20 episodes

A monthly podcast devoted mostly to speculative fiction books, reviews and the odd bit of idle gossip. Hosted by Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond.

The Writer and the Critic Unknown

    • Arts
    • 5.0 • 22 Ratings

A monthly podcast devoted mostly to speculative fiction books, reviews and the odd bit of idle gossip. Hosted by Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond.

    A short and somewhat sad message to our listeners

    A short and somewhat sad message to our listeners

    Sadly, due to a catastrophic technical failure, we have no episode to bring you this month. Please listen to the message to find out more.

    Next episode, Kirstyn and Ian will be discussing the following the two books:
    The Glutton by A E Blakemore
    Days of Innocence and Wonder by Lucy Treloar 
    There will be an episode. They promise.

    • 2 min
    Episode 104: The Haunting of Hill House | A Haunting on the Hill

    Episode 104: The Haunting of Hill House | A Haunting on the Hill

    Happy new year! On this first episode of The Writer and the Critic for 2024, your hosts Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, begin by with a very brief discussion of recent reads and whether writing a 'young' or an 'old' voice might be more ... ah ... challenging.
    The books up for dissection this month are The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson [5:10] and A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand [39:20].

    If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers, please come back at 1:02:00 for final remarks - including a surprise anecdote involving Evelyn Waugh!
    Next episode, the two books on the slab will be:
    A Helping Hand by Celia Dale
    Monsters by Emerald Fennell
    Read ahead and join in the spoilerific fun!

    • 1 hr 7 min
    Episode 103: After the Forest | I Am Homeless if This is Not My Home

    Episode 103: After the Forest | I Am Homeless if This is Not My Home

    On this last and somewhat longer episode of The Writer and the Critic for 2023, your hosts Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, begin by discussing the television adaptation of Slow Horses as well as the new Mike Flanagan series, The Fall of the House of Usher. No prizes for guessing which one Kirstyn did not like and which one she adored.
    The books up for discussion this month are After the Forest by Kell Woods [13:35] and I am Homeless if This is Not My Home by Lorrie Moor [54:20].

    This review by Parul Sehgal of I Am Homeless if This is Not My Home in The New Yorker is highly recommended if you are able to access it.
    If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers, please come back at 1:21:55 for final remarks.
    Next episode will be February 2024 and the two books on the slab will be:
    The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
    A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand
    Read ahead and join in the spoilerific fun!

    • 1 hr 27 min
    Episode 102: The Broken Shore | Slow Horses

    Episode 102: The Broken Shore | Slow Horses

    The books up for discussion this month are The Broken Shore by Peter Temple and Slow Horses by Mick Herron.

    • 1 hr 5 min
    Episode 101: The Living Sea of Waking Dreams | The Saint of Bright Doors

    Episode 101: The Living Sea of Waking Dreams | The Saint of Bright Doors

    On this episode of The Writer and the Critic, your hosts Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, begin by chatting about cardamon knobs, cygnets and the shenanigans of parkour cats. Seriously. The books up for discussion this month are The Living Sea of Waking Dreams by Richard Flanagan [5:05] and The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera [46:00].

    If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers, please come back at 1:14:10 for final remarks.
    Next month, the two books on the slab will be:
    The Broken Shore by Peter Temple
    Slow Horses by Mick Herron
    Read ahead and join in the spoilerific fun!

    • 1 hr 16 min
    Episode 100: The Book of Accidents | Conquest

    Episode 100: The Book of Accidents | Conquest

    On this episode of The Writer and the Critic, your hosts Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, ruminate briefly upon head colds, snoring and cats. Very briefly. The books up for discussion this month are The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig [3:30] and Conquest by Nina Allan [31:25].

    Listeners may want to check out the following, as mentioned:
    Chuck Wendig's blog: Terrible Minds
    Nina Allan's website: The Spider's House
    Review of Conquest in Locus by Gary K. Wolfe
    If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers, please come back at 59:25 for final remarks.
    Next month, the two books on the slab will be:
    The Living Sea of Waking Dreams by Richard Flanagan
    The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera
    Read ahead and join in the spoilerific fun!

    • 1 hr 3 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
22 Ratings

22 Ratings

MichelleEGoldsmith ,

Great for critique, recommendations and fun

I always look forward to each episode of The Writer and The Critic even when I haven’t read the books. Kirstyn and Mondy really get into the nitty gritty of the books they discuss and are not afraid to tell us what they really thought. The banter is always amusing and the critiques are insightful. The podcast has made me pick up quite a few books I might otherwise never have read and I’ve never regretted it. Highly recommended!

taliehelene ,

Jinglerrific

Genuine critiques, and the fighting for air banter is always entertaining. But I'm giving this podcast five stars on the strength of Mondy's 'We Want Five Star Ratings (Boom! Boom!)' song alone - beautiful and soulful.

Bookonaut ,

Downloaded Itunes just to give them some lurv

Probably the top speculative fiction podcast in Australia at the moment. Great on air comraderie between the hosts and insightful commentary on the books they cover

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