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4.48 AVERAGE
4.48 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I've seen this repeatedly classified as dystopian fiction and I just want to open this review by saying I think that's a mislabel. This is certainly apocalyptic fiction, and while apocalyptic fiction and dystopian fiction can have a lot of overlap, the two aren't the same and one doesn't automatically beget the other.
I'm pretty sure I'm reading bootleg versions of the Peach Flower House release, but at this point I don't care that this is a bootleg copy. I have no way of knowing when I might actually get the chance to read the actual official translation from PFH, so I will settle for this.
Presently, I'm enjoying the type of sci-fi horror this presents the reader with, and I enjoy the character of An Zhe a lot. I'm not particularly attached to most of the characters in this (and it's arguably safer not to be,) but they're still very memorable and I enjoy seeing the way the narrative plays with the struggle of human connection in times of cataclysmic uncertainty. I'm not sure whether or not I'll completely love this story by the end of the second book, but this wasn't a bad read!
I'm pretty sure I'm reading bootleg versions of the Peach Flower House release, but at this point I don't care that this is a bootleg copy. I have no way of knowing when I might actually get the chance to read the actual official translation from PFH, so I will settle for this.
Presently, I'm enjoying the type of sci-fi horror this presents the reader with, and I enjoy the character of An Zhe a lot. I'm not particularly attached to most of the characters in this (and it's arguably safer not to be,) but they're still very memorable and I enjoy seeing the way the narrative plays with the struggle of human connection in times of cataclysmic uncertainty. I'm not sure whether or not I'll completely love this story by the end of the second book, but this wasn't a bad read!
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Initially, Little Mushroom was not a series that I personally had much interest in. I’m not generally a huge fan of science fiction and tend to prefer fantasy, mystery or historical fiction. When I do venture into the sci-fi genre, I typically gravitate more towards futuristic space exploration type stories similar to franchises like Star Trek or Mass Effect. I’m usually not a huge fan of post-apocalyptic settings or plots that involve mass outbreaks or infections. The main reason that I ultimately decided to buy Little Mushroom was due to the fact that I found out that the publisher, Peach Flower House, was shutting down. I had heard good things about Little Mushroom and I didn’t want to miss out on a series that I might potentially enjoy. Therefore, I decided to buy both books before they went out of print.
Unfortunately, I don’t think that I was ultimately the right audience for this story. Though I enjoyed Little Mushroom for the most part, I didn’t love it the way I hoped that I would or the way many other people seem to. For one thing, there were a lot of aspects of this book that I found very disturbing. Some of the things that I personally find to be the most terrifying and upsetting in general are insects, body horror, and forced pregnancy, all of which are present to some extent in this story. The fact that the plot of Little Mushroom contains not one but three of the things that typically bother me the most in any story made it somewhat difficult for me to enjoy it on a personal level. That, coupled with the fact that this world is just relentlessly depressing and almost hopeless, made it difficult for me to want to continue at times.
On an objective level, I do think that the plot is very interesting, and I enjoyed the novelty of something so far removed from what I typically read. Little Mushroom constantly kept me on my toes and had me wondering what was going to happen next as the human base continued to suffer calamity after calamity. I also enjoyed gradually learning more about the Northern Base’s society and its secrets alongside the main character, An Zhe, despite being frequently horrified by what I learned. Probably the most disturbing revelation, which I won’t spoil, involved the Garden of Eden. I just found that part of the plot so upsetting that it was hard for me not to feel that it might actually be better if the remnants of humanity in this post-apocalyptic world did not survive after all.
Another thing that I felt somewhat torn on was the two main characters. In many ways, I find An Zhe very sweet and adorable. He is just an innocent little mushroom that I want to see protected at all costs. However, despite how precious and loveable An Zhe is, I found it somewhat difficult to connect with the story through his eyes. Because he is not human, An Zhe does not seem to possess the full range of emotions that most humans do. Often, when some horrifying new plot development was unveiled, I found myself feeling very divorced from the true emotional impact of the situation because I was viewing it through An Zhe’s eyes. Even the most awful revelations seem to have very little impact on him. Almost nothing makes him react strongly. Though this definitely makes sense from a narrative perspective due to the fact that An Zhe isn’t human, I personally don’t find it to be very interesting. When the main character doesn’t react or even have an internal emotional response it kind of deadens the impact for me a bit. Maybe that’s just me, but it just makes it harder for me to get invested in the story. In some ways, I actually found Colin to be a more interesting character because of his often visceral and rebellious reactions toward the injustices happening in the world around him.
As for the other main character, Lu Feng, I had a similar problem. Unlike with An Zhe, we don’t often get to see much of Lu Feng’s inner monologue and are only privy to surface reactions as observed by An Zhe. Lu Feng himself is a very reserved and aloof character, at least on the surface. There are often hints that he feels more beneath the surface, but these emotional responses are only shown in faint glimpses. Though I certainly don’t mind stoic, impassive characters, I feel like they need to be balanced out with another character that expresses their emotions more openly in order to give the story a more humanized and sympathetic feel. But then, given the bleak, uncaring nature of Little Mushroom’s world, perhaps dehumanizing the story was an intentional plot choice. Either way, for me personally, it often made it difficult for me to connect with this book on an emotional level.
I am by no means saying that I didn’t like the main characters, because I did for the most part. They certainly aren’t among my favorite danmei characters, but I still like them. Especially in a story where humanity seems to be perhaps the most terrifying aspect of this already brutal world, An Zhe’s innocence and lack of humanity are a major part of what makes him loveable and endearing. Perhaps that is also what Lu Feng finds loveable about An Zhe as well. He certainly seems to appreciate the ways in which An Zhe is different from most people and to find An Zhe’s calm, unemotional attitude refreshing. As for Lu Feng himself, he is clearly a very strong willed and selfless person. Despite being hated and feared by nearly every person around him and having to perform an extremely difficult, mostly thankless and no doubt soul crushing task day in and day out, he still stands strong in the face of it, never wavering. Given all of this, it makes sense why he would be so emotionally cut off from other people and that is also why seeing each tiny glimmer of emotion and care that he shows around An Zhe is so impactful.
The writing is this book is also exceptional. There were some truly great descriptions and the way the author is able to convey so much between the two main characters despite them exchanging so few words is extremely powerful. I also really admire how much thought, creativity and care went into crafting this world. I can’t say that I’ve ever read another story about a sentient mushroom or even a story about what might happen if Earth’s magnetic poles were to disappear. Shisi gave very interesting and highly detailed scientific explanations for many of the phenomena that take place in this story. Admittedly, I know very little about these things so I really can’t speak to their accuracy, but they were interesting nonetheless. It was really fascinating learning about the different technologies that the humans have developed in order to keep their base and the remnants of their society safe. I found the Ultrasonic Dispensers to be particularly brilliant and the ways they could be disrupted were very intriguing as well.
Overall, I did enjoy this story for the most part despite it not necessarily being my thing. I’m sure for fans of post-apocalyptic science fiction, this would be an absolute treat. For me, it was neither terrible nor amazing. There were plenty of things that I loved about it, but also many things that I found too upsetting to enjoy. I’m not generally a huge fan of dark stories and I REALLY do not like anything involving body horror. I think it was mostly these aspects that held me back from fully enjoying Little Mushroom. I still definitely intend to read the second book and I’m really curious to see where this story goes, but I don’t see it becoming one of my favorites.
Unfortunately, I don’t think that I was ultimately the right audience for this story. Though I enjoyed Little Mushroom for the most part, I didn’t love it the way I hoped that I would or the way many other people seem to. For one thing, there were a lot of aspects of this book that I found very disturbing. Some of the things that I personally find to be the most terrifying and upsetting in general are insects, body horror, and forced pregnancy, all of which are present to some extent in this story. The fact that the plot of Little Mushroom contains not one but three of the things that typically bother me the most in any story made it somewhat difficult for me to enjoy it on a personal level. That, coupled with the fact that this world is just relentlessly depressing and almost hopeless, made it difficult for me to want to continue at times.
On an objective level, I do think that the plot is very interesting, and I enjoyed the novelty of something so far removed from what I typically read. Little Mushroom constantly kept me on my toes and had me wondering what was going to happen next as the human base continued to suffer calamity after calamity. I also enjoyed gradually learning more about the Northern Base’s society and its secrets alongside the main character, An Zhe, despite being frequently horrified by what I learned. Probably the most disturbing revelation, which I won’t spoil, involved the Garden of Eden. I just found that part of the plot so upsetting that it was hard for me not to feel that it might actually be better if the remnants of humanity in this post-apocalyptic world did not survive after all.
Another thing that I felt somewhat torn on was the two main characters. In many ways, I find An Zhe very sweet and adorable. He is just an innocent little mushroom that I want to see protected at all costs. However, despite how precious and loveable An Zhe is, I found it somewhat difficult to connect with the story through his eyes. Because he is not human, An Zhe does not seem to possess the full range of emotions that most humans do. Often, when some horrifying new plot development was unveiled, I found myself feeling very divorced from the true emotional impact of the situation because I was viewing it through An Zhe’s eyes. Even the most awful revelations seem to have very little impact on him. Almost nothing makes him react strongly. Though this definitely makes sense from a narrative perspective due to the fact that An Zhe isn’t human, I personally don’t find it to be very interesting. When the main character doesn’t react or even have an internal emotional response it kind of deadens the impact for me a bit. Maybe that’s just me, but it just makes it harder for me to get invested in the story. In some ways, I actually found Colin to be a more interesting character because of his often visceral and rebellious reactions toward the injustices happening in the world around him.
As for the other main character, Lu Feng, I had a similar problem. Unlike with An Zhe, we don’t often get to see much of Lu Feng’s inner monologue and are only privy to surface reactions as observed by An Zhe. Lu Feng himself is a very reserved and aloof character, at least on the surface. There are often hints that he feels more beneath the surface, but these emotional responses are only shown in faint glimpses. Though I certainly don’t mind stoic, impassive characters, I feel like they need to be balanced out with another character that expresses their emotions more openly in order to give the story a more humanized and sympathetic feel. But then, given the bleak, uncaring nature of Little Mushroom’s world, perhaps dehumanizing the story was an intentional plot choice. Either way, for me personally, it often made it difficult for me to connect with this book on an emotional level.
I am by no means saying that I didn’t like the main characters, because I did for the most part. They certainly aren’t among my favorite danmei characters, but I still like them. Especially in a story where humanity seems to be perhaps the most terrifying aspect of this already brutal world, An Zhe’s innocence and lack of humanity are a major part of what makes him loveable and endearing. Perhaps that is also what Lu Feng finds loveable about An Zhe as well. He certainly seems to appreciate the ways in which An Zhe is different from most people and to find An Zhe’s calm, unemotional attitude refreshing. As for Lu Feng himself, he is clearly a very strong willed and selfless person. Despite being hated and feared by nearly every person around him and having to perform an extremely difficult, mostly thankless and no doubt soul crushing task day in and day out, he still stands strong in the face of it, never wavering. Given all of this, it makes sense why he would be so emotionally cut off from other people and that is also why seeing each tiny glimmer of emotion and care that he shows around An Zhe is so impactful.
The writing is this book is also exceptional. There were some truly great descriptions and the way the author is able to convey so much between the two main characters despite them exchanging so few words is extremely powerful. I also really admire how much thought, creativity and care went into crafting this world. I can’t say that I’ve ever read another story about a sentient mushroom or even a story about what might happen if Earth’s magnetic poles were to disappear. Shisi gave very interesting and highly detailed scientific explanations for many of the phenomena that take place in this story. Admittedly, I know very little about these things so I really can’t speak to their accuracy, but they were interesting nonetheless. It was really fascinating learning about the different technologies that the humans have developed in order to keep their base and the remnants of their society safe. I found the Ultrasonic Dispensers to be particularly brilliant and the ways they could be disrupted were very intriguing as well.
Overall, I did enjoy this story for the most part despite it not necessarily being my thing. I’m sure for fans of post-apocalyptic science fiction, this would be an absolute treat. For me, it was neither terrible nor amazing. There were plenty of things that I loved about it, but also many things that I found too upsetting to enjoy. I’m not generally a huge fan of dark stories and I REALLY do not like anything involving body horror. I think it was mostly these aspects that held me back from fully enjoying Little Mushroom. I still definitely intend to read the second book and I’m really curious to see where this story goes, but I don’t see it becoming one of my favorites.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, Blood
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The only thing ‘putting me off’ is the fact that I’m in a reading slump and literally spent months stuck on one chapter
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3,7 ★
esto es lo más cercano que he tenido a los efectos de hongos alucinógenos.
todo era confusión y risas.
esto es lo más cercano que he tenido a los efectos de hongos alucinógenos.
todo era confusión y risas.
First read September 2024: Honestly the thing that really threw me wasn’t that fact that the mc is a sentient mushroom, it was how changeable the characters were. One minute they liked each other the next one hated the other I was just like what is going on and why.
~~~
Pre-read: Like, what do you mean this is about a sentient, gay mushroom?
~~~
Pre-read: Like, what do you mean this is about a sentient, gay mushroom?