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Charming and funny but not nearly as absurd as I'd hoped. 🍄‍��

"Fungi are the forgotten alchemists. They are the king and scavenger in the vast kingdom that humbles a human eye."

When I picked up Tartufo, I had one burning question: Was there really a geriatric donkey in the mayoral race? I'm happy to report that the answer is yes. 😁

Tartufo tells the story a rural Italian village that’s financially struggling. Lucky for the village's aging residents, one of the one of the villagers finds a record-breaking truffle in the forest. The newly elected mayor (who, yes, won by the narrowest margin against an elderly donkey named Maurizio) realizes the truffle could draw tourists to their village, as well as money. Lots and lots of money. 💰

But keeping an oversized, potent truffle that's potentially worth a million dollars a secret is no easy task. Hijinks ensue while the villagers strive to keep the truffle safe until it can be sold at auction, thereby raising enough money to save the village from financial ruin.

Tartufo reads like a love letter to truffle hunting. But more than that, it’s a tender and intermittently funny story of found family and the importance of community.

My main gripe about the book is that it features more characters than I was expecting, and I had trouble keeping them straight: Nonna Amara, Giovanni Scarpazza, Giuseppina, Duccio Berardinelli, Padre Frances, Delizia Micucci, and more.

When I reached the end of the book, I discovered a list of character with short descriptions about who they are. It would have been helpful to have that information at the start of the book. But even then, if a 300 page book needs a list of characters, maybe there are too many?

Did Tartufo sway into the absurd as Buxton's previous work did? Sadly, no. But it is laced with signs of her adoration for the natural world, such as a scene that allows us to view the village through the eyes of a honeybee, or a meeting between villagers that's dotted with the story of a tiny ant finding a tray of pastries. 🐝 More of this please!

Overall, a sweet and charming read.