AURORA AWARD WINNER
"This packs a punch." -- Publishers Weekly
"One of the most unique and engaging voices in genre fiction." --
Booklist
"In this rich and nuanced universe, Mohamed offers an emotionally
fierce and human story that takes the time and space to personalize
apocalypse." -- STARRED review, Quill & Quire
A novella set in post-climate disaster Alberta; a woman infected with
a mysterious parasite must choose whether to pursue a rare opportunity
far from home or stay and help rebuild her community
The world is nothing like it once was: climate disasters have wracked
the continent, causing food shortages, ending industry, and leaving
little behind. Then came Cad, mysterious mind-altering fungi that invade
the bodies of the now scattered citizenry. Reid, a young woman who
carries this parasite, has been given a chance to get away -- to move to
one of the last remnants of pre-disaster society -- but she can't bring
herself to abandon her mother and the community that relies on her. When
she's offered a coveted place on a dangerous and profitable mission, she
jumps at the opportunity to set her family up for life, but how can Reid
ask people to put their trust in her when she can't even trust her own
mind?
With keen insight and biting prose, Premee Mohamed delivers a deeply
personal tale in this post-apocalyptic hopepunk novella that reflects on
the meaning of community and asks what we owe to those who have lifted
us up.
