Song of the Unsung Mushroom - Paperback

by Sarah Clarke Stuart (Author)

After a hurricane strikes a small Florida town, young Claire is never the same. Years later, her brother, Gunther, is still haunted by the suspicion that she was taken and replaced by something not quite human. Set in the wild landscapes of North Florida and western Appalachia, this eco-fiction story is a lyrical, genre-blurring novel about loss, identity, and the hidden intelligence that pulses beneath our feet. Nature and technology dissolve into one, reshaping what it means to be human.

• "Sarah Clarke Stuart passionately explores how human diversity and self-discovery may break into new frontiers ... and how fungi might actually be our friends." -- DAVID BRIN, HUGO, NEBULA, LOCUS AWARD-WINNER; AUTHOR OF EARTH, EXISTENCE, and THE POSTMAN
• "Haunting and fascinating! Song of the Unsung Mushroom is an intriguing exploration of identity, set within a unique science fiction mystery." -- SARAH BETH DURST, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE SPELLSHOP
• "Glimmering with the excitement and danger of exploring a childhood world that never ends, Song of the Unsung Mushroom unearths the damp, soggy soil of the posthuman spirit." -- ROY CHRISTOPHER, AUTHOR OF THE MEDIUM PICTURE
• "Song of the Unsung Mushroom skillfully blends an aching portrayal of a big sister-little brother relationship with a fervent drive to investigate mysterious intelligences thriving in Florida's waterways." -- ROSEMARY CLAIRE SMITH, SIDEWISE AWARD WINNER OF "APOLLO IN RETROGRADE"
• "Song of the Unsung Mushroom is an engaging blend of family dynamics and climate fiction, literary fiction style and science fiction tropes. It evokes lazy childhood summers even as weird scientists slowly work their way to the centre of the story. Highly recommended for SF fans who want something fresh and different." --IRA NAYMAN, FORMER EDITOR OF AMAZING STORIES
• "Mind-bending and genre-twisting, Song oƒ the Unsung Mushroom is a powerful tale about exploration and perilous discovery. Evocative oƒ the Florida marshlands and inlets, and attentive to the ways that nature ƒorms and transƒorms us, Sarah Clarke Stuart's novel raises crucial questions about our identities and our place(s) in the world." -- MICHAEL WILEY, SHAMUS AWARD-WINNER; AUTHOR OF MONUMENT ROAD
• "Sarah Clarke Stuart has written a novel that glimmers with beauty and depth. Song oƒ the Unsung Mushroom is haunting and deeply original. Part family drama, part speculative wonder, it is always lyrical and alive. A truly original work that will linger long after the ƒinal page. -- EDWIN STEPP, AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR and MEMOIRIST; CO-PRODUCER: LIVE FOREVER: THE RAY BRADBURY ODYSSEY
• "Blends genres with aspects of fantasy and science fiction, ecological thriller and even some horror ... I really loved the story of the young girl and her brother and their small adventures in their canoe." -- MAX TRUXAW, AMAZING STORIES