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The Toy Car: A Short Story
From Rose Tremain, the bestselling, Orange Prize winning author of The Road Home, comes a deeply moving coming-of-age story.
Two paths. Two futures. But only one way home.
In the sun-bleached idyll of his Greek island home, seventeen-year-old Petros Castellanos’s future seems mapped he’ll inherit his father’s modest taxi fleet and continue his family tradition. However, his English mother sees a different path for her son, one that leads far from the watchful eyes of their small community.
So Petros goes to London to stay with his mother’s cousin. The capital is an overwhelming city whose dazzling possibilities both terrify and enthral him. But he must will he disappoint his father to fulfil his mother’s dreams, or find the courage to chart his own course home?
The Toy Car is a deeply moving coming-of-age story about the weight of expectation and what it means to decide the shape of your own life.
Two paths. Two futures. But only one way home.
In the sun-bleached idyll of his Greek island home, seventeen-year-old Petros Castellanos’s future seems mapped he’ll inherit his father’s modest taxi fleet and continue his family tradition. However, his English mother sees a different path for her son, one that leads far from the watchful eyes of their small community.
So Petros goes to London to stay with his mother’s cousin. The capital is an overwhelming city whose dazzling possibilities both terrify and enthral him. But he must will he disappoint his father to fulfil his mother’s dreams, or find the courage to chart his own course home?
The Toy Car is a deeply moving coming-of-age story about the weight of expectation and what it means to decide the shape of your own life.
48 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2025
727 people are currently reading
395 people want to read
About the author
Rose Tremain
78 books1,113 followersDame Rose Tremain is an acclaimed English novelist and short story writer, celebrated for her distinctive approach to historical fiction and her focus on characters who exist on the margins of society. Educated at the Sorbonne and the University of East Anglia, where she later taught creative writing and served as Chancellor, Tremain has produced a rich body of work spanning novels, short stories, plays, and memoir. Influenced by writers such as William Golding and Gabriel García Márquez, her narratives often blend psychological depth with lyrical prose.
Among her many honors, she has received the Whitbread Award for Music and Silence, the Orange Prize for The Road Home, and the National Jewish Book Award for The Gustav Sonata. She was shortlisted for the Booker Prize for Restoration and has been recognized multiple times by the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. In 2020, she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for her services to literature. Tremain lives in Norfolk and continues to write, with her recent novel Absolutely and Forever shortlisted for the 2024 Walter Scott Prize.
Among her many honors, she has received the Whitbread Award for Music and Silence, the Orange Prize for The Road Home, and the National Jewish Book Award for The Gustav Sonata. She was shortlisted for the Booker Prize for Restoration and has been recognized multiple times by the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. In 2020, she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for her services to literature. Tremain lives in Norfolk and continues to write, with her recent novel Absolutely and Forever shortlisted for the 2024 Walter Scott Prize.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
August 6, 2025
Rose Tremain is one of my favourite writers. This short coming of age story only adds to my respect. A young naive Greek boy goes to stay in London with his mum's cousin and learns a few lessons of life. Good one, 4 stars.
"He watched his tears falling into the shake, wondering whether they were salty enough to alter the taste of it."
"He watched his tears falling into the shake, wondering whether they were salty enough to alter the taste of it."
July 7, 2025
I’m not really sure what this book was trying to convey.
Tells the story of an 18 year old boy, Petros, from a Greek island who seems like he’s never interacted with anyone who isn’t his parents or his uncle. He moves to London because his mum — from England herself — wants him to explore and lives with his aunt and uncle in their flat. He comes to London with no plans? And just sits around doing nothing. He’s not enrolled in university and his only, vague aspiration is working at his dad’s taxi company back on Greece.
He starts working at a restaurant and creeps out a waitress then gets fired for stealing tips. This 18 year old acts like he’s never seen girls before, never had a haircut before, and the concept of a smartphone is completely foreign to him, which seems unlikely — he’s from Greece, not Mars.
His uncle takes him to his school to just… sit around and do nothing a — he’s not even enrolled — and this random girl who I presume is around 16 if she’s in Highschool, puts him on her lap, calls him baby and calls herself his mummy essentially assaults him on a random park bench. He runs home and calls his mum crying that he wants to come home.
The last page of this short and odd book is an attempt at being profound, with a small paragraph said by this boy — what he says is so vague and non specific it’s not exactly clear really what he’s talking about. He says when people go to new places they make them theirs — after sitting in a lesson about the British Empire, which the narrator describes as an attempt at atonement because naturally we can’t learn about horrible aspects of history without grovelling at someone’s feet and begging for forgiveness — but in reality, the narrator didn’t at all do that in his time in London. He didn’t go there with a purpose and didn’t particularly want to go either, and when he got there he also didn’t do anything. No extra curricular activities, no friends, he just sat around doing nothing and washing glasses in a restaurant for a bit before getting fired.
All of the characters are quite simple/daft for lack of better description. So, this book not only fails to effectively spread the message is wishes to put forward but its also simply unrealistic, odd and given the lacklustre conclusion, boring.
Further points deducted for an English woman saying ‘trash’ instead of bin.
Tells the story of an 18 year old boy, Petros, from a Greek island who seems like he’s never interacted with anyone who isn’t his parents or his uncle. He moves to London because his mum — from England herself — wants him to explore and lives with his aunt and uncle in their flat. He comes to London with no plans? And just sits around doing nothing. He’s not enrolled in university and his only, vague aspiration is working at his dad’s taxi company back on Greece.
He starts working at a restaurant and creeps out a waitress then gets fired for stealing tips. This 18 year old acts like he’s never seen girls before, never had a haircut before, and the concept of a smartphone is completely foreign to him, which seems unlikely — he’s from Greece, not Mars.
His uncle takes him to his school to just… sit around and do nothing a — he’s not even enrolled — and this random girl who I presume is around 16 if she’s in Highschool, puts him on her lap, calls him baby and calls herself his mummy essentially assaults him on a random park bench. He runs home and calls his mum crying that he wants to come home.
The last page of this short and odd book is an attempt at being profound, with a small paragraph said by this boy — what he says is so vague and non specific it’s not exactly clear really what he’s talking about. He says when people go to new places they make them theirs — after sitting in a lesson about the British Empire, which the narrator describes as an attempt at atonement because naturally we can’t learn about horrible aspects of history without grovelling at someone’s feet and begging for forgiveness — but in reality, the narrator didn’t at all do that in his time in London. He didn’t go there with a purpose and didn’t particularly want to go either, and when he got there he also didn’t do anything. No extra curricular activities, no friends, he just sat around doing nothing and washing glasses in a restaurant for a bit before getting fired.
All of the characters are quite simple/daft for lack of better description. So, this book not only fails to effectively spread the message is wishes to put forward but its also simply unrealistic, odd and given the lacklustre conclusion, boring.
Further points deducted for an English woman saying ‘trash’ instead of bin.
July 13, 2025
I'm not sure exactly what the author is trying to say with this story. It is billed as a "coming-of-age" story but the main character, Petros, ends up where he began. Maybe he learned a few things along the way, but his sojourn to London seemed to be mostly traumatic. I really liked the descriptions of Greece at the beginning of the story, but other than that, I can't say I enjoyed it. I would give it 2.5 stars for the writing rounded up to 3.
July 3, 2025
3.5 - easy read. Less than an hour
August 7, 2025
Amazon First Reads Pick
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Already want to read this again have a physical copy for my shelves:).
A moving story about a boy trying to know who he is and find his place in the world 🌎.
The grass isn't always greener in new places, and being thrust into adulthood can be like flying out of a cannon and hoping you find your footing after that initial burst.
Heck, some days I still feel lost and unmoored and wondering if I can get through it all.
The world telling you who you should be and who you want to be can feel like a game of tug of war where both sides are equal in strength and you’re stuck until something gives and it goes one way or the other.
Would recommend and definitely want to look up her other books 📚 😊 👍🏼.
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Already want to read this again have a physical copy for my shelves:).
A moving story about a boy trying to know who he is and find his place in the world 🌎.
The grass isn't always greener in new places, and being thrust into adulthood can be like flying out of a cannon and hoping you find your footing after that initial burst.
Heck, some days I still feel lost and unmoored and wondering if I can get through it all.
The world telling you who you should be and who you want to be can feel like a game of tug of war where both sides are equal in strength and you’re stuck until something gives and it goes one way or the other.
Would recommend and definitely want to look up her other books 📚 😊 👍🏼.
July 19, 2025
An odd short story that leans into stereotypes of Greek people, rendering them one-dimensional. It’s set in the modern day, but the author would give you the impression that Corfu is on the moon! Tremain writes beautifully but this story should have been set in another decade.
July 5, 2025
Kind of boring
Not sure where the accolades came from. This bored me for most of it. Maybe because I do not understand the Greek ways.
Not sure where the accolades came from. This bored me for most of it. Maybe because I do not understand the Greek ways.
July 13, 2025
Free first of the month kindle book, not my cup of tea 🤦🏻♀️
July 6, 2025
The Toy Car by Rose Tremain fell flat for me. I really don’t know what the author was going for.
That one scene in the park - ugh no, I can’t. This missed the mark, skip it.
That one scene in the park - ugh no, I can’t. This missed the mark, skip it.
September 8, 2025
⭐️⭐️
Great writing I just didn’t get into the story
Great writing I just didn’t get into the story
July 7, 2025
Showed a lot of promise but ultimately left me unsatisfied.
January 20, 2026
2.5⭐️
Maybe cuz I took too long to read it, but this just didn’t really do anything for me.
Maybe cuz I took too long to read it, but this just didn’t really do anything for me.
August 9, 2025
This was such a letdown!
As other reviewers have pointed out, the plot was boring and nonsensical/unrealistic, flattened Greek folks to stereotypes and imbued the boy with no endearing qualities. There are moments of supposed wisdom, which are so bland and trite, they annoyed the hell out of me.
The narrator was alright, but of ALL the voice actors in the world, they couldn’t have picked one who’s able to actually pronounce Greek words (instead of butchering everything and saying kali NICKTA)?
I can’t recommend this title at all.
Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
As other reviewers have pointed out, the plot was boring and nonsensical/unrealistic, flattened Greek folks to stereotypes and imbued the boy with no endearing qualities. There are moments of supposed wisdom, which are so bland and trite, they annoyed the hell out of me.
The narrator was alright, but of ALL the voice actors in the world, they couldn’t have picked one who’s able to actually pronounce Greek words (instead of butchering everything and saying kali NICKTA)?
I can’t recommend this title at all.
Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 18, 2025
I just finished this short story, and I have to be honest — I’m still not entirely sure what I read. The writing itself was strong and atmospheric, but the meaning behind the story felt a little lost on me. I kept waiting for something to click, but it never really did.
It’s one of those stories that might resonate more if you connect with the themes or symbolism — but for me, it just left me scratching my head.
It’s one of those stories that might resonate more if you connect with the themes or symbolism — but for me, it just left me scratching my head.
July 28, 2025
It’s a pity that other reviewers don’t seem to like this short story, because for me it works well. The protagonist, Petros, is the result of a marriage between an English mother who settled on the island home of his Greek father. Fanos is ready to take his son into his taxi business in what he sees as a natural progression, whereas mother Katherine wants Petros to experience life out in the wider world before making up his mind. It takes a bit of doing, but at last Fanos is persuaded and Petros sets off for England.
Matters don’t go well, as Petros is constantly bewildered and confused by the people and places he encounters, falling into bad ways yet homesick for the island, of which the toy taxi given him by his father’s fellow cabbie Yiorgos, is a constant reminder. Petros—whose name means ‘rock’—struggles to find a firm basis upon which to construct an understanding of the world, to include both his familiar home and the alien landscape he encounters in London.
It’s a well-written piece which I think examines well the coming-of-age of a young man. The teen years are a troubled time anyway, when young people work out their place in the world, so to speak. When they’re caught between different cultures, as is Petros, it’s got to be more difficult than usual. His mother appears to have travelled herself in her teens—there’s a reference to her having been in Australia—which is one of the paths taken by a percentage of teenagers, and Katherine is keen for her son to go down the same route. It’s in the opposite direction to her own journey, however, from the sun, sea and certainty of a small homogenous community to the cold greyness of the multicultural mash-up which is the UK.
Eventually Petros works things out—but you’ll have to read the story to discover what that is.
Matters don’t go well, as Petros is constantly bewildered and confused by the people and places he encounters, falling into bad ways yet homesick for the island, of which the toy taxi given him by his father’s fellow cabbie Yiorgos, is a constant reminder. Petros—whose name means ‘rock’—struggles to find a firm basis upon which to construct an understanding of the world, to include both his familiar home and the alien landscape he encounters in London.
It’s a well-written piece which I think examines well the coming-of-age of a young man. The teen years are a troubled time anyway, when young people work out their place in the world, so to speak. When they’re caught between different cultures, as is Petros, it’s got to be more difficult than usual. His mother appears to have travelled herself in her teens—there’s a reference to her having been in Australia—which is one of the paths taken by a percentage of teenagers, and Katherine is keen for her son to go down the same route. It’s in the opposite direction to her own journey, however, from the sun, sea and certainty of a small homogenous community to the cold greyness of the multicultural mash-up which is the UK.
Eventually Petros works things out—but you’ll have to read the story to discover what that is.
October 15, 2025
The Amazon short stories have been pretty uneven in terms of quality and enjoyability, but this is a good one and it makes me curious to seek out more of Rose Tremain’s work.
There’s a lot packed into this very quick read. Action isn’t the focal point, but the atmosphere and sense of place are notably strong for short fiction and I enjoyed the central theme and how it played out.
It’s an interesting examination of belonging and achievement and how different those things look to different people, and how sometimes even those close to us have a very different idea of what these things mean.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
There’s a lot packed into this very quick read. Action isn’t the focal point, but the atmosphere and sense of place are notably strong for short fiction and I enjoyed the central theme and how it played out.
It’s an interesting examination of belonging and achievement and how different those things look to different people, and how sometimes even those close to us have a very different idea of what these things mean.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
July 24, 2025
Amazon Prime First Read pick for July
A deceptively simple coming of age short story about 17 year-old Petros from a Greek island whose English mother wants him to see the world rather than settle for his taxi driver father's vision of his future. Petros goes to cold, dreary London where he can't fit in and feels unseen, homesick, unloved and alone. Tremain is such a good writer and it takes less than an hour to see how Petros chooses between two such very different worlds, with reference to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince adding depth to the story.
A deceptively simple coming of age short story about 17 year-old Petros from a Greek island whose English mother wants him to see the world rather than settle for his taxi driver father's vision of his future. Petros goes to cold, dreary London where he can't fit in and feels unseen, homesick, unloved and alone. Tremain is such a good writer and it takes less than an hour to see how Petros chooses between two such very different worlds, with reference to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince adding depth to the story.
August 20, 2025
I’ve been wanting to read Rose Tremain for a while now and this short story from NetGalley seemed like a great place to start. Her storytelling is lean but loaded, reminding me why I love short fiction. The story echoes The Little Prince, not just in tone, but in heart. Petros, the protagonist, isn’t chasing status. He’s searching for connection, meaning, and a sense of belonging in a world that often overlooks both. This brief read left a lasting impression. I can’t wait to read more of Tremain’s work.
July 24, 2025
Experiments
Ummmm, heritage …identity…legacy… what was the objective ⁉️I’m so darn confused by this story 🥴😵💫‼️Unfortunately, ”The Toy Car: A Short Story” 🚗 was another Kindle/Amazon first reads for July 25’ was an epic disaster‼️ The experiment, whether local, international or global was a failure 🤷🏾♀️. Only forty eight pages, nevertheless this novella had no plot development nor direction. …that was a wasted hour🤦🏾♀️‼️
Ummmm, heritage …identity…legacy… what was the objective ⁉️I’m so darn confused by this story 🥴😵💫‼️Unfortunately, ”The Toy Car: A Short Story” 🚗 was another Kindle/Amazon first reads for July 25’ was an epic disaster‼️ The experiment, whether local, international or global was a failure 🤷🏾♀️. Only forty eight pages, nevertheless this novella had no plot development nor direction. …that was a wasted hour🤦🏾♀️‼️
August 17, 2025
This short story was a very fun and quick read. Made me really think about how we carry things inside of us.
November 14, 2025
A very short coming of age story that was a bit flat and dismal
October 25, 2025
An okay tale from Tremain about a journey of discovery which leads to the realisation that one was better off where one started. A cut price take on The Alchemist which probably needed a little more breathing space.
July 8, 2025
I enjoyed Rose Tremain’s novels, but this tale of Petros’s ill fated visit to London didn’t really go anywhere. He’s homesick and fails to establish a meaningful connection with anyone of his own age in London. There’s a hint that Petros has grown as a result of his experience but it’s all a bit vague and unsatisfactory.
July 10, 2025
Excellent short story
A young Greek man travels to London to see if his destiny is in England or Greece. This short story reminds readers of several life lessons we all need to be reminded of from time to time.
A young Greek man travels to London to see if his destiny is in England or Greece. This short story reminds readers of several life lessons we all need to be reminded of from time to time.
July 4, 2025
I’ve just finished reading this after working my way through a popular fantasy series, and the contrast in writing style is so striking that I can’t help but give it five stars. At just under 50 pages, it has a satisfying arc and fully shaped characters. Just what I needed to remind me how rewarding short stories can be.
September 11, 2025
3 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Toy Car by Rose Tremain
Format: Audiobook | Narrated by: Joe Pitts
Seventeen-year-old Petros lives on a Greek island where his father expects him to take over his self-proclaimed “taxi empire.” His English mother, Katherine, has other plans, urging him to go to London and find a different kind of life. What follows is a brief but emotional snapshot of a boy pulled between cultures, expectations, and his uneasy step into adulthood.
This is a very short but evocative coming-of-age story. It is not a perfect book, but it stirred up emotions and captured that unsettled, anxious feeling of being seventeen and caught between cultures, parents, and futures.
🚕 My Thoughts
For me, the heart of the story was not just Petros’s choice between Greece and England, but Katherine’s desperation for her son not to repeat her mistakes. When she was younger, she “saw the world” and thought of herself as a citizen of it. Now she feels trapped in a small island life, unsatisfied and disconnected, despite doing her best to fit into her husband’s world. London, to her, is not only about education or success. It represents the possibility of a different life than the one she feels stuck in, and she wants Petros to have that chance.
The story also dips into the messy side of adolescence: awkward sexual encounters, confusing attractions, and the discomfort of being in an unfamiliar city. These moments can feel abrupt or unsettling, but they add to the raw honesty of Petros’s experience.
Because it is so brief, some parts, especially Petros’s time in England, felt rushed. A few of the sexual encounters were uncomfortable and abrupt, but I think that raw awkwardness was intentional. The ending, though, tied things together beautifully. I loved Petros’s realization that, “We carry the world in our heads… we’ve got them forever, like Despina’s laughter. We carry them with us, on and on through time.” It was a perfect closing reflection on what he gained, even if his life path did not radically change.
⚠️ Trigger Warnings / Themes
Awkward and coercive sexual situations, Parental conflict, Themes of cultural identity and generational expectation
📚 Final Thoughts
This is a thoughtful short story about identity, expectation, and the fear of being trapped in a life you did not choose. It leans more on feeling than on plot, and while I wanted a little more depth, I could still appreciate the perspective it gave.
Thank you to NetGalley, Brilliance Publishing, and Amazon Original Stories for the opportunity to listen to this title in exchange for an honest review!
This isn’t a big, life-changing story, but more of a snapshot of adolescence, awkward, tender, and a little messy. A reminder that growing up isn’t always about huge changes, but about the small perspectives we carry with us.
The Toy Car by Rose Tremain
Format: Audiobook | Narrated by: Joe Pitts
Seventeen-year-old Petros lives on a Greek island where his father expects him to take over his self-proclaimed “taxi empire.” His English mother, Katherine, has other plans, urging him to go to London and find a different kind of life. What follows is a brief but emotional snapshot of a boy pulled between cultures, expectations, and his uneasy step into adulthood.
This is a very short but evocative coming-of-age story. It is not a perfect book, but it stirred up emotions and captured that unsettled, anxious feeling of being seventeen and caught between cultures, parents, and futures.
🚕 My Thoughts
For me, the heart of the story was not just Petros’s choice between Greece and England, but Katherine’s desperation for her son not to repeat her mistakes. When she was younger, she “saw the world” and thought of herself as a citizen of it. Now she feels trapped in a small island life, unsatisfied and disconnected, despite doing her best to fit into her husband’s world. London, to her, is not only about education or success. It represents the possibility of a different life than the one she feels stuck in, and she wants Petros to have that chance.
The story also dips into the messy side of adolescence: awkward sexual encounters, confusing attractions, and the discomfort of being in an unfamiliar city. These moments can feel abrupt or unsettling, but they add to the raw honesty of Petros’s experience.
Because it is so brief, some parts, especially Petros’s time in England, felt rushed. A few of the sexual encounters were uncomfortable and abrupt, but I think that raw awkwardness was intentional. The ending, though, tied things together beautifully. I loved Petros’s realization that, “We carry the world in our heads… we’ve got them forever, like Despina’s laughter. We carry them with us, on and on through time.” It was a perfect closing reflection on what he gained, even if his life path did not radically change.
⚠️ Trigger Warnings / Themes
Awkward and coercive sexual situations, Parental conflict, Themes of cultural identity and generational expectation
📚 Final Thoughts
This is a thoughtful short story about identity, expectation, and the fear of being trapped in a life you did not choose. It leans more on feeling than on plot, and while I wanted a little more depth, I could still appreciate the perspective it gave.
Thank you to NetGalley, Brilliance Publishing, and Amazon Original Stories for the opportunity to listen to this title in exchange for an honest review!
This isn’t a big, life-changing story, but more of a snapshot of adolescence, awkward, tender, and a little messy. A reminder that growing up isn’t always about huge changes, but about the small perspectives we carry with us.
November 26, 2025
Technically the writing here is fine, but I struggled to connect to the story. Petros is caught between cultural expectations and potential futures. Yet in this vignette our protagonist is mostly unlikable. Not because he gets homesick or has awkward romantic relationships (typical coming of age drama) but because he is unmotivated, ungrateful, and not curious about anything. I’m not sure the dichotomy of trapped in a small town versus safe in what you know is given a fair shake when Petros seems plucked from the moon. He doesn’t seem to know how to talk to people, groom himself, or function in society. It feels like an old fashion rather contemporary time setting given his difficulties. Perhaps it is because there is no time for anything in the story to breathe, or the author wants an audience to sit in feelings of indecisions—but it is all rather vague and unsatisfactory. I don’t think his Uncle’s comments on spray tans and sluts is the point, but I also don’t know what it is. It framed itself as identity and expression struggles but feels to support a don’t try new things motto counter to those goals. (1.5 stars)
* * * * * * * * *
Seventeen-year-old Petros Castellanos is sent to London by his mother Katherine to experience a bit of the world before he decides on his future. Meanwhile his father sends him off with a small toy car to remind him of the Taxi Empire awaiting him at home to inherit. Used to the small island life of his Greek homeland, the teen is put off by the bustle of London and unable to connect to the older second cousins he lodges with. He gets a job as a dishwasher in a Greek restaurant where he falls in lust with a Greek coworker who wants nothing to do with him and is fired after being caught skimming tips he feels entitled to. Then he audits a few lectures where his cousins teach where he makes out with a girl after a lecture on colonialism and runs away home. He tries to comfort his mother but explaining that now the toy car makes him think about his time in London.
* * * * * * * * *
Seventeen-year-old Petros Castellanos is sent to London by his mother Katherine to experience a bit of the world before he decides on his future. Meanwhile his father sends him off with a small toy car to remind him of the Taxi Empire awaiting him at home to inherit. Used to the small island life of his Greek homeland, the teen is put off by the bustle of London and unable to connect to the older second cousins he lodges with. He gets a job as a dishwasher in a Greek restaurant where he falls in lust with a Greek coworker who wants nothing to do with him and is fired after being caught skimming tips he feels entitled to. Then he audits a few lectures where his cousins teach where he makes out with a girl after a lecture on colonialism and runs away home. He tries to comfort his mother but explaining that now the toy car makes him think about his time in London.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2025
🌟🌟.5
In the beautiful island of Greece 17 year old, Petros Castellanos had his future all mapped out for him. He'll inherit his father's taxi company and follow his family's tradition. However his english mother doesn't want this for him, she wants him to experience the world and have more in his life.
So Petros goes to London to live with his mother's cousin. The city has endless opportunities but Petros finds himself working in a Greek restaurant and managing to mess everything up. His little toy car that he has with him to remind him of home and what he could have following in his fathers footsteps, brings him back home.
This was a funny little story about Pedros finding his way in the world but London just eats him up, he's totally out of his depth and he misses the comfort and the way of his life back home. I listened to this as an audio book while I was out a walk and it was a nice easy listen. It was ment to be a heartwarming story of how sometimes you don't realise how much you appreciate your family and everything you have but this actually just came across a bit traumatic, there was a scene that was totally random and so weird (if you've read this you'll know what I mean) I didn't really get the message the author was trying to convay by this. He was also just acting like he had no people skills at all.
I do think there was something missing, I thought this was actually translated from greek as some of the writing I thought didn't really make much sense at all. I think the writing style just wasn't for me and it had such great potential to be a really moving story but the author had a really weird way of portraying this. It was a great little listen while out a walk though.
In the beautiful island of Greece 17 year old, Petros Castellanos had his future all mapped out for him. He'll inherit his father's taxi company and follow his family's tradition. However his english mother doesn't want this for him, she wants him to experience the world and have more in his life.
So Petros goes to London to live with his mother's cousin. The city has endless opportunities but Petros finds himself working in a Greek restaurant and managing to mess everything up. His little toy car that he has with him to remind him of home and what he could have following in his fathers footsteps, brings him back home.
This was a funny little story about Pedros finding his way in the world but London just eats him up, he's totally out of his depth and he misses the comfort and the way of his life back home. I listened to this as an audio book while I was out a walk and it was a nice easy listen. It was ment to be a heartwarming story of how sometimes you don't realise how much you appreciate your family and everything you have but this actually just came across a bit traumatic, there was a scene that was totally random and so weird (if you've read this you'll know what I mean) I didn't really get the message the author was trying to convay by this. He was also just acting like he had no people skills at all.
I do think there was something missing, I thought this was actually translated from greek as some of the writing I thought didn't really make much sense at all. I think the writing style just wasn't for me and it had such great potential to be a really moving story but the author had a really weird way of portraying this. It was a great little listen while out a walk though.
July 15, 2025
2.5 stars. I absolutely love Rose Tremain's work, she is one of my favourite authors. Having said that, short stories are not really my thing. However, as with many of her short story collections, I decided to give this one a go anyway.
The Toy Car follows a teenage boy, Petros, whose father has already decided his future for him. He will inherit his father's taxi "empire". However, his mother wants him to branch out and see more of the world so sends him from their home in Greece to London to stay with relatives. There, Petros struggles to fit in at his new job, at school and with friends.
Aspects of this story were reminiscent of The Road Home in the way it explores a migrant's experience in London. In that way it was an interesting and eye opening perspective. However there was a distinct lack of depth which meant it didn't really have the emotional impact you would expect.
Petros wasn't particularly likeable for a start. There's a weird moment where a female colleague stops talking to him and you never really know why but it gave vibes like he had done something inappropriate. Then there's another scene where he's taken advantage of by another girl and the tone was just off.
I'm not entirely sure what the story was trying to say, if anything at all. It felt more like an idea, rather than actual story. Perhaps as a full length novel it could have been a great coming of age story, but in this format it didn't really work for me.
The Toy Car follows a teenage boy, Petros, whose father has already decided his future for him. He will inherit his father's taxi "empire". However, his mother wants him to branch out and see more of the world so sends him from their home in Greece to London to stay with relatives. There, Petros struggles to fit in at his new job, at school and with friends.
Aspects of this story were reminiscent of The Road Home in the way it explores a migrant's experience in London. In that way it was an interesting and eye opening perspective. However there was a distinct lack of depth which meant it didn't really have the emotional impact you would expect.
Petros wasn't particularly likeable for a start. There's a weird moment where a female colleague stops talking to him and you never really know why but it gave vibes like he had done something inappropriate. Then there's another scene where he's taken advantage of by another girl and the tone was just off.
I'm not entirely sure what the story was trying to say, if anything at all. It felt more like an idea, rather than actual story. Perhaps as a full length novel it could have been a great coming of age story, but in this format it didn't really work for me.
August 11, 2025
The Toy Car is a tender, coming-of-age story from Rose Tremain, the Orange Prize–winning author of The Road Home. In just a short span, Tremain draws you into the world of seventeen-year-old Petros Castellanos, who grows up on a sun-drenched Greek island with his future seemingly set to inherit his father’s modest taxi fleet and carry on the family tradition. But his English mother has other ideas, pushing him toward a new life in London, far from the familiarity and expectations of home.
The story follows Petros as he arrives in the bustling capital, a place that both dazzles and overwhelms him. The heart of the narrative lies in his quiet reckoning with what he truly wants, balancing family duty, his mother’s ambitions, and his own sense of belonging. It’s a simple premise, but Tremain handles it with warmth, restraint, and an emotional clarity that lingers.
I found it a sweet and satisfying story about finding your place in the world and realising that sometimes, the place you belong is the one you started from. I’ve been meaning to read Tremain for a while, so I jumped at the chance to try this short story. Her prose flows beautifully, the pacing is spot on, and it left me wanting more. Admittedly, that’s my constant gripe with short stories: they end too soon. I would have loved to see where Petros’s journey might have gone in a longer format.
Still, as a brief introduction to Tremain’s work, The Toy Car more than delivered. I’ve given it four stars, and I’m now looking forward to her upcoming book with even more anticipation.
Thank you, NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing, along with Amazon Original Stories, for supplying me with an audio ARC of The Toy Car in exchange for my honest review.
The story follows Petros as he arrives in the bustling capital, a place that both dazzles and overwhelms him. The heart of the narrative lies in his quiet reckoning with what he truly wants, balancing family duty, his mother’s ambitions, and his own sense of belonging. It’s a simple premise, but Tremain handles it with warmth, restraint, and an emotional clarity that lingers.
I found it a sweet and satisfying story about finding your place in the world and realising that sometimes, the place you belong is the one you started from. I’ve been meaning to read Tremain for a while, so I jumped at the chance to try this short story. Her prose flows beautifully, the pacing is spot on, and it left me wanting more. Admittedly, that’s my constant gripe with short stories: they end too soon. I would have loved to see where Petros’s journey might have gone in a longer format.
Still, as a brief introduction to Tremain’s work, The Toy Car more than delivered. I’ve given it four stars, and I’m now looking forward to her upcoming book with even more anticipation.
Thank you, NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing, along with Amazon Original Stories, for supplying me with an audio ARC of The Toy Car in exchange for my honest review.
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