so incredibly grateful for the eARC from netgalley!!

wow… just wow. nymph has, without a doubt, exceeded my expectations. i wish i had gone into this book blind, since i initially thought that this book would be centered around sapphic yearning and longing (which, don’t get me wrong, is still present). the narrative however delivers a far more complex exploration of a young woman’s coming of age, and centers on themes of trauma/grief/loss. i will say that the pacing/tone of the book was pretty slow and languid, and far more character-driven than plot-driven, but this aligns well with the vibes of an aimless italian summertime— and my tastes lol :)

i deeply appreciated that the primary “conflict” of the story is all the aches and pains of growing up and coming into oneself, rather than the more trite and surface level coming-out stories that we see in most queer media. rather than fixating on the “taboo” of leo falling for another woman, the text’s focus is on her journey in understanding herself and her wants/needs/desires. it’s more about her unfolding and discovering herself in relation with those around her, which i found to be so profound and beautiful.

sofia montrone’s prose is so delicate and thoughtful, so incredibly descriptive and beautifully written, with each passage dripping with immense depth and meaning. she has definitely mastered the art of showing (rather than telling), which i unfortunately find many contemporary authors struggle with now. as a debut novel, this makes me so incredibly excited to see what other work she comes out with!