Arborescence by Rhett Davis

Arborescence by Rhett DavisFrom the award winning author of Hovering comes a strikingly original novel about what it means to grapple with a world where the very definition of humanity is changing. 'A balm and an urgent whisper of hope. This is a book to help us believe that all is not lost. Extraordinary' KATE MILDENHALL 'Dazzling, profound, beautiful. A devastating and unforgettable elegy for the planet' CHRIS FLYNN 'A strange and compelling exploration of our current moment.

From the award-winning author of Hovering comes a strikingly original novel about what it means to grapple with a world where the very definition of humanity is changing.

'A balm and an urgent whisper of hope. This is a book to help us believe that all is not lost. Extraordinary' KATE MILDENHALL

'Dazzling, profound, beautiful. A devastating and unforgettable elegy for the planet' CHRIS FLYNN

'A strange and compelling exploration of our current moment. Arborescence is part Sally Rooney, part Stephen King. It reads like a thriller but has the tenderness and insight of poetry' BEN RAWLENCE

'Original, mind-bending and uplifting. I loved this beautiful, feral book so much, I wanted to walk into its pages and never look back' INGA SIMPSON

She's soaked, her hair is matted, her skin is red, her eyes are closed and her arms are by her side. From her bare feet small roots have formed and reach into the ground, anchoring her. If we tried to pick her up now, we'd need a saw. It would hurt. It might kill her.

Bren works for an obscure company with colleagues he's never met, and who might not be real. His partner, Caelyn, is looking for something more but isn't sure what. The only thing she knows for certain is that humans are breaking the world and she's powerless to do anything about it.

One day Caelyn finds a group in a forest who believe that if they stand still for long enough they will become trees. And then she discovers another . . . The idea is spreading. Soon, people go missing and trees appear in unlikely places. Is it really possible?

As cities decay and the world becomes greener, Caelyn sees nothing to fear. Bren is not so sure. Finally, they must ask themselves what they're prepared to give up - and if they are ready to stand still.

Arborescence is a compelling, deeply moving novel about connection and disconnection, ambition and apathy, loss and hope, and how we don't always know what we have until the damage is done.

'Davis' signature narrative playfulness and dryly humorous dialogue is always on hand to help sweep us further into the story . . . Arborescence is a reminder of the special way fictional worlds can allow readers to retreat from, and find the fortitude to return to, their own world' THE AGE

'Intriguing, utterly original . . . Rhett Davis's second novel leaves a lasting impression and rings with unsettling questions' READINGS

'With Davis' sharp eye and irreverent humour, the genre-blurring story branches into the tangled roots of suburban life and the natural world' SYDNEY MORNING HERALD