In December 2021 American author Madeline Miller announced she was working on a new novel about Persephone, the daughter of Zeus and Demeter who became queen of the underworld when her uncle Hades abducted her. Unfortunately Miller caught long-COVID which derailed her writing, causing chronic fatigue and an inability to focus. However, in researching for Persephone, Miller would have come across the subject of her latest publication, the short story Mestra (2026).
Mestra is able to turn into any person or creature. When she returns home to her father with food, he learns of her abilities and decides to sell her, over and over again, to unsuspecting men. She is sold as a farm girl, a cook, a horse, a cow and each time, her father eats and eats but never gains weight. Trapped in this cycle of being sold, and with her life in danger, Mestra realises her father will never stop unless she refuses to use her power for him. When she does, the King makes an irrevocable decision.
Mestra is a wonderful short story, beautifully told. Like Galatea, this gorgeous pocket-sized hardcover, is a mere 65 pages long, but is an engrossing story. Miller's writing is sharp and evocative, reminding readers of her abilities. She is such a gifted writer, I only hope that she is able to write in long form again.
My reviews of other works by Madeline Miller are available on this blog: