Charlotte Ahlin is a writer, playwright, actor, and artist. She's a native New Yorker and a graduate of Oberlin College. She's also the Associate Artistic Director and Morale Officer of Fat Knight Theatre. Right now, she's reading science fiction from the '70s and drawing sad cartoons.
9 Mythic Retellings Full Of Bizarre Circumstances, Grand Journeys, And Revenge Plots
You've probably heard of Madeline Miller's Circe, or perhaps you have even read it already. You already know that it's no easy business, being a god. Or a witch. Or a monster. In one of the most celebrated books of 2018, Miller manages to take a…
By Charlotte Ahlin
Love Fantasy But Hate Castles & Dragons? Try These 11 Books
Look, I love castles and dragons as much as the next nerd. I've written at length about Song of Ice and Fire conspiracy theories (don't even talk to me unless you think that Aegon is a Blackfyre pretender). I've read a lot of books with characters…
By Charlotte Ahlin
Hopefully Brienne From 'Game Of Thrones' Won't Share The Fate Of The Woman She's Based On
You know that super fun dragon show with all the naked scenes and the twins who have a very inappropriate relationship with one another? Yeah, most of it's based on real life. Or rather, George R.R. Martin has drawn inspiration from a whole lot of…
By Charlotte Ahlin
10 Short Audiobooks To Get You Through Holiday Travel
Look, I know that audiobooks are great all year round, but there's something about the holidays that make audiobooks especially important. You can plug in and listen on the plane, bus, or car ride to grandma's house. You can queue one up while…
By Charlotte Ahlin
Winter Is Definitely The Creepiest Season, And These 11 Terrifying Books Prove It
Winter is a time for festivities, for lighting candles and singing songs and eating lots of warm, ridiculous food. But do you know why we have all of these cozy, comfy, adorable traditions surrounding the dead of midwinter? Because winter is…
By Charlotte Ahlin
The History Of The Holidays Is More Fascinating Than You Think, As Explained By These Books
It's that time of year: Mariah Carey is blasting in all the drugstores, and Netflix is pumping out a whole new slew of lightly plotted wintertime romance films. Perhaps you're thrilled to be buying presents for your loved ones and bringing a literal…
By Charlotte Ahlin
Who Is Azor Ahai? Everything To Know The Mythical Savior From 'Game Of Thrones'
If you've seen the Game of Thrones TV show, or read the Song of Ice and Fire books, or stumbled across a subreddit of theories about the true identity of Ser Pounce, then you've probably heard the term "Azor Ahai" before. Perhaps you've filed this…
By Charlotte Ahlin
Celebrity Memoirs Can Be Hit-Or-Miss, But These 11 Are Definitely Hits
The celebrity memoir has gotten a bit of a bad reputation. I mean, look, I'm not saying that every Instagram influencer and Real Housewife is secretly a stunning memoirist, or that we should all give up novels to exclusively read cookbooks written…
By Charlotte Ahlin
Winter Has A Bad Reputation, But These 11 Books Might Make You Reconsider
Winter is a great season for reading. It's the time of year when everyone comes together to eat and celebrate, sure, but it's also a prime time to cancel plans and snuggle under blankets by the radiator with a good book and a mug of the hot liquid…
By Charlotte Ahlin
Learn The History That Inspired The Lannisters & Impress All Your Friends
The Targaryens have their dragons and their wigs. The Starks have their wolves and their ability to (sometimes) time travel via psychic trees. But only one family has managed to hang onto the the Iron Throne since book one of the Song of Ice and…
By Charlotte Ahlin
11 Of Your Favorite Children's Tales Get A Seriously Adult Reboot In These Books
If there's anything that adults love, it's ruining their own childhood memories. I mean, just look at our current crop of dark and gritty reboots. We've got satanic Sabrina and gray-scale Dumbo and a new Lion King movie that lives firmly in the…
By Charlotte Ahlin
The 11 Best Dragons In Books, From Baby Norbert To Drogon
Dragons have always lurked somewhere in the back of the human subconscious. Maybe it's our lizard-brain memory of the dinosaurs (or the fact that ancient people were always finding funky fossils that they couldn't explain), but dragons dominate…
By Charlotte Ahlin
A Famous Author Is Responsible For These 7 Christmas Traditions
Every holiday season there is much hand-wringing and think-piece-writing about Christmas traditions, and how they are being ruined by non-denominational carols/window displays/coffee cup designs. The idea in certain circles seems to be that good old…
By Charlotte Ahlin
Remember 'Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark'? These 11 Books Are Just Spooky
Yes, it's true: not only is a documentary about Alvin Schwartz's macabre classic coming out, but Guillermo del Toro is making a film based on the original books, and an anthology of New Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is coming in 2019. It's a…
By Charlotte Ahlin
The Inspiration Behind The White Walkers From 'GoT' Explains Why They're So Terrifying
Dragons are impressive, sure, but pretty standard fantasy fare. The Children of the Forest are just re-branded hobbits with a dash of old school elf-lore thrown in. But what of the White Walkers? They rep hard for the "ice" side of George R.R.…
By Charlotte Ahlin
10 Funny Poems To Read When You Need A Pick-Me-Up
Look. Life is difficult, and often expensive. There's never enough time to accomplish anything. Our political leaders have taken up Saturday morning cartoon-style villainy. Love is impossible and job security is rare and my back creaks all the time…
By Charlotte Ahlin
11 Comforting Books To Read If The Holidays Have You Stressed To The Max
It's the holidays! A time for family, food, and stress-sobbing in the bathroom after your aunt makes another pointed comment about your body image. For some people, the holidays are 100% merriment and warm beverages. For others, they're an endless…
By Charlotte Ahlin
The Real-Life History Behind The Starks From 'Game Of Thrones' Is Super Fascinating
Winter may be coming, but The Winds of Winter is still a ways off. And honestly, George, as long as my Ser-Pounce-is-secretly-Azor-Ahai theory pays off, you can take as much time as you need. While you wait, you are getting a brand new book…
By Charlotte Ahlin
The Real-World History That Inspired The Targaryens Could Be A Clue About Dany's Fate
Readers may have to wait a bit to find out what's up with the Starks and the Lannisters and whichever Baratheons are still kicking around. But if you're a fan of Westeros's favorite dragon-based family, then you're in luck: George R.R. Martin has…
By Charlotte Ahlin
7 Short Stories That Will Definitely Have You Feeling The Fall Vibes
Yes, I know the drugstore Santas have begun their yearly infestation, but, believe it or not, it's still autumn. We have a few precious weeks to get all our fall reading in before we are eaten by the winter holidays. And there's something about…
By Charlotte Ahlin