The Bookish Hour

Enigma by RuNyx

• Jor & Fab • Season 2 • Episode 14

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Have you ever noticed how silence can be the most powerful form of communication? In our deep dive into "Enigma" by RuNyx, we explore exactly how this plays out through the introspective protagonist Salem, whose quiet observation becomes her greatest weapon at mysterious Mortimer University.

This episode takes you on a journey through the misty corridors and secret societies of RuNyx's latest dark academia masterpiece. We unpack her distinctive literary style—how her background in English literature manifests in carefully crafted triplets of description and strategic alliteration that elevates the atmospheric "mist core" aesthetic permeating every page. What truly sets "Enigma" apart is its portrayal of obsession and desire. Salem and Caz's relationship begins with instant attraction but evolves into something far more complex—a mutual obsession where both characters exhibit jealousy and possessiveness, creating a refreshingly balanced dynamic rarely seen in the genre. By the epilogue, we witness how their dark beginning transforms into something that might actually resemble love.

Whether you're already a RuNyx devotee or considering diving into her atmospheric world for the first time, this episode offers valuable insights into what makes her writing so compelling. Join us as we celebrate the power of introspection, the allure of mystery, and the gothic charm that only Runix can deliver.

Cover Art by: Fabienne and Jordan
Contact email: thebookishhourpod@gmail.com
Intro/Outro music: Season Two: Ramaramaray by Aiyo via Epidemic Sound Season One: Sweet Psycho via TikTok’s Offical Sound Studio on Capcut
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Podcast: @thebookishhourpod
Fabienne: @oxonheart
Jordan: @sipsoffiction

Jordan:

welcome to the bookish hour with joran fab, and we are live live.

Fabienne:

Is the mic picking this up like?

Jordan:

the. I mean it was, but I don't know what that is.

Fabienne:

I want to say it was from like a program, from like back in a day, but that's one very vague. And two, my back in a day is something else than your back in a day, I think it was, so I'll just ignore this. I think it was from like a TV show, like a kid show Time. No, no, I think it was from like a TV show, like a kid's show Tithe, da-da-da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da-da-da.

Jordan:

No, no, nothing, no, nothing, it's fine, it's fine, it's fine, it's fine, it's fine, it's fine, it's fine, it's fine. Yeah, so are we going going to pretend that we didn't just speak for like almost an entire hour, or I feel like this is bringing back to smutty days where we, like, would chat without inviting the recording and then we'd be like oops, and I feel like that's what this was. But we had lots to chat about that couldn't necessarily go on the podcast and honestly, we're sorry. We're not really sorry, but we're sorry.

Fabienne:

The narrator semi-Colin. She's not sorry at all. No, we are not. No, we are not.

Jordan:

Well, but then this is great, we can just dive in into our book club pick. Yes, and what did you share with?

Fabienne:

Oh Christ, I want to give the floor to you. No, I want to give it to you, bob. Okay, fine drawer. No, okay, so we are talking wouldn't it?

Jordan:

oh shit, your mic did not pick up any of that are you seriously kidding me? Yeah, if you could just tell the people one more time enigma by runix, did it pick it up yeah it did.

Fabienne:

Did it also pick up that very, very great like enthusiasm or was it like the lack? Yeah, okay, good, very fine. Yeah, no, I am actually so happy that we got another book of hers like oh my gosh same. I know that we had this indicatoricator and that you know it was like the end of an era, like these series just come to like a full circle and but this, just like I think this is where her power really just shines these dark, gothic-esque, dark academia books with a touch of mystery and just these eerie vibes. Um, give me, please, your first if you can remember the entire story, mind you. Please give me the first like thoughts that you have on this book, like just a short um hook, for example. Like you know, what did you like about it? You?

Jordan:

give me yours first, okay fuck you.

Fabienne:

By the way, I wanted to give myself an app for this.

Fabienne:

Um, okay, this was so typically runix in all the best ways imaginable yes agreed it had like her writing power, like shiny, it had so much like literary undertones, like her literary like devices, like with the illiteracy now in the forms. It was funny because I started highlighting the Kindle edition when it started to stand out to me that everything like her descriptors most of the time, like, let's say, 95% of the time in the book, they come in threes, like it's someone, is either something, something and something, or it's something something, but then if it's twice, then it's always alliteration. Did you notice this? Oh, it's so fun because because we know that she, um, was like a, an english lit, so it's fun to see that she took that like she took that academic career that she had before her right but then superimpose that in a way onto her actual writing and I think that's so fun to read um, she has like actual skills but also just like her storytelling it's her writing is just like telling it's her writing is just like unmatched.

Jordan:

Like unmatched I. So I have like different thoughts in the beginning. Now I love this book fair, but I think it took me which is why we had to push this back, based off me, because it took me a while to get into. Oh, but that was only because I was associating it with gothicana too much, like, even though I know she told us multiple times that this isn't going to be like another gothicana no, and not saying that as like a sequel, but like it kind of gate like I, it had like the same vibes, as like what I thought another gothicana would be like, even though she told us multiple times like no, this is dark academia, that is gothic.

Jordan:

But like in my mind I'm like, oh, it's like another gothicana. So I'm like I'm here for another gothicana. So, like in my head, as the book is like, as I'm reading the book, I'm like struggling with it because it's not another gothicana. So I almost had to like rewrite my brain, to like be like to have this stand on its own. But I think that's only because I love gothicana so much that that that is like my like all time like favorite book that it did take me a minute to get into this one Okay fair. This one okay fair. But I do love her writing and everything that is like that it is and I loved the like mystery part of it and like trying to figure out what's going on and like all of that.

Fabienne:

But it definitely it's not another gothic con no, and also, I think, the female main character. Okay, let's look at the character stem, maybe first. Um, because I don't want to do like a like a comparative sort of analysis here, but the fuck, what was her name? Uh, corfina, right, yeah, corfina clem. Like clem, yes, like she and salem.

Fabienne:

They could not be more different too oh so different right and I think that's also where and maybe Rooney did this either on purpose or just like you know, maybe like subconsciously too that she wanted to write something so drastically different while still sticking to this theme that she can write so incredibly well. Salem is, for example, more introspective, I want to say, and I remember Corfina being more outgoing, even though being very introverted, since speaking her mind, you know, engaging in like conversations with her friends, in, like, in Veramore, like the university, but Salem is more introspective yeah, and more of like a lone wolf, even though she did have that like one friend, the two friends, but she was still more of a lone wolf, like looking out for herself, taking care of herself.

Jordan:

That's also like I think too, like with her relationship with her mom and then like everything that happened with, like, her sister and father yeah, I do love that.

Fabienne:

By the way, it was a very original story. Oh, yeah, I will. I will say, though, that the obviously we're going to go like back and forth, you know like. You know how we don't tell stories like like in a linear way, especially when we're doing like the book club episodes, um, but at the end, when it's revealed that there is like this cult, you know like ongoing and cas and god, I don't even remember like his name, um, uh, the other guy that, like salem's friend, who works at like the bar or like the cafe, it starts with like a, b, I want to say I have no idea. Bastion no, not Bastion no. Why do I only remember like, honestly, also, props to me for still remembering like any name, because it's been a hot minute since we read it, you know so it really has, it really has.

Fabienne:

But I'm like, oh, I don't okay stupid, you know like no, no, no, don't be sorry girl, but the thing is what I wanted to say, like at the end, with cold, it kind of reminded me of master of salt and bones by carrie lake. Oh, like with the very you you know, erotic initiation part, like with the rituals, and like the drugs that you know come into play. I want to say maybe even Noctocondia too. But you haven't finished that book because of reasons, yes, reasons, yes, believe it at reasons, yes, um, but I, I felt like, um, like I, I thought that they um kind of gave off the same vibe, you know, like, with um.

Jordan:

I know too, like runic said, that someone told her that this is very missed core coded and I was like yes, all the like coded.

Fabienne:

What is this?

Jordan:

so like, because it's very like, um, like misty, it's just like gloomy, oh, um, so like mist core. Yeah, and I love this right. I was like, oh my gosh, it is, and I, I do like the, I did like the aspect of like there is this like secret society, but in the end, there was two of them, so one didn't get invited, and so there was definitely a lot of answers in this one, which I really enjoyed and I loved finding everything out about that.

Fabienne:

Did you also notice that one chapter was also written from an unknown perspective?

Jordan:

yes, I was gonna say that do we think? That's like still wait.

Fabienne:

Do we think that wait? Who do you think it would wait? Wait what? Who do you think it?

Jordan:

was university's perspective perspective.

Fabienne:

I thought maybe it was this professor, like the one that you trusted in the beginning Maybe. That was my instinct. That was like my first.

Jordan:

I don't think I like, really had like a first instinct. I think I was just looking at it as this is my thing is I was comparing it to Gothicana, so I was like oh, is it like another university perspective?

Fabienne:

Then she shouldn't have put in like an unknown chapter, because obviously people are going to like compare it to gothicana.

Jordan:

Yeah, but that's like she's told us so many times. Like it is not another gothicana, this is not a gothicana, this is completely different. So like, even though the amount of time she has told me this, I'm still like gothicana, is it?

Fabienne:

and I'm like ah oh no, I I genuinely did love it and I kind of also really like how. I want to just come back to this because it really stood out to me how salem was. So at most and I know that I am like a broken record in that sense but she was really like very inner, focused right, and I think, especially in her world, obviously like fiction right, but in her world, like at Mortimer and like you know with well, not necessarily oppressive but you know, pretty much disapproving, when she was like a child. And then all of these other men, like at the cult, the oppression of men in stories, and when women don't have a voice it is seen as a lack of power. But I think in Salem's case it is like her actual power, like she weaponizes this sense of observation that she really used most of the time, like when she came first down into the second chapter when she found his body, like at the beach, and then cast was behind her. Um, she doesn't say anything like in that entire chapter, she doesn't him, she's just like looking at him and just like move out of the way.

Fabienne:

Really, obviously we see like Cass's perspective on this as well and you know like it's told from like a first person perspective the entire book. But, um, I like how her not speaking or like not, you know, like engaging in a dialogue is not necessarily seen as her being um, how do you say that? Um like small or like um not capable? I'm really poorly explaining this. I'm so sorry, um, but I'm just trying to say that her not speaking is her way of, I guess you know, taking back her own power. Does that make sense?

Jordan:

no, it does in a very, very.

Fabienne:

You know very complicated way of saying that. I really liked how little she spoke in the book, but just saying so much still yes.

Jordan:

So it's like everything she said had meaning and had a point to it, which was I do. I do have to say like that was.

Jordan:

I did enjoy that too, and I think it's kind of neat too, because I feel like when I've read other things where there's not a lot of dialogue, it almost is you can tell there's not a lot of dialogue and it's just kind of like frustrating, because I'm like I don't I like want some communication, but here it's like you didn't necessarily notice that there was no like she, unless you really it didn't read in a way that was like, okay, I wish there was more dialogue.

Fabienne:

You, I liked the character that Salem was, and if she talked more it just like wouldn't fit her character precisely and I think also precisely in like a genre, like you know, obviously there's like a side sub-genre of romance, but especially in a genre where, like few women, characters are just um, um, expected to. I guess what's the word like externalize emotion? Um, salem does the exact opposite. So like her silence kind of like very cliche this but like her silence speaks louder than words, you know, and I think it brings her this sense of I don't know autonomy in a way, and really appreciated how Runix made that happen and like work as well in in the book. I just wanted to like emphasis on that because that, or like emphasize on that, because that's the one that really like stood out to me and I don't know.

Jordan:

I just really like how she did it.

Fabienne:

No, I, yeah, I don't think the rest of the book was also really good but it was so good.

Jordan:

I actually I really liked how they were like both jealous and possessive, because I feel like most of the time you just see it from like the male main character's perspective, and I really liked that you also got it from her perspective too, like she was like possessive and jealous too. Yeah, so I like that follow-up question.

Fabienne:

Um, now, we do know, like remember when, uh, we talked about like tropes as a selling point in books? Now, obviously that is here. Like that's not the case here at all. But I do want to talk about tropes, though, because we have like insta love, we have insta lust, we have obsession, we have, you know, soulmates and whatnot in terms of all these things. Um, would you say that the story between kaz and like salem is a story of desire or like dependency?

Jordan:

what do you? What? What do you mean?

Fabienne:

no, well, because they kind of, are, like insta, obsessed with one another. Right, so it says, but they also like, um how do I say this in english? They like they, um, uh, they complement each other so well in their obsession, in like, their interest, in, like, you know, whatever they do, like study wise, you know, like your assistant her being a student there um, like the like, their drive. As like characters in this book, would you say that their story is more than one of actual love eventually, or is it more of a codependency? I don't. I'm trying to think of like critical questions to. I wanted to try something different.

Jordan:

It's not working, I see no, I, I or maybe no, I like these questions. I think if I understood them. I think so like, because I wouldn't say I don't know if this is like what you're asking.

Fabienne:

Okay, but like I wouldn't raise a question, would you say this is a story about lust or love in the most simplest terms.

Jordan:

well, I do think, what if it's neither? What if it's obsession? Because I do think there is a level of them being obsessed with each other be, and I think kaz proves that because of the times where she might be talking to somebody and he comes over and like, just like kisses her like an obsession and like, I guess, possession in the sense that like she's mine, but then I do really enjoy that there is that ending. So then you see the love at the end. I actually really enjoyed the epilogue here, which I don't know if you read it.

Fabienne:

I actually did.

Jordan:

Okay. So it's like good. So the years later, and he's there while she's like seeing the body and in that moment you feel the love that they have. But yeah, I think the whole story leading up to it, you see, mostly I think like obsession, like they're both obsessed with each other and which is fine because, like I think you grow into a sense of like love and like belonging and that like makes sense and I enjoyed to like it's like over like the course of like x amount of like time too, and like there are two like. I think the other part is is like kaz. Like there is that like level of insta lust, but kaz knew he couldn't be with her because of like this secret society and like and her like her sister and like her dad being part of this secret society. So I think there was just like a level of like he could not be with Salem even if he wanted to be. So I think it, but like that, like the obsession, like was stronger and he was like no, I'm going to be with her.

Fabienne:

I agree enough said enough said do you think the whole story has been told? Not specific, I'm not talking specifically about Salem and Cass. I just mean like with this brotherhood of sorts that's being, you know, that's being like dissolved is not the right word, but you know, like dismantled from within. But then also just like the legacy of Mortimer. Do you think another story could be told?

Jordan:

potentially I think so, but is she going to tell it? I don't know. Potentially I think so, but is she going to tell it? I don't know. Like because I know people were asking for her friend's sister and that guy and Runix was like their story's complete, like what you got within Salem and Kaz is like that's their story, like there is no more of their story, which I appreciate because I can see people like it. Almost it wouldn't be a Runix story if she did that, like if she told another story from Mortimer Mortimer. Like I don't think I can't see her doing that.

Fabienne:

No, yeah, maybe not. I do, maybe maybe not Especially. Yeah, wait, I'm just thinking out loud now. Maybe she comes back to Mortimer like in another book.

Jordan:

You know, I mean, she did tackle, like Tenebrae, the town, so it's like everything it's in the same universe and I think that's really cool yeah I think we would get more of a connection when kinetic comes out.

Jordan:

If it does come out. I'm not sure if, like, we know like one way or the other, if she's like decided or not, um, but I think there's like a big connection from that book in tenebrae and I think that just like confirms it's all the same universe well, I mean, I think at this point we kind of have to.

Fabienne:

It's not weird to assume that everything is like one universe, like right, yeah, that's true writing yeah, so you're not wrong no, I'm not. I don't know why I paused and that was very dramatic.

Jordan:

I know I was like oh boy okay uh, is she mad?

Fabienne:

no, am I wrong? No, I'm not. Did you have the paper like? Did you buy the paperback?

Jordan:

I bought the hardcover but I actually waited because then it was on kindle unlimited, so I just got it from Kindle Unlimited. But I did get the hardcover like the day of release, but then the print is so tiny on the hardcover that I was like let me get the Kindle, just. Oh wait, I mean it's really pretty though. It's like really pretty like font, especially like the first letter and stuff. But I was like I can't read this.

Jordan:

So it was just like trophy stuff you know like, put it on your shelf, display it on the shelf. I'm gonna leave it there and then. But I was lucky because, like, it wasn't on kindle limited for a while, but I think it is now because it's still on my phone. Granted, it could not be anymore, and then once I un-down, download it, it will go away.

Fabienne:

So I don't actually know, oh don't, who cares I was honestly, I was like looking for the paperback because you know how the uk is, like a different print. Like you have the us, the uk, and like the commonwealth, I always figured that you know the netherlands is obviously it's not part of the uk and the commonwealth let's, let's, but like get that out first. But technically speaking, with, like publication wise, the west eu yeah so I was looking, I don't have the paperback yet like I was looking like at the like, the like.

Fabienne:

The day of release, I you know, I looked everywhere. And then a week later, looked everywhere. I even girl. I was in dublin when I was reading this book. Mind you, I looked in dublin. Who's not there? Why? So I only have, like the kid girl. I don't know, that's lame, I wait, I wait, I wish I did. You know, I still haven't. I'm just now holding gothic honor, just you know, consolation prize.

Fabienne:

But that's all you get, that's all I get, um, but no, I still have to get the paperback, which I will eventually because, like I said whatever you can stuff, yeah, yeah but it's still not out here for some weird reason. So I'm kind of bummed by that and I do kind of like the paperback better than the hardback. I do have to admit that like the UK paperback.

Jordan:

Yeah, I love paperbacks. Man fair, I do too. I do too. I still not to bring it back to gothic honor or anything. I do love the indecision of gothic so much oh my god, yes.

Fabienne:

I can't find it right now. So much, oh my god. Yes, I can't find it right now. Oh, yes, you have the.

Jordan:

Indian edition yes, I do Honestly.

Fabienne:

I think that would be worth some money right now. No kidding.

Jordan:

Well, maybe you gonna spell it, it could be no you can't I usually?

Fabienne:

Who knows it could be? Of course not, no.

Jordan:

You can't, I usually go on Pango and I'll look up the title and see Gothicana oh, there's 302. And then I go through and I'm like, okay, is there any indie editions?

Fabienne:

Wait. I'm sorry, what is what is 302? Oh, like the amount, yeah, like dollars oh, no, no, the amount of listings.

Jordan:

But it doesn't look like there's any self-published. They're all like the traditionally published gothicana, so they're like five dollars. But with that many listings no one's gonna buy it. You're better off just like giving it to like a free little library. But there's definitely no indie editions in here. But like I wouldn't sell my oh, there's an indie edition. It's only listed as 15 dollars 15.

Fabienne:

Some people really don't know what something is worth.

Jordan:

No, but granted. No one's bought it, so maybe they just don't understand that that's gold right there, fair, fair, fair.

Fabienne:

Oh wait, sorry, Circling back. Wow, I am really Sometimes because things just like don't hit me. As soon as someone says it, I say it. But I actually wanted to build a tiny library and place it like behind a fence, like in the backyard, you should, that's what I wanted.

Jordan:

But why?

Fabienne:

He's like because we have so many little kids in a neighborhood and you know, if you don't like, lock it, because that goes against the entire purpose of a tiny library. You don't know what folks will do. The kids are just like yeah, but the kids are like little rascals.

Jordan:

Jordan, I'm not going to put it to read Wait what are you not going to put it? Cut you off. Dark romance that is a good point.

Fabienne:

You definitely don't want to do that. I do For a kid, for five. You know I can't Okay.

Jordan:

I do. That is a good point. That is a good point. Um, there is a free little library in my town in the park and I definitely drop off smutty books in there. But you know the moms are taking cause every I last summer I would go every week and I would drop off like a handful of books and the next week I would come and all of them would be gone. Like you know, those moms were taking those smutty books and they were like yes, and I was like yes, they're just like spying that tiny library for someone new to bring it in, or like for someone in to bring new books.

Fabienne:

Swap that. Um, honestly, girl, you should film that secretly. You know, do like a little off at a distance. You walk up to the library and then just set up like a hidden camera to see whatever picks it up watch them all be, these children being like mom.

Jordan:

What's squirting? Like what?

Fabienne:

I have a have a good time explaining that to your kid of five. Yeah, it'd be a great time. Great time it's when it's when you spill a bottle of milk honey on the table, but then for adults adults it's adult milk.

Jordan:

Sorry, oh my god, Then they're traumatized. Happens to the best of us guys.

Fabienne:

It does, it really does. You know, trauma makes you funnier, is what they say.

Jordan:

Isn't that how the saying goes? Maybe I've never heard that, but like I feel, like I agree it's a coping mechanism, jordan.

Fabienne:

Yep you, you were a coping mechanism anyways. So yeah, enigma was really good, um I just like I'm so happy.

Jordan:

I I'm so happy we got like another runix book and she's like back in her writing groove. I'm so excited for everything that's coming. I literally can't wait for the firebird yeah so freaking much. I'm so excited for that and I'm like secretly excited that because she mentioned that at the beginning of the year and she was like but I have to go through some like contractual obligations first. But now that Enigma is out, I'm like is the Firebird coming? Is the Firebird coming?

Fabienne:

The. Firebird Just give us answers. Answers, please, please, please.

Jordan:

Probably yesterday. Yeah, yeah. So I can't wait for that one, I want that one.

Fabienne:

Do you want to place a bet? Ooh, what's this bet, you say? You say, well, it's something that we lie in um I'm actually in one right now lucky you? Um, no, I just you know if, well, obviously we're betting for books, obviously you know I get you something of your wish list, and so you say you think it's Firebird. If you're right, I'm going to get you something of your wish list, and if it's not, what do you mean?

Jordan:

We know it's Firebird. Do we know it's Firebird?

Fabienne:

Or do we know it's kinetic?

Jordan:

Oh no, we know it's Firebird Fuck.

Fabienne:

Keep up. Well then, there's no bet. I mean, why would we play?

Jordan:

the bet, if you obviously know it yet. Oh yeah, I didn't know if you were trying to bet on, like when it's coming out.

Fabienne:

Oh, no See, I'm slow sometimes. I really am, it's okay.

Jordan:

This is why I'm here. I keep you up to date. But no, we know Firebird's next. We just don't know when. We just don't know when.

Fabienne:

No, I'm not going to gamble on time frames.

Jordan:

I've been there, done that with authors. Yeah, we're just going to whenever it's going to be a live release. So whenever she wants to release it, we're getting it.

Fabienne:

So it's going to be this year, though I'll take it.

Jordan:

I'll take it Right.

Fabienne:

I wanted to say one more thing about Enigma.

Jordan:

Okay.

Fabienne:

Give it to me I'm making it sound so dramatic, but it's just like me thinking really how I'm going to phrase this. When the Syndicator came out, obviously it was the end of an era. It was her first book after everything that's happened to her, like with her family, but I kind of I don't think love is the right word here, but I do appreciate how she's become her, like her whole full self again. With enigma you can see like her, actually like her writing, shining see, here I come again with like the shining through god. It's like stop word, um. But the syndicator was so different, like in terms of her writing, you know, like in terms of like her coping, like you know, with everything that's happened, um, and enigma is just like her own full story and a syndicator was just. I have to get this out. I have to finish this series.

Jordan:

I have to, you know, give closure to this storyline, to these characters um, I think I think the thing too with the syndicator is I think she had it fully finished, but then everything happened and I think she just went back and rewrote it like multiple times, and I think that she just yeah, yeah, I guess what I'm trying to say, like you're in and shine like a positive light on it, is that Enigma is, like you, know where her true power lies, to like these, these dark, gothic-esque tales. So freaking good.

Fabienne:

And I just love to see how good this one was. That's all I'll say it was so good it was so good.

Jordan:

And I know too, like I didn't have that much to say, but I feel like this was also on me, because if I would have finished it on time, I would have been like fully I just like don't really remember it Like we finished it like in the beginning of May, or I finished it in the beginning of May, so then, I like struggle with, like trying to remember Girl life be lifing.

Fabienne:

You know we have day jobs, we you know we have life, it doesn't help for the podcast. That's true. Okay, fair, I'm going to let you have this miserable self-indulgent moment. Sure, thank you. It's your fault, it's all your fault.

Jordan:

Thank you, it's okay Next time. Yeah, thank you, then next time for the fire burn. Because, we'd be doing a buddy read for that.

Fabienne:

Oh, obviously Obviously Duh. So.

Jordan:

I'll do better next time.

Fabienne:

Okay, I'll do better next time too. Just you know just Well. You were on time, I just wasn't on time. Thank you so much for listening.

Jordan:

And please don't forget to rate and review wherever you can find us. So catch you next time. Bye.