ArtsBooksLeisureHobbies

The Novel Tea

Neha & Shruti

Welcome to The Novel Tea, where your favorite English class meets your neighborhood book club. Join us as we go beyond the traditional classics, exploring books from diverse authors and backgrounds. Each episode, we'll talk about a book through different themes, analyzing characters, plot, and writing styles, to determine: does it stand the test of time?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Play

Open in

21 episodes
fortnightly
Avg 56 min
English

Episodes 21

Newest Oldest Longest

All20 Unplayed20 In progress0 Played0

Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.

S8 · E3
Wednesday · 1 hr 1 min
Galatea 2.2 by Richard Powers: consciousness and language
In this episode, Neha and Shruti talk about Galatea 2.2 by Richard Powers. Published in 1995, it describes a group of scientists who are attempting to create an intelligent machine that they can feed the great classics of literature. We get into the ethics of the situation, its similarities and differences to the current AI crisis, and draw comparisons to the many versions of the Pygmalion myth that have emerged over the years. Links: An Essay Concerning Human Understanding by John Locke Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness by Michael Pollan Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw Galatea by Madeline Miller The Overstory by Richard Powers Authority by Jeff Vandermeer The Laughter by Sonora Jha Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee Annie Bot by Sierra Greer Transcription by Ben Lerner If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S8 · E2
September 9 · 49 min
The Candy House by Jennifer Egan: authenticity and artifice
Shruti and Neha dive in to The Candy House by Jennifer Egan, a kaleidoscopic novel of connected short stories set in a world where our memories can be uploaded to the cloud. We talk about the parts of the book that were successful, some aspects that we didn't love, and what Egan was ultimately trying to say about our relationship to technology. Shelf Discovery: A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan The Keep by Jennifer Egan Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel Greenwood by Michael Greenwood The New York Trilogy by Paul Auster If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S8 · E1
August 26 · 33 min
Technology, AI, and Where it's All Going: Introducing Season 8
In this episode of The Novel Tea, Shruti and Neha introduce Season 8: Technology. We talk about the way technology has become integrated into our lives, share thoughts on the AI crisis, and share some books we've enjoyed that have explored technology and its implications. And, of course, we share the six books we'll be reading together over the next few months. Books Mentioned The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami 1984 by George Orwell The Giver by Lois Lowry Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro Uglies by Scott Westerfeld Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel The Candy House by Jennifer Egan Galatea 2.2 by Richard Powers Playground by Richard Powers The Overstory by Richard Powers Transcription by Ben Lerner Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K Le Guin The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S7 · E10
June 24 · 41 min
The Natural World in Books: Wrapping up Season 7
In this episode, Neha and Shruti tackle the natural world in books - we zoom out to consider the eight books we discussed this season, talking about our favorite and least favorite reads, themes that emerged, and questions it raises about what fiction is for, and the way we read. Plus, we share tons of books recommendations, and talk about the books next up on our TBRs. Books Mentioned: Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer What We Can Know by Ian McEwan Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer Greenwood by Michael Christie Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver Moby Dick by Herman Melville Euphoria by Lily King The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne The Hobbit by JRR Tolkein Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer Playground by Richard Powers The Overstory by Richard Powers The Drowned World by JD Ballard An Immense World By Ed Yong Nothing But the Rain by Naomi Salman The Mosquito Coast by Paul Thoureax Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield Out of Africa by Isak Denisen If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S7 · E9
June 10 · 1 hr 3 min
Moby Dick by Herman Melville: otherness and obsession
In this episode Shruti and Neha discuss the great American classic, Moby Dick, by Herman Melville. We discuss the book's themes of otherness and obsession, but we also get in to so much more, including its racism and (maybe?) progressiveness, naturalism and Darwin, H.P. Lovecraft, and prophecies. Finally, we ponder its status as a classic; does this book deserve to stand the test of time? Links: Beige Moth [Blog] Shelf Discovery Ahab's Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund Ahab's Bride by Louise M. Gouge Call me Ishmaelle by Xiaolu Guo Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Sky Daddy by Kate Folk If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S7 · E8
May 21 · 1 hr 1 min
Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver: fertility and harmony
Shruti and Neha discuss Barbara Kingsolver's Prodigal Summer, a novel of three stories that unfold over the course of one Appalachian summer. We discuss themes of female desire, fertility, familial love, and harmony. We also make connections between characters and their symbolic representations, discover a new critical lens to read through, and question the veracity of 'moon cycles.' Shelf Discovery: The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood The White Book by Han Kang If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S7 · E7
May 6 · 50 min
The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson: integration and reclamation
In this episode, Shruti and Neha discuss The Seedkeeper by Diane Wilson, exploring themes of reclamation, integration, and motherhood. We share some historical context, discuss the book's structure, and weigh in on the key relationships in the novel. Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery Craft in the Real World by Matthew Salesses Daughters of the Deer by Danielle Daniel The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits by Laila Lalami If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S7 · E6
April 8 · 55 min
Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy: instinct and monsters
Shruti and Neha discuss Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy, a story of a young woman trying to reintroduce wolves into the wild in the Scottish Highlands, only to find a darker side of the town that has troubling echoes with her own past. We discuss the story through the themes of instinct, villainy, and monsters. We also share some context on real-world conservation efforts, and get into the subgenre of tragedy porn (or misery lit). Links: Interview with Charlotte McConaghy Shelf Discovery & Books Mentioned Popular Trauma Culture by Anne Roth It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover Island of the Sea Wolves [Netflix] Miracle Creek by Angie Kim The Women by Kristin Hannah A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara Stolen by Ann-Helén Laestadius If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
April 3 · 53 min
In Conversation: Alli Hoff Kosik on influencers, gossip, and the online world in books
Author Alli Hoff Kosik joins us to discuss her new book Too Blessed to Stress, a novel following four Christian influencers as they navigate their online lives and deal with private struggles becoming public. We talk about communication and the internet as tools of power, how gossip can be wielded for good and for evil, and the ways social media has begun to appear in novels in a variety of ways. And, of course, we share tons of book recommendations as we talk all about how Too Blessed to Stress is in conversation with other books, media, and popular culture. This is a spoiler-free discussion (with very minimal discussion of plot and characters) so dive in - whether you read the book and loved it, or have never heard of it until now! Books and Media Mentioned The Book of Essie by Meghan MacLean Weir The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Sex and the City The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares Gossip Girl Such a Bad Influence by Olivia Muenter The Influencers by Anna-Marie McLemore Tehrangeles by Porochista Khakpour If You're Seeing This, It's Meant for You by Leigh Stein The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami In Her Defense by Philippa Malicka Dracula by Bram Stoker Colton Gentry's Third Act by Jeff Zentner The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot Amelia's Notebook by Marissa Moss The Correspondent by Virginia Evans Paper Cut by Rachel Taff If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S7 · E5
March 25 · 1 hr 1 min
Greenwood by Michael Christie: legacy and inheritance
In this episode, Neha and Shruti discuss Greenwood, a multigenerational family saga tied together with a repeating motif of trees and forests. We discuss themes of legacy, inheritance, nature, and addiction, and we also share our critiques of the book, from its character construction to its central message. Interview with Michael Christie Shelf Discovery: What We Can Know by Ian McEwan The Overstory by Richard Powers Playground by Richard Powers Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S7 · E4
March 11 · 57 min
Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer: entropy and uncertainty
In this episode, Neha and Shruti discuss Annihilation, the first book of Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach trilogy. We discuss its world building, character development, and share our many theories about the central mystery and the book's ending. Shelf Discovery & Books Mentioned: His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher Piranesi by Susanna Clarke If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S7 · E3
February 25 · 1 hr 7 min
What We Can Know by Ian McEwan: memory and preservation
In this episode, Shruti and Neha discuss What We Can Know, Ian McEwan's latest speculative novel about a lost poem, climate change, and the power of stories. We discuss this novel through the themes of memory and preservation, and talk about our differing opinions on some of the major twists in the novel. Shelf Discovery & Books Mentioned: Possession by A.S. Byatt Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf Universality by Natasha Brown If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S7 · E2
February 11 · 1 hr 4 min
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer: conceit and control
In this episode, Neha and Shruti discuss Jon Krakauer's famous account of the 1996 Mt. Everest disaster, Into Thin Air. They discuss his chosen narration style, clarify what actually happened on that mountain, and talk about the role of a writer in controlling their story. Shelf Discovery The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin The Call of the Wild by Jack London If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S7 · E1
January 28 · 25 min
Season 7: The Natural World
New year, new season! In this episode we introduce the theme for our upcoming season, The Natural World - then we get into the eight books we'll be discussing over the next few months. Vote for your choice of novel here Books Mentioned: Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer What We Can Know by Ian McEwan Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer Greenwood by Michael Christie Barkskins by Annie Proulx We Are Green and Trembling by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver Moby Dick by Herman Melville If you would like to get additional recommendations, analyses, and behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 26, 2025 · 1 hr 4 min
2025 in Books: Our Favorite Books, Reading Reflections, and More
In our final episode of 2025, we talk about what our reading lives were like this year, and discuss our stand-out reads through superlatives. Listen in to hear the best page-turners, best characters, and most unexpected reads we encountered this year, to name a few! Books Mentioned The Margot Affair by Sanae Lemoine Diary of a Void by Emi Yogi The Bee Sting by Paul Murray The Wall by Marlen Haushofer The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin Friends of the Museum by Heather McGowan Butter by Asako Yuzuki The Oppermans Lion Feuchtwanger Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai Universality by Natasha Brown My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante Audition by Katie Kitamura Heart the Lover by Lily King Water Moon by Samantha Soto Yambao The Old Man by the Sea by Domenico Starnone Emma by Jane Austen Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee Bunny by Mona Awad The Remembered Soldier by Anjet Daanje Orbital by Samantha Harvey Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles If you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S6 · E9
Dec 17, 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
Cities, Places, and Settings in Books with Strong Sense of Place
Get your TBR lists ready, because in this wrap up episode we talk all about the books we read in Season 6, and then welcome David and Melissa of Strong Sense of Place for a special guest segment! They tell us about their favorite travels, settings they've loved, and unique books that have transported them. We also get into our issues with short stories, and discuss ways to get into reading them. Books Discussed: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel The Works: Anatomy of a City by Kate Ascher The Last Warner Woman by Kei Miller Elephant Complex: Travels in Sri Lanka by John Gimlette Stoner by John Williams The Prague Sonata by Bradford Morrow The Godmother by Hannelore Cayre Vintage 1954 by Antoine Laurain A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles Table for Two by Amor Towles A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders Passing by Nella Larson The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon From The Mixed Up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsberg The Cricket in Time Square by Garth Williams The Original by Nell Stevens Brat Farrar by Josephine Tay The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highswmith The Remembered Solider by Anjet Daanje My Family and other Rockstars by Tiffany Murphy If you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S6 · E8
Dec 3, 2025 · 1 hr 8 min
The Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk : narcissism and honor
In this episode Neha and Shruti discuss The Museum of Innocence, by Nobel prize winner Orhan Pamuk, through themes of narcissism and honor. We discuss the idea of legacy, cultural norms and the patriarchy, and the way that the book's framing affects the way we interpret the story. Plus, we talk through the book's intriguing ending and reach new insights about what the book is trying to do, and its effect on readers. Shelf Discovery: Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov If you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free email newsletter on Substack. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S6 · E7
Nov 19, 2025 · 57 min
Such A Long Journey by Rohinton Mistry: forgiveness, misfortunes, and miracles
In this episode, Shruti and Neha travel to Mumbai in Rohinton Mistry's Booker shortlisted novel Such a Long Journey, through themes of forgiveness, miracles, and misfortunes. We discuss the novel's loveable and sometimes frustrating characters, the symbolism of animals, and the looming specter of death in daily life. Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai If you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S6 · E6
Nov 5, 2025 · 55 min
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin: erasure and morality
Neha and Shruti discuss the speculative novel The City We Became, a story about New York City's five avatars who must band together to defend the city from a looming enemy. We discuss our thoughts on the book's premise and structure, get into H.P Lovecraft's legacy of horror and racism, and more! Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery: The Call of Cthulu by H.P. Lovecraft Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer Lone Women by Victor LaValle Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff If you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S6 · E5
Oct 22, 2025 · 1 hr 8 min
White Teeth by Zadie Smith: disappointment and rejecting coexistence
In this episode, Neha and Shruti discuss Zadie Smith's debut novel, White Teeth. We talk about themes of religion, inheritance, class, history, and the need for control; we explore what those 'white teeth' in the title might mean; and finally we get into our issues with the book, and discuss the genre of Hysterical Realism. Links: Human, All Too Inhuman by James Wood How White Teeth transcends its many flaws Shelf Discovery: On Beauty by Zadie Smith Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie The Shadow Lines by Amitav Ghosh If you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter. We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Showing 1–20 of 21 episodes