The volume is a collection of the author’s best published pieces: articles, posts, and columns in which she takes a critical eye on books, video games, and SFF entertainment in general.

Most of the pieces are reviews of other books: of science fiction and fantasy novels old and new, all written by women. Sometimes she discusses famous works; more often, however, her attention goes to lesser known novels that deserve more attention – and I might have in fact added some new title to my perpetually overgrown TBR as a result.

In her reviews Bourke is clever, blunt, and unapologetically subjective – which I appreciate, because entertainment is largely a non-measurable entity, and when talking about fiction, any analysis on style, themes, plot devices, can’t be entirely divorced from the personal enjoyment they bring (I’m saying ‘fiction’, not ‘genre fiction’ or ‘SFF’, for reasons that’d exceed the scope of this post, but I’ll get back to it someday, I promise!).

Anyway, the personal, well articulated opinions of a trusted voice is precisely what I look for in a book about books, and here I’ve found plenty. 

But wait, there’s more. Bourke doesn’t just discuss the merits of a few selected works of fiction, she also takes the chance to tackle larger issues. 

She has some very meaningful insight on the representation of women and queer people in SFF, and on how it reflects on society at large.

Have you ever thought about the difference between a heroine and a female hero? About how fiction may provide us with some narrative tools to understand ourselves and our own possibilities?

Well, I did, in fact, and I was enthused to read such a personable contribution on the matter, as well as on many other topics that concern both real and imaginary worlds.