into having a fraught relationship with their bodies. These fascinating tidbits about female bodies from GROSS ANATOMY challenge that.

Quiz: Real Manga or Made-Up? (Vol. 2)

Manga series can have some wacky premises…and that’s part of their charm. Quiz: Real Manga or Made-Up? (Vol. 2) tests your knowledge of the differences.

Autobiographical Comics about Difficult Writing Lives

Here are just a few autobiographical comics about difficult writing lives, drawing on the authors’ own experiences.

The Appeal of the Hypnotically Dull Novel

On the appeal of boring books that are compelling not in spite of their tedium, but, in a perverse way, because of their tedium.

Recent Comics about Refugee Experiences

Recent comics about refugee experiences -- comics and graphic novels about people forcibly displaced from Syria, Vietnam, and parts unknown.

Wedding Gifts for Comic Lovers

Wedding season is in full flush, and one way to survive it is by hunting down fun romance-themed gifts. Here are a few suggestions of wedding gifts for comic lovers, if your loved-up loved ones are comic geeks.

50 Must-Read Books about Modern Englishness

Taken as a whole, the following books do suggest the breadth of quintessentially English characteristics. The list includes plays, short stories, novels, humour, comics, and nonfiction.

Are You a Male Novelist Whose Female Characters Are Comically Underdeveloped?

Hey there, male novelist with an impressive eye for character detail. Are you extending that eye to the women in your book? Here are some signs, to be taken with the sodium chloride compound of your choice, that your female characters might be underdeveloped.

The Appeal of Graphic Novels about Anthropomorphized Animals

There’s a long and proud tradition of turning non-human animals and hybrid animals into characters of graphic novels and comics. So, what is the appeal of graphic novels about anthropomorphized animals?