Book Review | Persephone #20BOS26

My first book of the summer reading challenge and it’s the next in a series of short stories.

Persephone
Lev Grossman

A teenage nobody crosses a line that will change her life forever in this short coming-of-age story by number one New York Times bestselling author Lev Grossman.

Ever since her dad disappeared five years ago, Persephone has quietly walled off the feelings she’d rather not feel. There’s no room for pain or anger when you’re just trying to get through the hell that is high school. But one day, the crush of taunts and disappointments is finally too much—and a power breaks loose inside her that she never knew was there.

Goodreads | The StoryGraph | Amazon

I do enjoy a short story, especially when it leaves an impression, considering how few words it has to work with.

Persephone had a lot going on, but I felt it didn’t really have an obvious driving force. I feel like the story’s concept could have been really interesting if it had been expanded, but I think it was too much for a short story.

The start of the story follows Persephone as she heads to school and starts to go about her day, giving us a little insight into her life. I realise that what happens is set up as a catalyst, but with such a small word count, I couldn’t help thinking that some of it could have been edited out at this stage.

Then what happens at the end of the story could have had more space to explore what is revealed. It also would have helped the pacing because I feel like it was too slow to start and then too quick before it came to such an abrupt end.

This addition to the collection was just ok, so I’m hoping that there will be some better stories as I continue through the series.