The House Plant – Short Story Review

The House Plant by author Jeremy Ray

Thank you so much to author Jeremy Ray for providing me with a copy of his story in exchange for this honest review.

The House Plant by Jeremy Ray is a rare find. It’s a short story that’s worth reviewing all on its own. In fact, it’s one of the most beautifully touching reads I’ve experienced all year.

The House Plant is the story of a fern named George. He has spent most of his life sitting on the shelves of a local gardening store, being passed over for more aesthetic plants. And he likes it this way, he doesn’t want to go home with any of these sticky fingered patrons and their clumsy children. He wants to root into the soil here and stay in the home he’s always known.

Unfortunately, plants often have very little say in what happens to them during their lives. A housewife named Brenda buys George on a whim. She does not have a very green thumb and at first George strongly wishes that this never happened.

As Brenda begins to take her role of plant mom more seriously George begins to warm up to her and her affection. From here a bond is formed between the human and the plant. Author Ray does an incredible job of personifying George and making this relationship real and relatable. George has to build trust and adapt to his new surroundings just as any human or animal would. We expect this of shelter pets, we should expect it from all living things.

The rest of the story is touching, whimsical, heartbreaking, uplifting, and an absolute tearjerker. I got pretty choked up from both sadness and happiness within these few pages. It’s important to remember that this is a short story, about 30 pages, not even a novella. Ray manages to accomplish a lot within this story and The House Plant is a memorable piece of work that is an absolute must read.

I cannot wait to read more from this author, someone who can accomplish this range of emotions within a short story about a fern surely has other great stories behind them. I’m very much looking forward to watching his career as a writer grow.

Do yourself a favor and read The House Plant, and also check on your own plants. If they’re watered and properly sunlit then maybe just tell them something nice today. You never know, they might be dying to hear it.

5/5 plants 🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴

For more great self published short stories check out Strange Stories

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Buy it here: The Houseplant: A Heartwarming Short Story About Grief, Loss, and a Fern Named George