Each of us a Desert
$11.99 USD
paperback
From award-winning author Mark Oshiro comes a powerful coming-of-age fantasy novel about finding home and falling in love amidst the dangers of a desert where stories come to life
Xochitl is destined to wander the desert alone, speaking her troubled village's stories into its arid winds. Her only companions are the blessed stars above and enigmatic lines of poetry magically strewn across dusty dunes.
Her one desire: to share her heart with a kindred spirit.
One night, Xo's wish is granted--in the form of Emilia, the cold and beautiful daughter of the town's murderous conqueror. But when the two set out on a magical journey across the desert, they find their hearts could be a match... if only they can survive the nightmare-like terrors that arise when the sun goes down.
Fresh off of Anger Is a Gift's smashing success, Oshiro branches out into a fantastical direction with their new YA novel, Each of Us a Desert.
Mark Oshiro is the Hugo-nominated writer of the online Mark Does Stuff universe (Mark Reads and Mark Watches), where they analyze book and TV series. Their debut novel, Anger Is a Gift, was a recipient of the Schneider Family Book Award for 2019. Their lifelong goal is to pet every dog in the world.
"Oshiro leaves mouths parched with their second novel.... The writing, akin to an atmospheric, novel-length poem, seamlessly weaving in Spanish and matter of- fact queer representation, is beautiful to read. Contemplative teens will appreciate this meaningful story about human existence." -- Booklist
"A sincere journey through nuanced struggles: the weight of pain, how hope and complicity feed immigrant exploitation, and breaking flawed social cycles. This ambitious, organically Spanish-studded examination of trauma stays adventurous and accessible, resulting in a grace-filled, loving declaration of human value and worth." --Publishers Weekly, starred review
I have been trying to find words that envelop my feelings for this book into a cohesive sentence, but since that could take years -- this book is a stunning, incredible journey showing the ways that storytelling is an integral part of life. - Buzzfeed, Best YA Speculative Fiction of 2020
"This book is a prayer, and it also feels like a warning." - NPR, Best Books of 2020
"Oshiro deftly weaves an intricate, allegorical, and often gory tale within a post-apocalyptic desert setting that readers will feel so viscerally they may very well need to reach for a glass of water. A meditation and adventure quest offering solace to anyone bearing an unfair burden." --Kirkus Reviews
"A cross between Lois Lowry's The Giver and Tehlor Kay Mejia's We Set the Dark on Fire, this haunting story will stay with readers just like the stories Xochitl has kept." -- School Library Journal
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