A review by dianathebookish
Little Mushroom: Judgment Day by Shisi

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

From manhua

Little Mushroom: Judgment Day is set in a post apocalyptic dystopian world in the year 2020, when Earth’s magnetic poles vanished, and cosmic radiation nearly eradicated humankind. Over the next century, creatures mutated and preyed upon each other, while the remaining humans clung to their man-made shelters. In the Abyss, home to the mutated xenogenics, there lived a sentient little mushroom. Nourished by the blood and flesh of the deceased human An Ze (blood contamination), it assumed a similar human form and a name: An Zhe.

Due to unknown human who harvested his spore (protecting its spore is a mushroom's sole purpose in life), An Zhe is now determined to retrieve it so he ventures to the human base. Left and right - people are dying and/or getting infected. An Zhe is faced with constant peril as he needs to keep his non-human nature hidden from the Judges (tasked with identifying and eliminating Xenogenics) and find his stolen spore. Amon the Judges, there is Colonel Lu Feng - the most astute and merciless executioner. Yet An Zhe’s mutation eluded Lu Feng’s scrutiny, setting the stage for a gripping tale of humans and Xenogenics..

The cover may fool you with its cutie patootie illustration as the story is nothing but pain.
Cover: 🥰✨😇 / Inside: ☠️🩸💀

I haven't read anything like this before. The world-building and writing is amazing! Even though I'm not a science person, I couldn’t put this novel down. An Zhe is such a lovely, adorable, soft yet in his own way strong and determined character. He doesn't truly grasp human emotions, motives and unwavering drive to survive. He's basically a spectator. Yet, throughout his journey he unexpectedly forms attachments towards some humans. Especially towards our ML - Lu Feng. His burden as Colonel, is anything but light. His predecessors, worn down by the weight of their responsibilities, succumbed to madness or worse. Yet he persists. Tirelessly safeguarding humanity.. But once he meets An Zhe, things start to change. Perception shifts.. (also, he likes to tease An Zhe hehe).

Ugh, this is very dark yet angsty and cute ✨balance✨
p.s. now I understand why this work was nominated for the Chinese Nebula Awards ^_^

From manhua

Artist: 灼忘