Mostly Dead Things

Kristen Arnett's breakout bestseller is a darkly funny, big-hearted American debut about family, love, death and taxidermy!

'This book is my song of the summer' Parul Seghal, New York Times

What does it take to come back to life? For Jessa-Lynn Morton, the question is not an abstract one. In the wake of her father's suicide, Jessa has stepped up to manage his failing taxidermy business while the rest of the Morton family crumbles. Her mother starts sneaking into the taxidermy shop to make provocative animal art, while her brother, Milo, withdraws. And Brynn, Milo's wife?and the only person Jessa's ever been in love with?walks out without a word. It's not until the Mortons reach a tipping point that a string of unexpected incidents begins to open up surprising possibilities and second chances. But will they be enough to salvage this family, to help them find their way back to one another?

Kristen Arnett's breakout bestseller is a darkly funny family portrait; a peculiar, bighearted look at love and loss and the ways we live through them together.

'Messed-up families, scandalous love affairs, art, life, death and the great state of Florida in one delicious, darkly funny package. Kristen Arnett is a wickedly talented and a wholly original voice' Jami Attenberg

'There's a gunslinger cool to every sentence . . . Kristen Arnett is the queen of the Florida no one has ever told you about' Alexander Chee

'The writing is subtle and meditative, with the tactile weight of dense fur' The New Yorker

“This book is my song of the summer - New York TimesHilarious, deeply morbid and full of heart - BuzzFeedThe novel explores love, life and death and is guaranteed to keep you gripped throughout - MirrorThe writing is subtle and meditative, with the tactile weight of dense fur - The New YorkerA dark and oftentimes comedic tale of love and loss - Evening StandardA gorgeously twisted story - Vanity FairWonderful - GuardianFlorida's literary renaissance charges onward with this heartfelt, one-of-a-kind novel - Esquire”

This book is my song of the summer - New York Times

Hilarious, deeply morbid and full of heart - BuzzFeed

The novel explores love, life and death and is guaranteed to keep you gripped throughout - Mirror

The writing is subtle and meditative, with the tactile weight of dense fur - The New Yorker

A dark and oftentimes comedic tale of love and loss - Evening Standard

A gorgeously twisted story - Vanity Fair

Wonderful - Guardian

Florida's literary renaissance charges onward with this heartfelt, one-of-a-kind novel - Esquire

Kristen Arnett is the New York Times bestselling author of the debut novel Mostly Dead Things. She is a queer fiction and essay writer. She was awarded Ninth Letter's Literary Award in Fiction and is a columnist for Literary Hub. Her work has appeared at the New York Times, North American Review, The Normal School, Gulf Coast, TriQuarterly, Guernica, Buzzfeed, Electric Literature, McSweeneys, PBS Newshour, Bennington Review, the Guardian, Salon, the Rumpus, and elsewhere. Her story collection, Felt in the Jaw, was published by Split Lip Press and was awarded the 2017 Coil Book Award. She is a Spring 2020 Shearing Fellow at Black Mountain Institute. You can find her on Twitter here: @Kristen_Arnett

The celebrated New York Times Bestseller A 2019 Best Book of the Year: New York Times , NPR , The New Yorker , TIME , Washington Post , Oprahmag.com , Thrillist , Shelf Awareness , Good Housekeeping and more. What does it take to come back to life? For Jessa-Lynn Morton, the question is not an abstract one. In the wake of her father's suicide, Jessa has stepped up to manage his failing taxidermy business while the rest of the Morton family crumbles. Her mother starts sneaking into the taxidermy shop to make provocative animal art, while her brother, Milo, withdraws. And Brynn, Milo's wife?and the only person Jessa's ever been in love with?walks out without a word. It's not until the Mortons reach a tipping point that a string of unexpected incidents begins to open up surprising possibilities and second chances. But will they be enough to salvage this family, to help them find their way back to one another? Kristen Arnett's breakout bestseller is a darkly funny family portrait; a peculiar, bighearted look at love and loss and the ways we live through them together. 'Messed-up families, scandalous love affairs, art, life, death and the great state of Florida in one delicious, darkly funny package. Kristen Arnett is a wickedly talented and a wholly original voice' Jami Attenberg 'There's a gunslinger cool to every sentence . . . Kristen Arnett is the queen of the Florida no one has ever told you about ' Alexander Chee 'The writing is subtle and meditative, with the tactile weight of dense fur' The New Yorker

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