Smiling at Grief in a House in a Forest Where Life Grows

Summer Solstice 2065. 16 years after a devastating pandemic and societal collapse. Viola sets off into the forest to prepare for the gathering of her community, who bring their ghosts and fears, hopes and secrets, knowing that a single day can change everything. And theirs are not the only voices. The forest also has stories of grief and resurrection, trauma and forgiveness. Linguistically-inventive and deeply moving, this richly layered narrative asks what we mean by consciousness or a life well-lived, human or non-human. Beyond the end of the world, where is life to be found? "In her visually-inventive novel, Jan Fortune not only inhabits the minds of a community of engaging characters who are navigating a fragile future but also proves herself fluent in the language of birch and oak, to be acutely attuned to the song of moss and clover. ...a vital work that grapples with such momentous themes as individual and collective trauma, yet celebrates love, resilience and the intimate, reciprocal relationship between the human and more than human." - Susan Richardson, author of Words the Turtle Taught Me and Where the Seals Sing "Deeply rooted and grounded in a loving respect for our living earth and her healing medicines, this heartfelt story weaves magical rhythmic wordspells in a web of vibrant prose. A superb and nurturing work of love, hope and reconnection." - Uma Dinsmore-Tuli, author of Yoni Shakti and Yoga Nidra Made Easy "Jan's newest work invites you into an embodied journey through the colors of grief while reconnecting to the natural world. Reading this book is a healing act in its own right.'' - Yoli Maya Yeh, Therapist, Educator & Activist "An intriguing exploration of our human connection to the earth and to each other... bleakly prophetic, the novel holds out the possibility of redemption... A book to savour for its wise heart." - Catherine Coldstream, author of Cloistered: My Years as a Nun