"… The spirit of the book is infectious, and Powell has done a fine job of casting her spell. She has managed to create a world where the sad business of estrangement, mourning and betrayal coexists with the unseen childhood world of light and happiness... The Welsh countryside has never seemed so alluring, or the existence of simple magic, despite the disappointments of adult life, so probable. "
New York Times Book Review

"A charming and thought-provoking tale that walks the line between fantasy and reality with all the skill of a tightrope artist. The British-born Powell, now an NYU grad student, has made a splendid start."
Kirkus Reviews

"Powell makes a charming debut with this touching comedy that explored childhood fantasies as well as messy adult truths about family relationships. Powell's wry, playful tone, assured voice and unerring eye for detail make her one to watch."
Publishers Weekly

"The alarmingly young author Sophie Powell makes an impressive debut...[with] wonderfully believable characters, from the touchingly silly triplets to the fractious grownups. Powell's novel has the comprehensiveness of a long, perfect short story: organic and harmonious, with no false moves."
Baltimore Sun

"The Mushroom Man is a remarkable and spirited debut from a precocious talent. Sophie Powell has a keen eye and a big heart. She is a writer from whom we ought to hear a great deal-and I have no doubt that we will."
Nicholas Christopher

"First-time novelist Sophie Powell writes with remarkable reassurance and dazzle as she spins this dew-bright tale of long-brewing adult unhappiness magically dispelled by the intuition and valor of smart and spirited children."
Booklist

"An astonishing debut that unmasks the unforgiving light of adult reason as a poor, mottled sham. The central idea underpinning Powell's remarkable story is deadly serious. It concerns the way a child's imagination can be stifled by an overenthusiastic parent."
Malaysia New Straits Times