Nymph by Sofia Montrone
Set in the Northern Italian countryside, Nymph examines one girl’s childhood and adolescence as she grapples with complicated family issues and finding her identity. Written with lyrical prose and introspective dialogue, this novel mixes a sapphic love story with a crushing narrative about loss. We first meet Leo, the main character, when she is 10 years old and working at her family’s hotel over the summer. As the season unfolds, the reader learns about Leo’s strange interest in stealing the items left behind by checked-out guests and how that relates to her inner thoughts and emotions. We also meet her father, a complicated man who tells her the story of Odysseus but conflates his life with the Greek hero. Throughout the novel, the narrative of Greek mythology follows Leo around alongside the ghost of her father and the guilt she feels surrounding his death. Alongside her grief, she continuously tries to reach out to her younger brother who grows more distant as he battles his own mental health issues. During her last year before college, she meets Dolores, an American teenager who is studying abroad to learn about violin making. The two work alongside each other at the hotel and quickly realize that they each have feelings for one another. Feelings that Leo tries her best to hide. As their relationship blooms, Leo’s connections to her family and the people of her town start to fade. Overall, this book is atmospheric and complex with elaborate details and reflective quotes from the author.
Nymph by Sofia Montrone, (List Price: $27, Avid Reader Press, 9781668200476, June 2026)
Reviewed by Ashton, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC
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