Review by Olivia Peachey of "A Short Stay in Hell" by Steven L. Peck

Once I finally had the chance to read Steven L. Peck’s A Short Stay in Hell, I devoured the whole 100-pages-or-so in an evening. Peck’s existential tragedy did not disappoint.

The work is predicated on the idea of a Hell (indeed, I found the novel through a list of unique fictional Hells) that is neither eternal nor violent – in fact it provides everything its inhabitants need. It also contains, however, endless rows and floors of bookshelves: this Hell is a Library of Babel, with one of every book that has been written and could ever be written – meaning more books than there are atoms in our universe. Those within the library can only leave once they find a book that contains their complete life story, without spelling or grammar errors.

The book does not humour the goal of finding one’s life story in this library as a narrative end-goal. Rather, it’s how the humans trapped in this Hell act, and how the story is structured, that reveals the narrative’s true purpose – a meditation on the meaning of eternity, and the effects of such endless monotony on a human’s psyche. The novella sees its protagonist, Soren, reflect from billions of years in the future, establishing that everything he goes on to describe in his first weeks, centuries, and millennia in Hell are from aeons in the past. The initial hope the human prisoners feel in the first days are tinged with doom, which plays out in slow-motion as Peck jumps around Soren’s long, long afterlife.

As the novellas catches up with Soren’s present reflections, he reveals that he has done less in millions on billions of years than he did in a thousand with the people he loved and lost to the bookshelf mazes. The detailed description of human innovations, societies, cults, expeditions, celebrations, etc. fall away as the book nears its close, fulfilling the awful terror spelled out by its introductory pages; the book opens with a man in utter defeat, and pulls the reader along the journey that got him there without a single unnecessary detail, only a careful erosion of hope on a scale like infinity – even if Soren’s life does not even scrape infinity, a fact terrifying by itself.

With its deft use of structure and stark, uncomplicated prose, A Short Stay in Hell is as worthy an interpretation of Hell as any.

About the reviewer
Olivia Peachey is an English undergraduate at the University of Leicester. She’s written professionally for sites such as Game Rant and Dualshockers while focusing on writing poetry in her free time, much of which has also been published online.

This review was awarded an "honorable mention" in our 2026 Student Book Review Competition, held in conjunction with the Centre for New Writing at the University of Leicester. 

Review by Rim Asma Khalifa of "And the Mountains Echoed" by Khaled Hosseini

Khaled Hosseini is an author who doesn't just tell a story but writes about lives marked by tragedy. I have recently come to enjoy his book And the Mountain Echoed, which follows the relationship between Abdullah and Pari, two inseparable siblings who care deeply for each other, with no mother and a father who struggles to give them a life in Afghanistan. Abdullah will always bring a smile to Pari's face, even if it's a small feather that brings her happiness in the journey of loss and fate.

This book differs from Hosseini's other works, as each chapter follows a different character from a different perspective, exploring their fragmented lives and how they connect to the main plot. This gave insight into how others perceive themselves and how they feel about the varied challenges they face. One character I found myself feeling particular empathy for was Parwana (Abdullah and Pari’s stepmother). She was a character I didn’t like initially; in fact, her actions made me think she was horrible. However, reading about her childhood and the major decision she made weighed heavily on the rest of the book.

Moreover, I greatly enjoyed the sibling relationship that Pari and Abduallah shared. It reminded me of my brother a lot and how he cared for me. The writing conveyed his deep affection for his sister and his longing for a better life for her. Abduallah is not only a selfless character but also one who matured even at a young age. The situation he faces is disastrous, but Hosseini always makes it clear that hope lies with these characters.

Overall, this book tells a deep story that will make you long for more. It captures love, relationships, family, and pain that will make you cry for the characters' lives.

About the reviewer
Rim Asma Khalifa is an undergraduate BA English student from the University of Leicester. She enjoys reading, shopping, and crafting story ideas.

This review was awarded an "honorable mention" in our 2026 Student Book Review Competition, held in conjunction with the Centre for New Writing at the University of Leicester.