Book Review: Nymph

If you want to read a book in search of a feeling, not just in search of the plot, then Nymph by Sofia Montrone just might be the perfect literary fiction novel to end this long, sad-girl summer. Nymph is set in the mountains of Northern Italy, at a hotel/agriturismo owned by her Nonna. Here, the novel’s protagonist Leo spends the summers with her family, helping her Nonna run the place. Leo experiences all of the joys and sadness of growing up during those summers, from facing who her father really is, to mourning her Nonna’s frailty and mortality, to falling in love with a guest, Dolores, to navigating her relationship with her brother, Max, who begins to feel more and more distant from her.

 If you’ve ever been to Italy, you know that time feels different there, and long summer afternoons and evenings sometimes feel like they will never end, and that pairs well with the coming-of-age story, because sometimes when you are a kid or teenager, it feels like time is so slow you childhood will last forever and you are bored, while other times, everything moves too quickly. And if you’ve never been to Italy, it won’t matter, because this novel will truly transport you there. Life moves more slowly than in America, yet every moment can feel like it is oozing with meaning and sensory experience, like warm honey dripping from a spoon. The word “sensuous” is often overused when describing literary fiction, but it does capture Montrone’s luscious writing style.

This queer love story and coming-of-age novel has been compared to Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman and the novels of Elena Ferrante. I think both comparisons are valid, but they don’t quite capture this novel, so you are going to have to read it!

Thank you to Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.