Ep. 78: Winter (A Winter in New York + Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead)

12/31/24 • 41 min

Summary: Bundle up and stay inside with us for a very topical episode today; Holly and Devin sip hot coco and discuss books set in the Winter! Whether you love the cold and the snow like Devin or have moved as far away from the season as you reasonably can like Holly, books set in winter create the perfect vibe for our host’s respective wheelhouses. Nothing is cozier or more ominous than this season, where being stuck inside can be perfect for smooching or for bodies being found.

Topics Discussed:

The Heart (4:30): Devin discussed A Winter in New York by Josie Silver, a romance following Iris, a British woman restarting her life in New York City from London after the death of her mother and the end of an abusive relationship. At a street fair in Little Italy, Iris recognizes the characteristic door to Belotti’s gelateria as a place her mother spent time with a mysterious young man. A secret gelato recipe, an uncle fallen ill, and a gorgeous and kind Belotti’s heir Giovanni and Iris is in over her head. How can she reconcile her family’s past while struggling so much to build her own future? Devin’s key takeaways were:

This story begins in the fall but spends the majority if the time deep in the New York winter; there’s romanticization of the city but the coziness of Iris’ tiny apartment and the back kitchen of Belotti’s where she and Gio work on the recipe was enjoyable to read, if not totally accurate to what NYC is like in the winter.
Similar to other works by Silver, this story has a lot of layers to it, some of which work better than others. The guilt that Iris feels about having Gio’s family recipe from her mother and the romantic implications from teenagers goes a bit far and creates a false sense of strain between Iris and Gio, who otherwise could have had a totally normal, non-dramatic romance.
One of the main themes through this book is family - how we’re connected, what our families teach us, what a legacy means, and what happens when you step outside that comfort zone and get hurt by strangers. Iris has just escaped an abusive relationship and the connection to her mother drives her to take sometimes unnatural steps to stay involved with Belotti’s.

The Dagger (17:12): Holly discussed Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk, a literary mystery following Janina, who lives a solitary life in a rural Polish village. Quirky and eccentric, Janina is deeply connected to nature and obsessed with astrology and William Blake’s poetry. Awoken in the middle of the night by her neighbor (who she calls Oddball) banging on her door, she discovers that her other neighbor, Big Foot, has died painfully. Unable to reach the Czech police, they take care of his body and things escalate after another community member is found dead. Holly’s key takeaways were:

The novel challenges traditional notions of morality, presenting animals as equal agents deserving of justice and respect. Janina's belief that animals can take revenge for human cruelty questions the ethics of hunting, poaching, and industrialized animal exploitation.
Janina is portrayed as an eccentric outsider, dismissed by her community for her unconventional views and behavior. Janina's character challenges stereotypes about older women, portraying her as intelligent, independent, and driven. Her alienation underscores the marginalization of those who challenge societal norms and the way society dismisses women.
This book is perfectly atmospheric for winter; to give a taste of how winter is depicted from the first pages: “We left the house and were instantly engulfed by the familiar cold, wet air that reminds us every winter that the world was not created for Mankind, and for at least half the year it shows us how very hostile it is to us. The frost brutally assailed our cheeks, and clouds of white steam came streaming from our mouths.”

Hot On the Shelf (32.35):

Holly: All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall
Devin: Truly Madly Deeply by Alexandria Bellefleur

What’s Making Our Hearts Race (35:34):

Devin: Our Little Secret with Lindsay Lohan on Netflix
Holly: John Williams Documentary on Disney+

Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod

Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com

If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us ...

Topics Discussed:

The Heart (4:30): Devin discussed A Winter in New York by Josie Silver, a romance following Iris, a British woman restarting her life in New York City from London after the death of her mother and the end of an abusive relationship. At a street fair in Little Italy, Iris recognizes the characteristic door to Belotti’s gelateria as a place her mother spent time with a mysterious young man. A secret gelato recipe, an uncle fallen ill, and a gorgeous and kind Belotti’s heir Giovanni and Iris is in over her head. How can she reconcile her family’s past while struggling so much to build her own future? Devin’s key takeaways were:

This story begins in the fall but spends the majority if the time deep in the New York winter; there’s romanticization of the city but the coziness of Iris’ tiny apartment and the back kitchen of Belotti’s where she and Gio work on the recipe was enjoyable to read, if not totally accurate to what NYC is like in the winter.
Similar to other works by Silver, this story has a lot of layers to it, some of which work better than others. The guilt that Iris feels about having Gio’s family recipe from her mother and the romantic implications from teenagers goes a bit far and creates a false sense of strain between Iris and Gio, who otherwise could have had a totally normal, non-dramatic romance.
One of the main themes through this book is family - how we’re connected, what our families teach us, what a legacy means, and what happens when you step outside that comfort zone and get hurt by strangers. Iris has just escaped an abusive relationship and the connection to her mother drives her to take sometimes unnatural steps to stay involved with Belotti’s.

The Dagger (17:12): Holly discussed Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk, a literary mystery following Janina, who lives a solitary life in a rural Polish village. Quirky and eccentric, Janina is deeply connected to nature and obsessed with astrology and William Blake’s poetry. Awoken in the middle of the night by her neighbor (who she calls Oddball) banging on her door, she discovers that her other neighbor, Big Foot, has died painfully. Unable to reach the Czech police, they take care of his body and things escalate after another community member is found dead. Holly’s key takeaways were:

The novel challenges traditional notions of morality, presenting animals as equal agents deserving of justice and respect. Janina's belief that animals can take revenge for human cruelty questions the ethics of hunting, poaching, and industrialized animal exploitation.
Janina is portrayed as an eccentric outsider, dismissed by her community for her unconventional views and behavior. Janina's character challenges stereotypes about older women, portraying her as intelligent, independent, and driven. Her alienation underscores the marginalization of those who challenge societal norms and the way society dismisses women.
This book is perfectly atmospheric for winter; to give a taste of how winter is depicted from the first pages: “We left the house and were instantly engulfed by the familiar cold, wet air that reminds us every winter that the world was not created for Mankind, and for at least half the year it shows us how very hostile it is to us. The frost brutally assailed our cheeks, and clouds of white steam came streaming from our mouths.”

Hot On the Shelf (32.35):

Holly: All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall
Devin: Truly Madly Deeply by Alexandria Bellefleur

What’s Making Our Hearts Race (35:34):

Devin: Our Little Secret with Lindsay Lohan on Netflix
Holly: John Williams Documentary on Disney+

Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod

Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com

If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us ...

Previous Episode

Ep. 77: Small Towns (The Whisper Man + Book Lovers)

Summary: Get ready to run into that one kid from high school in today’s episode - Small Towns! Whether you’re like Devin who grew up and still lives in small towns or like Holly who is a big city gal, these spaces are almost always pressure cookers. The intimacy of the community can make any character claustrophobic (especially if a serial killer is lurking) or euphoric with love; the past and the present intermingle in these places and nothing is anonymous, for better or worse.

Topics Discussed:

The Dagger (5:29): Holly discussed The Whisper Man by Alex North, a psychological thriller following Tom Kennedy and his young son, Jake, after they move to the small town of Featherbank after the tragic death of Tom’s wife, Rebecca. Jake, a quiet and sensitive boy, soon begins to exhibit strange behavior - including talking to imaginary friends. When Neil Spencer, a young boy in town, goes missing in a similar way to the M.O. of serial Killer Frank Cater, detectives get involved to stop the madness. Holly’s key takeaways were:

Characters like detective Pete and Tom are haunted by their pasts, while Jake’s odd behavior reflects how trauma can manifest in children. The novel delves into the lasting effects of pain and loss. The strained relationship between Tom and Jake mirrors the generational impact of Tom's own childhood with his abusive father, exploring how parental relationships shape identity and behavior.
Featherbank is portrayed as a small, seemingly idyllic town, but one that is haunted by its history with "The Whisper Man" murders. This duality of small towns—where the veneer of safety masks a deeper darkness—creates a rich tension. The town's past crimes are embedded in its collective memory, affecting the attitudes of its residents and shaping the investigation into the new abduction.
Both Tom and Jake feel isolated in their own ways, but the story emphasizes the importance of connection and understanding in overcoming fear and loneliness. The father and son also grapple with their grief over Rebecca’s death; their loneliness highlights the ways people cope with loss and how relationships can be rebuilt after tragedy.

The Heart (15:24): Devin discussed Book Lovers by Emily Henry, a romance following NYC literary agent Nora Stephens as she and her sister Libby take a sabbatical to the tiny town of Sunshine Falls, North Carolina. Once there, Nora runs into her arch-nemesis and brooding book editor Charlie Lastra, who grew up in the town. Thrown together for a few weeks, the two decide to put aside their differences and work to make a well-known author’s manuscript into a publishable book. But can their enmity last when they both clearly love books and this idyllic town so much? Devin’s key takeaways were:

The setting of Sunshine Falls is as Hallmark-y as the name would convey. The are friendly locals, quirky businesses, and a slower pace of life that contrasts directly with the New York lifestyles that Nora and Charlie are accustomed to now. The town also holds personal significance for Charlie; he grew up there.
Nora is a literary agent and Charlie an editor, which not only gives them a ton in common but is grounds for their enmity. In Sunshine Falls, the Goode Books Store is a focal point, representing the literary charm of the town and serves as the backdrop for many scenes.
While it was a manuscript that made them dislike each other, it’s another one that brings them together. Nora first met Charlie when pitching the blunt editor a manuscript she felt passionate about; he rebuffs her and criticizes the work. They both have their heels dug in that the other is wrong and has no taste, but as they collaborate on Dusty Fielding’s latest work, they begin to bond.

Hot On the Shelf (27:36):

Devin: Puck & Prejudice by Lia Riley
Holly: Perestroika in Paris by Jane Smiley

What’s Making Our Hearts Race (31:15):

Devin: the final season of What We Do in the Shadows
Holly: the Wicked movie

Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod

Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com

If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

Next Episode

Ep. 79: Second Chances (My Murder + Before I Let Go)

Summary: Welcome to 2025 and a fresh start! Join our hosts today as they discuss books that feature second chances. What happens when you don’t nail it the first time, but get another shot to turn things around? What if that new shot is a cloned body after you were murdered, or a co-parent looking more and more like the love of your life again? Whatever your wheelhouse, this time of year is a great opportunity to get a fresh perspective.

Topics Discussed:

The Dagger (4:15): Holly discussed My Murder by Katie Williams, a sci-fi mystery thriller following Louise, the happily married mother of an adorable toddler and recent victim of a serial killer. Thanks to a pilot program created by the US Government, Lou has been cloned and “brought back to life.” The clones in the program are returned to their grieving families and the lives that have been stolen from them, the memories, feelings, and personalities of their original selves intact (for the most part). For Louise, though, there’s a lingering unease and she’s haunted by the gaps in her memory from the lead up to her murder. Holly’s key takeaways were:

This thriller blends speculative science fiction and domestic suspense, with the sci-fi coming across as very approachable and a light touch; for example, the serial killer Edward Early is meant to serve out his sentence in an induced coma as part of his rehab.
Williams explores the nature of identity and selfhood; she interrogates what makes you, you - is cloned Louise the same as the Louise who was killed? What does it mean that she no longer has a c-section scar and her toddler sometimes doesn’t recognize her?
There is a very literal second chance in this story - Louise is cloned and placed back into her old life. However, is this opportunity the bright, happy solution the program intends?

The Heart (14:31): Devin discussed Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan, a romance following Yasmin and Josiah as they work to co-parent their two children, Deja and Kassim, after their painful but amicable divorce. After the tragic loss of their third unborn child and Yasmin’s struggle with depression, the forever that Yasmin and Josiah saw for themselves fell apart. Now, as they both recover and begin to find joy and themselves again, will they return to each other? Devin’s key takeaways were:

Ryan explores second chances not just for their relationship but for themselves as individuals; Yasmen and Josiah work the entire book to really come back to themselves after the tragedy and give themselves the permission to feel joy and enjoy life again. Their self-evolution naturally leads to the exploration of their divorce and the love they still have for each other.
Unlike a lot of romances, children and co-parenting play a huge role in this book; Yasmen and Josiah work constantly to meet the needs of their children and a lot of their coordination and early plot revolves around them. The family is richly described with rounded characters all around and are easy to fall in love with
Josiah and Yasmen co-own a restaurant, Grits. It’s so successful that they’re looking to expand into a new market, and the family history and culinary connection brightens the book and adds texture that it would otherwise have missed.