March Staff Picks

Sara Santistevan

A Council of Dolls

It’s such a rare treat to be so hypnotized by a book that the world fades around you. That was my experience reading Mona Susan Power’s novel A Council of Dolls. I love when writers of color use experimental or speculative fiction to grapple with the horrors of historical and generational trauma. The speculative elements in A Council of Dolls are executed so seamlessly into the narrative I found myself questioning whether they even were speculative.

The narrative begins in the 1960s, following the story of Sissy, a young Dakota girl growing up in Chicago, and her unique friendship with her doll. It seems like any other story capturing the unique world of childhood, where imaginary friends can often take the form of objects. However, the line between childhood imagination and generational magic becomes blurred when the narrative travels back to tell the story of her mother and grandmother and their relationship with dolls who seems to hold the same memories and knowledge as Sissy’s doll. The doll’s surviving spirit is a beautiful metaphor that has kept me spellbound long after finishing this book.

A gorgeous yet heartbreaking matrilineal tale highlighting the crucial role women’s hope and strength plays in keeping cultures alive, I recommend A Council of Dolls to any reader who loves speculative fiction—and its unique power to unveil hidden pasts and re-imagine a more just present and future. 

Dominic Loise

Daredevil: Born Again

Before starting Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+, I went back to refresh myself on what happened during the last season of Daredevil for Netflix, which ended in 2018. Ironically, the 2018 season of Daredevil already told Frank Miller’s classic comic book Born Again storyline. 

The 1986 comic book saw Frank Miller return to write the character Daredevil with art by David Mazzucchelli. At the same time, Miller was writing and drawing The Dark Knight Returns for DC Comics. These two works of Miller’s comics along with Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons The Watchmen set a benchmark for reality-based comic books or what would be known as the Grim N’ Gritty Era. 

Like the comic book story, the last season of the Netflix’s Daredevil focuses on a hero beaten by a villain so severely they don’t get back up for the fight in the next issue. The Kingpin/Wilson Fisk is so many moves ahead of Daredevil/Matt Murdock it takes a multiple issue storyline for the hero to recover.

The television series addresses mental health and addiction like the original comic and it stresses the importance of community. It is Murdock’s core support system who give him a safe space to rediscover himself and heal mentally and physically from the events of season two. It is also his friends that remind him the way to take down a Kingpin is not as a vigilante stepping over a line but through established public systems like the court of law and the freedom of the press. 

Marizel Malan

Sunday (1994)

I have not been able to stop listening to the indie trio Sunday (1994). Since stumbling upon them, their songs have been ruling all my playlists, and their debut album has been on repeat for days at a time. Their self-titled album, Sunday (1994), released in 2024, is a no-skip from start to finish.

Paige Turner, lead vocalist, and Lee Newell, her partner and the band’s lead guitarist, wrote and recorded most of their first single—the incredible song “Tired Boy”—from their one bedroom apartment. Soon after, they recruited their mysterious drummer “X,” whose sound suited the duo’s vision and vibe perfectly. The three created an incredible album that speaks about turning points, finding love and having it find you, and the internal struggles people face.

If any of their songs encapsulates all of these notions, it would be my personal favorite “TV Car Chase.” It’s the song that drew me to the band in the first place, and certainly the one I listen to the most. A close second is “Blossom,” another beautifully written and composed song. With a strong introduction to the band, I had no doubt their album would be incredible from start to finish. With the release of a new single “Doomsday,” this is the perfect time to get into the band. If you need a reminder of the magic to be found in every part of your daily life, lyrics that tell incredible stories, and some melancholy vibes to boot, you should absolutely check out Sunday (1994)!