“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.

Sales and Market Bullets

• This is a unique look at the apocalyptic genre; the book is set in the far future, decades after climate disruption has destroyed society and much of humanity has been infected with a sinister mind-controlling fungus. The story is heartfelt and unexpected, and the characters, particularly Reid and her best friend Henryk, are so alive, you’ll swear you know them personally.
• Premee Mohamed is a biologist and an up-and-comer in speculative fiction with an active social media presence. Her confident prose is a joy to read, and she was a Capital City Press Featured Writer with the Edmonton Public Library for 2019–2020.
• Perfect for readers who are not into “hard” sci-fi but enjoy fiction with speculative elements, such as Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. This hopepunk novel does not focus on disaster or apocalypse, but rather on the strength of our communities and what it takes to rebuild and move forward after a crisis.

Audience

• Socially conscious millennials
• People interested in climate change and looking for hope, #hopepunk
• Readers that don’t like “hard” sci-fi but are still interested in speculative elements in their fiction
• Readers of literary post-apocalyptic fiction like Station Eleven and Moon of the Crusted Snow
• Crossover: older YA readers