S13 E2 - Frankenstein

We are into the story proper with Victor beginning his tale all the way back at the, well, beginning. This episode, we’re discussing chapters 1 and 2 which covers Victor’s parents, idyllic childhood and first forays into science. (Note: there are a few moments of buzz in Jenn D’s audio. We’ve done our best to minimise it, but the replacement cable is taking forever to arrive. We’re on it, promise!) You can find the show notes on the website.  This episode was recorded on 28 October 2026.   Thanks for listening! If you want to read along, next episode will cover Chapters 3 and 4, pages 30-43.  You can find out more about this podcast at www.marginaliapod.com. If you have any thoughts, questions, or general feedback, let us know at [email protected]

Well, well, well, look who has come crawling back! It’s the Jen(n)s! And we’re thrilled! We are back, we’re rejuvinated, and we have a slightly tweaked format but the same appreciation for books as always. In this episode, we talk through what our new structure looks like and how we’re going to approach season 13 of the pod after our two and a bit year hiatus. We’re reading Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley, covering pages 1-18 or, as Jen V calls it, the Letters. You can find the show notes on the website.  This episode was recorded on 14 October 2026.   Thanks for listening! If you want to read along, next episode will cover pages 19-29.  You can find out more about this podcast at www.marginaliapod.com. If you have any thoughts, questions, or general feedback, let us know at [email protected]

Here we are, at the end of all things. It's time to say goodbye to the Gangsey as we read chapters 62 to the epilogue of The Raven King through the theme of promise this week. In this section, Ronan is being unmade and Adam, unable to bear it, scries and gets some useful advice from Persephone. Meanwhile, Gansey accepts that there is no time to save himself, and asks Blue to kiss him. She does, and he dies. It’s pretty terrible. Henry compells them to action, and Adam suggests asking Cabeswater to die for Gansey. Together, they work with the last of Ronan’s dreamt forest, and Gansey is remade. In the epilogue, Adam confronts his parents for the last time; Gansey, Blue, and Henry receive a graduation gift from Ronan for their gap year; and Ronan begins to dream. You can find the show notes on the website.  This episode was recorded on 25 November 2023. This is the final part of the Raven Cycle - check out season 5 for The Raven Boys, season 8 for The Dream Thieves, and season 10 for Blue Lily, Lily Blue. Thanks for listening! We're going to be taking a break for a wee while to consider the future of the pod. We'll be back with an update as soon as we can, but keep an eye on the website for updates, too. In the meantime, check out our earlier seasons if you haven’t already. Start with season 3 on Strange the Dreamer, we reckon it’s a stellar book that deserves more recognition! You can find out more about this podcast at www.marginaliapod.com. If you have any thoughts, questions, or general feedback, let us know at [email protected]

Wah wah, things are going awry and one might say, the Gangsey are at risk of feeling a bit disillusioned... That's the theme for chapters 55-61 of The Raven King this week. In this section, Gansey walks the tunnel to Glendower until his phone battery runs out... but the Gangsey find him. They find Glendower—but there is no waking this sleeping king. As they head back to Cabeswater in search of a solution to their demon problem, Adam is possessed and tries to kill Ronan. Back in Henrietta, the political fundraiser has come and gone, but the sale for the demon is just about to start. It does not end well for Piper Greenmantle. We're returning to the foundational theme of connections. You can check out season 5 for The Raven Boys, season 8 for The Dream Thieves, and season 10 for Blue Lily, Lily Blue. You can find the show notes on the website.  This episode was recorded on 22 November 2023. Thanks for listening! You can find out more about this podcast at www.marginaliapod.com. If you have any thoughts, questions, or general feedback, let us know at [email protected]

Chaos is a ladder... into this week's episode as we read chapters 48-54 of The Raven King through, you guessed it, the theme of chaos. In this section, Gwenllian gives Gansey some advice, and then he rushes off to follow a storm of birds to his king. He gets in the Camaro and goes. Ronan is woken by Blue to the news that Gansey has gone–he offers to dream something that will help find him. The Camaro does Gansey a solid by breaking down, allowing Henry the chance to help. They follow the birds to the same place Gansey first died. He comes to the conclusion that he was saved so he could find Glendower and kill the demon; and Henry finds the opening to a cave. Gansey decides to go in on his own. We're returning to the foundational theme of connections. You can check out season 5 for The Raven Boys, season 8 for The Dream Thieves, and season 10 for Blue Lily, Lily Blue. You can find the show notes on the website.  This episode was recorded on 19 November 2023. Thanks for listening! You can find out more about this podcast at www.marginaliapod.com. If you have any thoughts, questions, or general feedback, let us know at [email protected]

We're reading chapters 41-47 of The Raven King through the theme of shame this week. In this section, Gwenllian attacks Artemus, who retreats into Blue’s favorite beech tree. Adam and Ronan dream together and find disease and death in Cabeswater. Gansey, meanwhile, has taken Henry and Blue to lunch with his parents. The Gangsey is reunited to support Ronan. Blue finally gets to talk to her father, who tells the story of the tir e e’lintes, the tree lights, and tells her, finally, how they can stop the demon: by a willing sacrifice along the corpse road. We're returning to the foundational theme of connections. You can check out season 5 for The Raven Boys, season 8 for The Dream Thieves, and season 10 for Blue Lily, Lily Blue. You can find the show notes on the website.  This episode was recorded on 18 November 2023. Thanks for listening! You can find out more about this podcast at www.marginaliapod.com. If you have any thoughts, questions, or general feedback, let us know at [email protected]

We fancy ourselves quite good at observing, so it's a great theme for us as we read chapters 34-40 of The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater this week. In this section, Declan and Ronan have a nice moment. Back in Cabeswater, Neeve is trying to mitigate the harm of Piper Greenmantle and the demon, and is unmade for her efforts. At the Barns, the Gangsey piece together their experiences. Adam tells Gansey about the kiss; Gansey admits that he loves Blue. Henry Cheng is kidnapped by Mr Gray, but Gansey intervenes. We're returning to the foundational theme of connections. You can check out season 5 for The Raven Boys, season 8 for The Dream Thieves, and season 10 for Blue Lily, Lily Blue. You can find the show notes on the website.  This episode was recorded on 5 November 2023. Thanks for listening! You can find out more about this podcast at www.marginaliapod.com. If you have any thoughts, questions, or general feedback, let us know at [email protected]

We're reading 27-33 of The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater through the theme of bravery this week. It feels like a veyr apt theme as these characters have been called upon to be brave time and time again.  In this section, Gansey is waiting for Blue at the urgent care when Ronan and Adam turn up, post-Cabeswater misadventure. Gansey comes clean about his and Blue’s relationship. Meanwhile, in DC, Declan gets a call from an old “friend” of Niall’s to let him know the wolves are convening on Henrietta. Declan takes himself to Henrietta and he and Ronan have a heart-to-heart (kind of). Ronan elects to stay in Henrietta, but asks Declan to take Matthew to DC to keep him safe. Henry, meanwhile, convinces Gansey to climb into a hole in the basement of a building and puts a robotic bee in his hand. It’s a test of mettle that Gansey passes. The rituals are intricate. (Henry also has fun playacting an Aglionby jerk with Blue.) Adam is coming to terms with wanting to be closer to Ronan than just friends, possibly, maybe. And Adam and Ronan kiss! We're returning to the foundational theme of connections. You can check out season 5 for The Raven Boys, season 8 for The Dream Thieves, and season 10 for Blue Lily, Lily Blue. You can find the show notes on the website.  This episode was recorded on 1 November 2023. Thanks for listening! You can find out more about this podcast at www.marginaliapod.com. If you have any thoughts, questions, or general feedback, let us know at [email protected]

Get ready to dive deep cause we're all about discovery this week! That's our theme for chapters 21-26 of Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven King. In this section, Adam and Ronan run into trouble retrieving Orphan Girl from Cabeswater. Adam finally asks all the right questions, and discovers that Ronan manifested Cabeswater—which raises lots of questions about who Adam is beholden to, if anyone. Meanwhile, Blue and Gansey head back to Fox Way, only to find the entire house dark, and buzzing, and terrifying. A possessed Noah trie to claw out Blue’s eye; Gansey’s intention and her battery power are the only things that save them. Piper Greenmantle uses her new friend the demon to casually murder her ex, Colin.  We're returning to the foundational theme of connections. You can check out season 5 for The Raven Boys, season 8 for The Dream Thieves, and season 10 for Blue Lily, Lily Blue. We’re also still actively recording this season so if you have thoughts or questions let us know at [email protected], and we’ll answer them as we go! You can find the show notes on the website. 

This week, we're reading chapters 14-20 of The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater through the theme of friendship. In this section, Blue and Adam have a conversation that turns into an argument about Blue and Gansey secretly falling in love. Adam and Ronan go looking for the devil attacking Cabeswater. They end up at Adam’s father’s house— the wrong devil. Blue and Gansey go to Henry Cheng’s toga party. Maura and Mr Gray go on a little driving of their own, and find Noah reliving his death in the bathroom at Piper Greenmantle’s old house.  We're returning to the foundational theme of connections. You can check out season 5 for The Raven Boys, season 8 for The Dream Thieves, and season 10 for Blue Lily, Lily Blue. We’re also still actively recording this season so if you have thoughts or questions let us know at [email protected], and we’ll answer them as we go! You can find the show notes on the website.