When Meryl Streep reads Anne Hathaway for filth over a cerulean sweater, who else imagined the Mortal Kombat narrator proclaim “FATALITY?” This May, two beloved sequels fight for box office dominance, and we’ve got book recommendations for both. Which alignment will you choose: The toxic yet glamorous girlboss world of Runway Magazine, or the brutal violence of Shao Kahn’s Outworld?
Necromancy. Familial revenge. East Asian folklore. These themes not only apply to Mortal Kombat, they’re also key ingredients of And the River Drags Her Down. After Soojin’s sister Mirae mysteriously drowns, she attempts to bring Mirae back to life using ancestral magic. But doing so breaks the cardinal rule- never resurrect anything larger than the palm of your hand. And every rule has a reason…
Working at The Devil Wears Prada isn’t as glamorous as the product it sells. The same is true in We Could Be Magic. Tabitha has always dreamed of being a character actor at Sommerland, which is basically a stand-in for Disneyland. She lands a prestigious internship, but underneath the public-facing positivity and magic, there is a culture of burnout, apathy, and body size discrimination. How do you reconcile the place you’ve idolized with the reality of its inner workings? This graphic novel is a heartwarming story about adjusting expectations without losing hope.
Speaking of Devil Wears Prada, remember how Andy knew none of her coworkers' fashion references? That’s how Danny feels in Limelight when he transfers into LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts. As a teen from Staten Island, things like Club Kid fashion, Jonathan Larson’s Rent, and openly Queer people feel like stepping into another world. Through newfound friends, Danny discovers the person he can be. Limelight is perfect for theatre kids and those interested in the gritty, edgier NYC of the '90s.
What better book to pair with Mortal Kombat than one written by the daughter of martial artist Bruce Lee? Most of the action in Breath of the Dragon centers around the Guardian Tournament, a proving ground for warriors whose winner becomes protector of a powerful scroll. Jun is a talented, but other competitors have been gifted special abilities by dragons. Can Jun win without any such enhancements? As the tournament proceeds, he discovers that some competitors have nefarious ambitions for the scroll. Suddenly Jun's not just fighting for personal glory… he’s fighting for the fate of the world.
Whichever book you choose, don't forget to *ominous announcer voice* FINISH IT!
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