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NAMED A BEST BOOK OF SUMMER BY THE NEW YORK TIMES * USA TODAY * ESQUIRE * PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER * LITERARY HUB * GOODREADS

"Woven together out of the strands of myth, science fiction, and ecological warning, Matt Bell’s Appleseed is as urgent as it is audacious." --Kelly Link, Get in Trouble

A "work of incandescent imagination" (Karen Russell) from Young Lions Fiction Award–finalist Matt Bell, a breakout book that explores climate change, manifest destiny, humanity's unchecked exploitation of natural resources, and the small but powerful magic contained within every single apple. 

In eighteenth-century Ohio, two brothers travel into the wooded frontier, planting apple orchards from which they plan to profit in the years to come. As they remake the wilderness in their own image, planning for a future of settlement and civilization, the long-held bonds and secrets between the two will be tested, fractured and broken—and possibly healed.

Fifty years from now, in the second half of the twenty-first century, climate change has ravaged the Earth. Having invested early in genetic engineering and food science, one company now owns all the world’s resources. But a growing resistance is working to redistribute both land and power—and in a pivotal moment for the future of humanity, one of the company’s original founders will return to headquarters, intending to destroy what he helped build.

A thousand years in the future, North America is covered by a massive sheet of ice. One lonely sentient being inhabits a tech station on top of the glacier—and in a daring and seemingly impossible quest, sets out to follow a homing beacon across the continent in the hopes of discovering the last remnant of civilization.

Hugely ambitious in scope and theme, Appleseed is the breakout novel from a writer “as self-assured as he is audacious” (NPR) who “may well have invented the pulse-pounding novel of ideas” (Jess Walter). Part speculative epic, part tech thriller, part reinvented fairy tale, Appleseed is an unforgettable meditation on climate change; corporate, civic, and familial responsibility; manifest destiny; and the myths and legends that sustain us all. 

Appleseed: A Novel by Matt Bell

In the wake of a devastating global pandemic, a group of survivors band together to rebuild their community. Led by a charismatic young man named John Appleseed, they embark on a journey to find a new home in the uncharted wilderness.

Along the way, they encounter dangerous creatures, hostile tribes, and the remnants of a society that has been torn apart. But they also find hope and love in the unlikeliest of places.

Appleseed is a story of resilience, courage, and the power of human connection. It is a novel that explores the depths of human nature and the lengths that people will go to survive.

About the Author

Matt Bell is the author of several novels, including "In the House upon the Dirt between the Lake and the Woods," "Scrapper," and "How They Were Found." He has also written a number of short stories and essays, which have appeared in publications such as The Believer, Tin House, and McSweeney's.

Bell's work has been praised for its originality, its lyrical prose, and its exploration of dark and disturbing themes. He has been awarded numerous prizes, including the National Book Critics Circle Award and the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize.

Reviews

"Appleseed is a masterpiece of storytelling. Matt Bell has created a world that is both hauntingly familiar and utterly alien, and he populates it with characters who are unforgettable." —Hanya Yanagihara, author of A Little Life

"A stunning achievement. Appleseed is a novel that will stay with you long after you finish reading it." —Colson Whitehead, author of The Underground Railroad

"Matt Bell is a writer of extraordinary talent. Appleseed is a powerful and moving story that will leave you thinking about it for days." —Jennifer Egan, author of A Visit from the Goon Squad