Tartufo
By Kira Jane Buxton
Grand Central, January 28, 2025
After nearly losing the election to a geriatric but wildly popular donkey named Maurizio, newly installed Mayor Delizia Miccuci can’t help but feel like the sun has finally set on the rural Italian village of Lazzarina Boscarino. Tourists only stop by to ask for directions, Nonna Amara’s cherished ristorante is long shuttered, and the town hall is disgustingly overrun with glis glis poo—even Postman Duccio has been disgraced. All that’s left is Bar Celebrità, a rustic establishment where weary locals gather to quibble over decades-long disputes, submit their poor stomachs to bartender Giuseppina’s volcanic espresso, and wonder what will become of the place where together they’ve spent their entire lives.
Little do the villagers know that, mere miles away in the forest, local truffle hunter Giovanni Scarpazza has just happened upon something that could change everything. Swollen to massive proportions, soaking the atmosphere in its pungent fumes, potentially worth six figures in certain international circles, a truffle—un tartufo, that is—sits beneath the soil with the power to either be the greatest gift or the foulest curse the village has ever seen—they’re not completely sure which since Giuseppina’s psychic was a bit unclear on the matter.
Tartufo is much more than a charming romp through the foothills of Tuscany. Written in the same enchanting style and raucous humor that defines Hollow Kingdom and Feral Creatures, Buxton’s newest story is a reflection on the interconnectedness of life in all its manifestations—and how holding on to harmony in the face of hardship can grow something beautiful and rare beneath the surface.
Selected Praise for Hollow Kingdom and Feral Creatures
“Buxton spins a fresh, alarming apocalypse from the perspectives of intelligent, communicative animals in her hilarious debut… S.T.’s complicated personality and the masterful blend of humorous and tragic make this novel an eloquent, emotional exploration of survival during an unthinkable cataclysm.”
–Publishers Weekly, on Hollow Kingdom
“[A] joyfully original approach to apocalyptic fiction… S.T. ultimately gave me hope that maybe, just maybe, we still have a chance to turn things around before Nature is so fed up that she really does set her sights on destroying us for good.”
–NPR, on Hollow Kingdom
“Buxton’s quirky ideas and compelling nonhuman characters will satisfy literary fiction and zombie genre enthusiasts alike who are looking for something beguilingly different.” –Booklist (Starred Review), on Hollow Kingdom
“Hollow Kingdom combines dark subject matter with an oddball sense of humor in what proves to be a winning formula… a surprising, funny, genre-bending novel, an environmentalist parable crossed with an epic adventure story, difficult to describe and even more difficult to put down.” –Shelf Awareness
“Surprisingly tender, laugh-out-loud funny, and deliciously strange… a joy to read.”
–BuzzFeed, on Hollow Kingdom
“Pick up this delightfully weird book for a change from the usual—we promise it’s like nothing you’ve read before.” –Good Housekeeping, on Hollow Kingdom
“Kira Jane Buxton’s hilariously philosophical and formidable first novel tackles humankind’s most existential questions… Buxton does a stellar job of anthropomorphizing the novel's animals and adding drama, suspense, tragedy and hope. It’s amazing that such a bizarre and far-fetched story can connect so deeply with our reality and its discussions about social media, climate change, immigration and self-identity. It doesn’t get any weirder, funnier or better than Hollow Kingdom.”
–BookPage (Starred Review)
“[Hollow Kingdom] has a lot to say about humanity and the impact we are having on the planet, but it also shows that there is hope. Experiencing the story from the perspective of the animals was a pretty cool experience.” –BookRiot
“Literary debuts don’t get much more high-concept than this.”
–Entertainment Weekly, on Hollow Kingdom
“Buxton’s quirky ideas and compelling nonhuman characters will satisfy literary fiction and zombie genre enthusiasts alike who are looking for something beguilingly different.” –Booklist, Starred Review, on Hollow Kingdom
“Readers who fell in love with Hollow Kingdom will not be disappointed by book two…S.T.’s struggles [are] both humorous and heart-wrenching in this powerful follow-up.”
–BuzzFeed, on Feral Creatures
“Kira Jane Buxton’s Hollow Kingdom introduced an unforgettable crowtagonist in S.T., a human-raised crow fond of pop-culture allusions and relentless animal puns. In Feral Creatures, S.T. carries on his hilariously narrated postapocalyptic adventures in a sequel that expands and evolves Buxton’s post-human world. As in her first book, Buxton excels at managing tone, quickly shifting from outrageously silly jokes to darker meditations on humanity’s destructive impact on nature… hilarious and heartbreaking.” –Shelf Awareness, Starred Review
“Brilliant humor, clever characters, and an intriguing look at the relationship between parents and the children who don’t conform to their expectations.”
–Kirkus, on Feral Creatures
“Buxton balances the snarky humor and moving tenderness of her delightful protagonist with genuine tension. Fans of postapocalyptic dangers and witty narration will eat up this charming story.” –Publishers Weekly, on Feral Creatures
“S.T., the irrepressible, cursing crow is my new favorite apocalyptic hero.”
–Helen Macdonald, New York Times-bestselling author of H Is for Hawk, on Hollow Kingdom
“Kira Jane Buxton’s voice is fresh, like a newly dug grave, but so joyful and honest you’ll laugh out loud, and then check to make sure you haven't lost an eyeball.”
–Jamie Ford, New York Times-bestselling author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, on Hollow Kingdom
“With infinite heart and humor, Kira Jane Buxton’s fine-feathered narrator guides us through richly imagined animal realms while braving the terrifying collapse of the human world.” –Mona Awad, author of Rouge and Bunny, on Hollow Kingdom
“Kira Jane Buxton has created a crow so full of personality you won’t even miss the company of humans.” –Zoe Zolbrod, author of The Telling and Currency and former editor at The Rumpus, on Hollow Kingdom
About the Author
Kira Jane Buxton’s debut novel, Hollow Kingdom, was a finalist for the Thurber Prize for American Humor, the Audie Awards, and the Washington State Book Awards, and was named a best book of 2019 by NPR, Book Riot, and Good Housekeeping. She spends her time with three cats, a dog, two crows, a charm of hummingbirds, five Steller’s jays, two dark-eyed juncos, two squirrels, and a husband.
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