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“The Howl” staff picks

February 5, 2025

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

Looking for a new show to binge or a new artist to fill the homework hours? The staff of “The Western Howl” has all avenues covered — and then some. 

Shows and movies:

“Attack on Titan” — Sophie Taylor, designer

One of the highest-rated animes of all time, Taylor’s choice of “Attack on Titan” is a show that “is breathtaking and was crafted to perfection. Twists and turns that no one sees coming will leave you jaw-dropped, looking at your own reflection on the black screen.” 

The show follows protagonist Eren Yeager as he joins the elite Survey Corps and faces off against Titans — gigantic, humanoid creatures that feed on humans — and is currently streaming on Apple TV+ and Crunchyroll.

“River Monsters” — Sophia Pierce, designer

“After 9 seasons, the show has sadly been discontinued since Jeremy Wade, the show’s star, has caught essentially all our waters have to offer,” Pierce said. 

Following Jeremy Wade as searches for exotic fishes, both big and small, the show goes across the globe and explores the cultures and stories of the people who have seen these creatures. 

“When a Stranger Calls” — Quincy Bentley, sports editor

Bentley’s love for horror shows in his pick, calling it a horror movie without the gore. “Though it was made in 1979, the suspense remains timeless. The utter intensity of the film kept me on the edge of my seat for the full 97 minutes,” he said. “(It’s) definitely worth the watch.”

The film follows high school student Jill Johnson who is terrorized by a killer during an evening of babysitting. She receives repeated calls asking her, “Have you checked the children lately?”

Books:

“Jurassic Park” by Michael Criton — Isabelle Jones, lifestyle editor

Jones is a self-professed lover of all things “Jurassic Park,” and her pick had her captivated by the relationship between man and dinosaurs — and its destructive nature. “For those waiting for Jurassic World Rebirth, take some time and learn about the origins of the franchise in this vicious adventure,” she said. 

The first in a duology, “Jurassic Park” explores the concept of cloning dinosaur DNA and its consequences. Much of the plot is similar to the movie, though of course creative liberties were taken during its filming. 

“The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” by V.E. Schwab — Hannah Field, editor-in-chief

“My favorite book of all time. Addie LaRue is cursed to live forever and be known by nobody — until somebody remembers her and, against all odds, they vow to rewrite their past and future as one. V.E. Schwab writes with magnetic prose in this standalone novel, capturing the human experience in such a captivating story,” Field says. 

“The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak — Addie Floyd, head designer

Perhaps one of the greatest books of our time, Floyd’s choice is one that she says broke her heart to pieces. “(It’s) definitely a life-changing book. I finished this book when I was in class my senior year of high school,” she says. “Worst idea ever. I should have known better. After all, it is narrated by death.”

Music:

“Preacher’s Daughter” by Ethel Cain — Ruth Simonsen, digital media manager

At Terry House, there’s one rule: in Ruth’s music we trust, and her choice of Ethel Cain’s album is the best example of why this is. “This album strikes home for anyone with religious trauma, as it follows the daughter of a preacher through her life, brutal death and afterlife,” she says. “Listen to this album during the quiet hours of the evening, preferably with a candle burning and noise-canceling headphones.”

“the sugar machine” by slenderbodies — Kiera Roedel, copy editor

Aside from being our copy editor, Roedel is also phenomenal at writing deep-dive album reviews, so this is familiar territory for her. 

“A falsetto-laden dream-pop record about yearning for days gone by and wishing for love and tranquility. Soft guitars, synthesizers and unusual percussion lines make it a peaceful yet engaging listen,” she says. “It doesn’t hurt that almost every song has an earworm chorus.”

“Imaginary Appalachia” by Colter Wall — Jaylin Emond-Hardin, entertainment editor

My personal pick, Wall’s debut album is reminiscent of the days of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Loretta Lynn. With soulful lyrics that dredge up images of the American South, this album is sure to make one yearn for the days of open ranges, cowboys and whiskey so strong it would knock the fuzz off a peach. 

Podcasts:

“The Magnus Archives” — Sadie Latimer, news editor

A horror anthology podcast, “The Magnus Archives” progresses as Jonathan Sims archives a collection of statements dealing with the paranormal. Each episode varies between 20 and 40 minutes and is sure to keep listeners riveted. 

“This podcast is long, but so worth it. Throughout the 200 episodes, it delves into the supernatural world and what it really means to be human,” Latimer says. 

“Old Gods of Appalachia” — Jaylin Emond-Hardin, entertainment editor

Another horror anthology podcast, “Old Gods of Appalachia” narrates the sordid and violent events surrounding the town of Barlo, Kentucky and its paranormal origins. 

With a backing soundtrack that throws listeners into the moment, this is a podcast that is truly terrifying. 

“Ologies” — Ruth Simonsen, digital media manager

This podcast is filled with interviews from experts in basically every field — “If it has an ‘-ology,’ it has an episode,” Simonsen says. 

With more than 130 episodes, the podcast explores the truly wild and niche fields, including basket weaving, called canistrumology. 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

“Onyx Storm” review

February 5, 2025

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

“Onyx Storm” was perhaps the most anticipated book of 2025, an accomplishment it certainly lives up to. The third installment of Rebecca Yarros’ “Empyrean” series, “Onyx Storm” continues where its older sister “Iron Flame” left off. 

The series follows Cadet Violet Sorrengail during her time at Basgiath War College, but as the series progresses, the stakes only increase and become more sordid. 

This book was a roller coaster of emotions, leaving me speechless from cover to cover and in tears by the end. The characters that Yarros fleshed out so lovingly in “Fourth Wing” and “Iron Flame” get so much more depth in this third book, and many side characters take the forefront of the plot. I beg: especially pay attention to Ridoc and Aotrom and, now beloved by the fandom, “Broccoli the Cat.”

In its first week alone, “Onyx Storm” sits at the top of not one, but two “New York Times” bestsellers lists — Combined Print and E-Book and Print Hardcover — with “Fourth Wing” and “Iron Flame” holding numbers two and three on these lists. 

Copies of this book have flown off the shelf, with the Target exclusive edition selling out within hours of the book’s release and remaining sold out for the time being. This edition featured a colored map of The Continent — where most of the story takes place — in its endpapers, full-color art and a pre-attached black ribbon bookmark. Copies of this edition are currently being sold for $100 or more on eBay.

With the cliffhanger ending readers are left, anticipation for the fourth installment is already high. However, Yarros herself has stated that she has not started working on it, nor is likely to until 2026. As a disabled author — like her series’ protagonist, Yarros has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome — the grind of meeting the deadline while also trying to be a mother of six proved rather difficult for her health, and as such, she is taking a much-needed break. 

Until then, fans can only scour their copies for any clues and speculate what will happen next.

10/10.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Translated media wave

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

“The amount of time you spent together probably matters, but less time doesn’t mean less love. Whether it’s a day or year, human or cat, and even if we may never see them again, there are those who are irreplaceable in our lives.”

All it took was for me to see one quote from Syou Ishida’s book, “We’ll Prescribe You a Cat,” on Instagram — and I was hooked. 

The novel, translated from Japanese by E. Madison Shimoda, explores the concept of prescribing a cat as medication for those who find the mysterious Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul. Often puzzled by this strange prescription, patients “take” their cat for the prescribed amount of time and find monumental changes in their lives. 

After falling in love with “We’ll Prescribe You a Cat,” I quickly searched for more translated works by Japanese authors, and found “Days at the Morisaki Bookshop” by Satoshi Yagisawa and “Before the Coffee Gets Cold” by Toshikazu Kawaguchi at The Book Bin in Salem. With similar life-changing premises as “We’ll Prescribe You a Cat,” it made me wonder why these novels were becoming so popular in the US. After all, until recently, I had never seen any books translated into English from another language in stores unless they were manga. 

“In Japanese fiction, readers are finding comforting stories about ordinary lives transformed by small adjustments of attitude, suggesting positive change is something we can all reach if we are open to it,” said Jane Lawson, deputy publisher at Doubleday Publishing, suggesting that readers are finding what may not be in English literature in its Japanese counterpart.

This then led me to Korean Dramas, or K-Dramas, subbed and dubbed anime, movies and shows. Slice-of-life plots and heroes with super abilities were the majority of what I found, but they all had one similar theme: a life-changing experience for the better. 

The popularity of Japanese literature, K-dramas and other media from these regions is part of the “Hallyu,” or Korean Wave, that started in the 1990s and gained momentum in the 2000s. Who could forget Psy’s hit song “Gangnam Style,” which rocked 2012?

As these books continue to hit shelves and gain popularity, I would recommend them wholeheartedly. It wasn’t until I read “We’ll Prescribe You a Cat” that I realized how close to home Ishida’s words had hit and how my own cat has helped me immensely in the last few months, even as he bites my hands while I type this. 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Fantasy heroine training

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

“Trouble” — Valeroie Broussard

“To Ashes and Blood” — Woodkid

“Le Monde” — Richard Carter

“Little Girl Gone” — CHINCHILLA

“Mermaids” — Florence + the Machine

“LABOUR (the cacophony)” — Paris Paloma

“Me and the Devil” — Soap&Skin

“It Will Come Back” — Hozier

“Power” — Kayne West

“Black Sheep” — Metric feat. Brie Larson

“the fruits” — Paris Paloma

“Venom” — Eminem

“ZITTI E BUONI” — Måneskin

“SHUM” — Go_A

“Supermassive Black Hole” — Muse

“Control” — Halsey

“bury a friend” — Billie Eilish

“Blood // Water” — grandson

“Play with Fire” — Sam Tinnesz feat. Yacht Money

“All for Us” — Labrinth & Zendaya

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Zendaya and Tom Holland

Written by: Sadie Latimer | News Editor

Hollywood’s “it couple” made a big announcement at the Golden Globes, without even saying a word. Zendaya — an actress known for her roles in “Euphoria,” “Dune” and as MJ in the Spider-Man franchise — casually flaunted her engagement ring while attending the Golden Globes. 

Zendaya and Tom Holland — best known for his role as Spider-Man — confirmed their romantic relationship in 2021. The couple has been private about their relationship, however, what they do choose to share to their fans is nothing short of captivating. 

In September 2021, Holland wished Zendaya a happy birthday by posting a picture of the couple on Instagram captioned “My MJ, have the happiest of birthdays. Gimme a call when your [sic] up xxx.”

Then, in December 2021, Zendaya posted on her Instagram two photos of Holland dressed as Spider-Man, but at different ages. She captioned the post, “My Spider-Man, I’m so proud of you, some things never change and good thing.”

Over three years later, Zendaya showed off her diamond ring at the 2025 Golden Globes. Although the couple hadn’t confirmed the news themselves, they are nothing if not intentional with their publicity. 

In a September 2023 interview with Elle magazine, Zendaya said, “Parts of my life, I accept, are going to be public. I can’t not be a person and live my life and love the person I love. But also, I do have control over what I choose to share. It’s about protecting the peace and letting things be your own but also not being afraid to exist. You can’t hide. That’s not fun, either. I am navigating it more than ever now.”

Before Holland’s post in September 2021, paparazzi were able to sneak a picture of the couple in a car, kissing at a red light. Soon after, the photos were plastered over the internet, and neither Holland nor Zendaya had a say in how or when their relationship was publicized. 

In November 2021, Holland was interviewed by GQ magazine and opened up about his lack of privacy.

“One of the downsides of our fame is that privacy isn’t really in our control anymore, and a moment that you think is between two people that love each other very much is now a moment that is shared with the entire world,” said Holland.

Now, Zendaya and Holland are sure to announce their life updates on their own terms when they want the public to know. It wouldn’t be surprising if the next thing we see from them is wedding pictures.

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

The living undead

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

Bloodsucker, a creature of the night, the living undead. For centuries, vampires have been known by many names and guises.

With Robert Eggers’ “Nosferatu” in theaters, the vampire craze that followed “Twilight” is reoccurring, but this time the obsession isn’t with vampires that are sexy and glitter in the sunlight — it’s with vampires that represent sickness and malaise.

Since the Bronze Age, people have feared that the dead could return and harm the living. Stories of creatures — called vrykolakas, empusas and lamias — that attacked people in their sleep and drained them of their bodily fluids were popular in ancient Greece, and especially so in more rural areas.

These tales flourished further in medieval Europe during times of plague and disease. With a lack of knowledge of infectious diseases came the belief that those turned into vampires would prey upon their family first. 

Of course, modern research and medicine have found that the characteristics of vampires during these times can be traced back to specific diseases like porphyria, tuberculosis, pellagra and rabies.

The word vampire itself comes from Eastern Europe, where these myths were the most popular and likely originated in the first place. Digging up the bodies of those suspected to be vampires was culturally practiced in Eastern Europe, and it was the natural signs of decay — receding gum lines and the appearance of growing nails and hair — that led many to believe that the dead were continuing to live. 

Another lead-up to this belief was incorrect pronouncements of being deceased. Drunk people, the very ill and even people in a coma or a state of shock were pronounced dead, only for them to miraculously recover and come back to life. This led to stakes being driven into corpses’ hearts before burial, now known in vampire pop culture as a way to kill them.

Modern vampire tales stem from the Gothic literature of the 18th and 19th centuries. The most well-known of these is Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” and is where the most well-known supernatural abilities of the vampire come from. For his undead creature, Stoker took influence from Vlad III Dracula of Transylvania, more commonly known as Vlad the Impaler, and Countess Elizabeth Bathory. Both real-world figures were known for bloody histories of torture and murder. 

The film “Nosferatu” then followed in 1922, but Stoker’s widow sued for copyright infringement because of how similar it was to the original novel. However, in the decades that followed, vampire fiction showed the influence of “Dracula.”

The early 20th century continued with this violent, deadly portrayal of vampires, the most notable work that came out of this period being the 1958 movie “Horror of Dracula” with actor Christopher Lee in the titular role. 

It was in this period that vampires began to take on a more sympathetic role. Anne Rice portrayed vampires as brooding and self-loathing in her book “Interview with the Vampire,” where the protagonist, Louis, often grapples with the morality of feeding from humans. Gone were the animalistic qualities of the undead creatures — now, they were closer to humans, or as close as they could get with their humanity stripped away, almost becoming creatures to pity. 

This portrayal of vampires continued into the 90s, with the creature becoming romantic. “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” featured a star-crossed romance between Buffy and vampire Angel. Angel eventually got a spin-off, which was named after him.

“Interview with the Vampire” also returned to the forefront in the ‘90s when its movie adaptation was released, starring Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise and Kirsten Dunst. The movie grossed over $223 million in its opening weekend alone. 

The turn of the century saw vampires being marketed towards teenagers. “The Vampire Diaries” and the “Twilight” saga put the supernatural beings into high school, where they tangled with love triangles, saving the world and blending in as a “normal” teenager. The two series were eventually developed for the screen and are still extremely popular, with an average of 45,000 “Twilight” fans making the pilgrimage to Forks, Washington annually.

Vampires as action heroes were also extremely popular in the 2000s, with characters such as Blade from the “Blade” trilogy and Selene from the “Underworld” series thrust into roles of heroics. These stories portrayed vampires as hunters, tracking down and killing depraved vampires and werewolves. They also dove into nuances of rivalries and social class, giving much more life to the creatures.

After the success of “Twilight,” vampires began to die off in popular culture in favor of superheroes and dystopian heroes, though there has been a smattering of vampire-related media. In 2017, the anime “Castlevania” was released, based on the 1989 video game of the same name. The series was popular on Netflix until its end in 2021 and the anime has now been moved to Apple TV, where users must buy it to watch.

2020 saw the release of “From Blood and Ash,” the first book in Jennifer L. Armentrout’s “Blood and Ash” series. Currently, “From Blood and Ash” sits as the second most popular romantasy book, though only popular in that circle of readers.

With the newest “Nosferatu” movie taking cinemas by storm, it makes sense that vampires are once again trending in social spaces. Gothic circles are especially the most excited, as the movie’s aesthetics focus heavily on that time period. 

A remake of the original, the film follows Ellen and Thomas Hutter, played by Lily Rose-Depp and Nicholas Hoult, and their entanglement with Nosferatu, played by Bill Skarsgard.

The plot is unchanged from the 1922 version, though Eggers emphasizes sensuality and sexuality, with Ellen understanding the role sexuality takes in defeating Nosferatu. 

The film grossed almost $41 million during the Christmas holiday and earned another $20 million the weekend after, beating out “The Lion King: Mufasa,” which had been released five days before. 

Only time will tell if the popularity of “Nosferatu” will continue to push vampires into the forefront of media once again, or if it will die out once the craze has stopped.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

alt-J’s “The Dream” album review

Written by: Kiera Roedel | Copy Editor

Content warning: this article contains references to murder, domestic violence, drugs and addiction.

The death of the American Dream seems a strange subject to tackle for British indie rock trio alt-J, but that is exactly what they did with their fourth studio album, “The Dream.” Released Feb. 15, 2022, the album contains 11 songs, each a short vignette of somebody’s life in modern-day America. The band’s trippy songwriting, with spare, occasionally nonsensical lyrics and stunning guitar work, does a great job of telling these stories in an emotionally impactful and musically satisfying way, exuding the sensation of wandering through the quiet streets of a dying city, where sickly green weeds peek up from cracks in the sidewalk.

“Bane” — The first sound in the first song on this album is the snap-pop of someone opening a soda can, which kind of gives one an idea of what they’re in for here. “Bane” tells the story of a teenager who is so addicted to cola that they dream about a swimming pool full of it. Using plenty of choral vocals and guitar, and a quote from Jesus’ crucifixion — “My God, my God / Why hast thou forsaken me?” — this is an absolutely incredible opening track. 

“U&ME” — If somebody asked about my favorite song of all time, this would be a serious contender. It is one of the most radio-friendly on the record, it’s much more firmly structured and layered musically than most of the other songs, and more positive lyrically. It was also the album’s first single. Its subject is someone spending a summer day high on psychedelics with their partner at a music festival, upon which the singer concludes, “I could hold on to the memory of that day for the rest of my life.” It’s a simple pleasure in a complicated world.

“Hard Drive Gold” — “Hard Drive Gold” is sung from the perspective of a self-important 15-year-old boy who becomes a millionaire by trading cryptocurrency. One of the shortest songs here, it has a catchy chorus and excellent percussion. Fittingly, the music video is about a nuclear attack on the United Kingdom. Neither a critique nor an endorsement, the band stated, “How ironically you interpret [the track’s] message is entirely up to you.” It was a perfect choice as the album’s third single and an overall very solid song.

“Happier When You’re Gone” — Following two radio-friendly songs, “Happier When You’re Gone” is a ballad that swells and shrinks multiple times; its subject is a disgraced lover who kills their partner in a fit of jealous anger. The pre-chorus is ominous, saying, “The smell of burning cattle / hangs on the westerly / sweeping up through the ferns,” which I honestly cannot begin to try to interpret. It’s an okay fourth track.

“The Actor” — Musically, “The Actor” picks up right where “U&ME” left off, which I definitely appreciate. It’s about a theoretical aspiring actor who can’t get a big break and ends up selling cocaine to Hollywood stars. It’s the album’s fourth single and easily one of its best tracks.

“Get Better” — A strange choice for the record’s second single considering how slow and long it is — almost six minutes. It’s also seriously heart-wrenching, its subject being a beleaguered lover whose partner is slowly dying in the hospital. Its lyrics give an idea of what their life together was like, and it’s so sad it sometimes makes me hesitate to listen to “The Dream” start to finish. It’s a bit disingenuous to call the song skippable for that reason, though, it really is great, it’s just not for casually listening to.

“Chicago” — Starting off slow and acoustic, “Chicago” soon shifts to a biting techno track inspired by the music genre it shares a name with, Chicago house. Its lyrics are about a sibling pair hiking in the hills above a town until one of them falls to their death. Blunt and substantial, alt-J pulls off this new musical territory perfectly.

“Philadelphia” — The second song on “The Dream” to take its name from an American city, I can’t help but wonder why the band chose Chicago and Philadelphia specifically. Regardless, “Philadelphia” is told from the perspective of a recent murder victim who hasn’t died yet, wondering how they got there as they bleed to death in the street. The band describes death as “… losing my ability to fathom / Awake and not awake,” which I find fittingly poignant.

“Walk a Mile” — The embodiment of the slow, skippable intro stereotype, when one digs into it, “Walk a Mile” is a fantastic song. “Lyrically simple but melodically diverse,” lead singer Joe Newman said about it. Yet another track about death, it touches on alt-J’s frequent topic of domestic violence and references one partner drowning the other. Musically it’s slow but full-bodied and incredibly satisfying. 

“Delta” — Less than a minute long, “Delta” is an interlude with simple lyrics and no instruments. Perhaps its most interesting feature relates to its title — alt-J is actually the band’s nickname, its rarely-used actual name being Δ, the Greek letter delta. The nickname comes from the Mac keyboard shortcut to type a delta. Clearly, then, this song is important to the band, but I don’t really see it.

“Losing My Mind” — “Losing My Mind” calls back to the musical style of “Happier When You’re Gone” and “Walk a Mile,” though it is faster and more percussion-intensive than either of them. It tells the story of the victim of a serial killer who targets children. Its music builds without a release, which makes the music as strangely uncomfortable as the lyrics. In this case it works in the song’s favor.

“Powders” — Rife with spoken words, including a skit in the middle recorded by drummer Thom Sonny Green and his girlfriend, “Powders” ends “The Dream” on a strangely positive note. With quiet piano and a three-word chorus, it tells of a schoolboy who falls in love with his cashier while buying cologne. It makes the listener wonder what alt-J’s intent really was with this album, with so many stories about murder and dying capped off by one of love.

With its dark and brooding look at Americana and the human condition, “The Dream” definitely requires a degree of emotional commitment. But when one sinks their teeth into it, they find a sensational album filled with experimental songs, amazing instrumentals and lyrics about everything from soda to the murder of children. Turn up your speakers for this one.

10/10.

Contact the author at howlcopyeditor@wou.edu