I have sat down to write this article many times, and each time I have stood up to do something else. I have always thought I was good at finding the right words, yet right now there is not a single one I would pick. But I have already wiped my desk, hoovered the apartment, and gone for a run, so it’s time to focus. Maybe I just don’t want to say goodbye. Another thing I don’t like is interviews. I didn’t like them this year, when I had to apply for my master’s, and I didn’t like them three...

On the disappearance of the literary voice For fun, I asked ChatGPT to write a story about a girl who had just been broken up with. In less than five seconds, paragraphs appeared on my screen. What I read reminded me of airline food. It hinted at something real, it smelled a little like real food, yet you could tell it was not a complete meal. Chat used banal metaphors and cheesy lines, describing how her pain was “not loud, not dramatic, just steady like rain that refuses to stop” and how...

Has consumption replaced storytelling? In Edinburgh, a new cafe inspired by the world of Studio Ghibli has recently opened its doors inside The Cocktail Geeks bar. The space, decorated with references to beloved animated films, invites visitors to step into a setting that feels lifted straight from the screen. For fans, it is easy to see the appeal: themed drinks, recognisable imagery, and a place where admiration for animation becomes something shared and tangible. At first glance, there is...