Winter has officially arrived in my part of the world. We usually expect to have at least some colder weather, but the ice and snow that blew in last night was an unusual sight for south Texas. All traces of yesterday's weather have already melted into the ground, leaving only a shocked landscape of wilted greenery that wasn't ready for the out-of-character frost. Inside I was busy reading the newest short story from author Jeremy Ray. I thoroughly enjoyed his novella The Gatherings, so I was happy to accept the gift of his latest effort The House Plant to review. Surrounded by my own collection of potted greenery, I settled in to read Ray's imaginative new offering.
George is trapped, an unwilling prisoner who refuses to accept his fate. Brenda brought him into the home against his will, leaving him devoid of the social interaction that made him thrive. Even worse, Brenda isn't exactly the best caretaker. Poor George is dying of thirst, unable to get enough to satisfy his needs, malnourished, and losing his will to live. He longs to escape this prison. He longs to breathe in the fresh air and to mingle with his own kind. Such is the miserable life of a lonely house plant.
Soon, George's luck begins to change. Brenda learns to water her fern, and George begins to flourish. He grows with abandon and looks forward to his daily interactions with the woman who brought him into her home. Brenda becomes obsessed with her little plant, bragging about him to her friends and reminiscing about the day she decided to bring George home. Then one day, things change. George's way of life vanishes in an instant. Can things go back to the way they were, or will this plant have to adapt to a new way of life all over?
In The House Plant, author Jeremy Ray packs a cleverly imaginative and emotionally engaging story into the efficiently small package of a short story. At first, I wasn't sure how giving thoughts to a plant would play out, but by the end, I was completely invested in the character and his story. Anyone who has tended to plants can probably relate to the challenge of caring for them and the joy they can bring into our daily lives. Turning the plant into the main character of this work provided a fun twist to an otherwise fairly straightforward narrative. With this story, Jeremy Ray has proved his versatility as an author and his ability to surprise and delight with his writing. I'll happily read whatever he comes up with next.
For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2021, 2)
How fun! I don't think I have ever read a book told from the perspective of a house plant.
ReplyDeleteIt was definitely a creative perspective!
DeleteThe plant as the main character...that's awesome! :D
ReplyDeleteRight? Such a fun story!
DeleteI don't think that I have ever heard of a story told from the plant's point of view. I love the sound of this unique story!
ReplyDeleteIt was a really creative approach to building a main character!
DeleteHow fascinating that the book is told from the POV of the house plant. I love it though!!! It's kind of exciting to have unusual narrators for stories sometimes.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
I agree. With as much reading as I do, it is pretty rare for me to be surprised by writing. This writing surprised me!
DeleteWell now I want to read this and the Gatherings.
ReplyDeleteThey are both well worth a read!
DeleteA house plant, well that is different
ReplyDeleteRight?
DeleteWell now that's definitely different.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is!
DeleteWell this sounds super original. And kudos to the author for making you connect with a plant!
ReplyDeleteIt is one of the most original concepts I've read in a while!
DeleteI love gardening but have mixed results with house plants lol
ReplyDeleteThis sounds so good though and it was on KU so I just downloaded it.
Karen @ For What It's Worth
I'm kind of the opposite haha. My house plants usually thrive while the outdoor plants die. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did!
DeleteThis sounds SO good! I LOVE plants. My boyfriends keeps telling people that we have WAY too many plants, but I just love it. I think that I'll really like this read... Adding it to Goodreads!!
ReplyDeleteIs there such thing as too many plants? Certainly can't tell me that haha. I think you'd love this one!
DeleteWhat a fun and original concept! Glad to hear it was an enjoyable read.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy you're getting warmer weather in your neck of the woods, Ethan! I was thinking about you when the news stories hit. Hope you didn't suffer any damage!
We were extremely fortunate to escape the worst of the damage that many others faced!
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