Each of Us a Desert
Author(s): Mark Oshiro
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.
Review(s):
Praise for Each of Us a Desert:
“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
Praise for Anger is a Gift:
The Mary Sue's "18 Books You Should Read in 2018"
Hypable's "Most Anticipated Queer YA Books of 2018"
Bookish's "Spring 2018's Must Read YA Books"
BookBub's "21 Biggest Teen Books for Adults Spring 2018"
“A passionate and promising debut.” —Entertainment Weekly
"Anger is a Gift is an explosion of fury and revolution. Mark Oshiro's beautiful and brutal debut proves that not only can anyone be a hero, but great change comes when the heroes work together."—Adam Silvera, New York Times bestselling author of They Both Die at the End
"Raw, unflinching, and full of heart. Anger is a Gift is a masterpiece." —Marieke Nijkamp, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before I Let Go
“Anger Is a Gift should be required reading in high schools everywhere.”—Charlie Jane Anders, author of All the Birds in the Sky and City in the Middle of the Night
“A masterful debut rich with intersectional nuance and grassroots clarity, Anger is a Gift is hella precious, hella dope.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"Powerful and timely debut novel." —Publisher’s Weekly
“Part sweet love story, part social justice commentary, this title begs to be read. Give this to fans of Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give.”—School Library Journal, starred review
"Anger Is a Gift, and so is Oshiro's arresting, nuanced work."—Shelf Awareness, starred review
Long-listed NPR Best Book of the Year (2020), Long-listed Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year (2020)
ISBN: 9781250169211