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There's something special that happens when a performer takes the plunge into writing fiction. Particularly in Hollywood, actors don't have a ton of freedom to quite literally shape their own narratives onscreen - unless they've written the screenplay themselves. So when people like Krysten Ritter start writing novels, we get the chance to compare and contrast the roles they've played in their acting careers with the stories they construct on the page. At the LA Times's Festival of Books this year, Ritter was eager to talk about this as she continues to build her career as a novelist with her new book, co-written with Lindsay Jamieson, called Retreat. 

Ritter said, "Throughout my career, I have often been playing roles that are considered 'unlikable.' Antiheroines, bitches, you know. And I think that trajectory has happened naturally," referring to her roles as Jessica Jones in Marvel Television's Netflix series, as well as Chloe on Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23. 

The actress explained that in writing novels, she can go further into what truly "makes" someone act that way: "'Why? What's going on...' And so that kind of led me to a deeper dive into, 'How do you get away with it, how do you justify it...' and [writing] was my way to really double down on that." 

In case you're not familiar, Ritter's book Retreat follows a female con artist named Liz who moseys her way into the life of a wealthy American socialite in Mexico. The book is written in first person, giving us a front row seat into how Liz's mind works as she plays the unsuspecting people around her like a fiddle. When reading Retreat, Ritter's interest in what makes an "unlikeable" person like Liz tick is evident, and this spirit was absolutely infectious to me while I was reading her book. 

So while you wait to see Ritter's Jessica Jones return to the MCU in season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again, you can get your fix of her unique brand of complicated women with her novel, Retreat, and her upcoming, yet-untitled book that will be a "psychological thriller." 

Just like yourself, the Popverse staff spends a whole lot of time with our respective noses in respective books. It's why we've come up with stuff like:

• The hottest upcoming fiction
• Queer romance to add to your reading list
• A reading guide to Cassandar Clare's Shadowhunter Chronicles

...and a whole lot more. Join our metaphorical library, won't you? There are no late fees and you can be as loud as you want, so long as the people you live with are OK with it.