3 stars

I was thrilled to receive this ARC because I really enjoyed Oshiro's previous book, and this cover and description looked and sounded ideal for my regular reading tastes. As a person who both teaches mythology and children's literature at the college level and LOVES to read all varieties of each for fun, I couldn't wait. But then it took me multiple attempts to get beyond the first 2%.

Despite the slow start, I did find that the narrative picked up a bit and that I was able to finish the book. I have never wanted to like a book so much, but I just never really got fully invested.

The overarching concept is so cool, though I will admit it felt a bit tangential to _The Giver_ for me at times. While the characters are on a journey in a literal and figurative desert, I didn't want to so acutely feel the length and pain of that quest. Often, I hoped for the events to speed up, the repetition to slow down, and descriptions of physical discomfort to mean more than their surface level connections suggested. It all just felt long. I wanted the kind of story that it seems like so many reviewers got...and that I was expecting.

There's a lot of beauty in the prose, the concept is intriguing, and the representation is noteworthy. I'm glad this work is really resonating with some folks and sad it didn't do more for me.

I made it 65% of the way done, but I could not finish this. I really loved the first 100 pages! It was such an interesting world and I loved the framing narrative of everything told in a prayer to the god of this story. I appreciated the religion the author developed.
After page 100 it fell flat for me. I think the decision to richly establish side characters and then abandon them for far more poorly drawn side characters was strange. It was hard to feel connected to the new side characters as quickly as the story required. I felt the same way about the establishment and very quick removal of one of the major antagonists. It was such a strange choice. The book felt split into two parts in a way that really left it hard to engage with the second half.
The writing of women in this book was fairly uneven. I didn’t love how often the main characters period came up, again it seemed another strange choice.
The main thing was that the plot after about 100 pages in seemed to meander in a way that didn’t make sense. A lot of the moments that should be tense felt lacking in tensions.
Honestly, there was a lot of really good and interesting ideas, but some plotting choices and pacing issues that detracted too much for it to work for me.

ARC was provided by NetGalley and Tor Teen in exchanged for an honest review.

This review is being published before the release date (September 15th, 2020)

Content/Trigger Warnings: Depictions of graphic violence, graphic injuries, death, allusions to an animal death, emotional and mental abuse, domestic abuse, grief, alcoholism, child abuse, trauma

Friends, I have to admit something… I have never read a book by Mark Oshiro until now. Okay, I said it! However, this book was so good though and now I have a mighty need to pick up anything by Mark Oshiro. There’s something about fantasy books that combine survival, deserts, and semi-apocalyptic elements that lures me in. Or perhaps it was the synopsis about a main character who deserves happiness. Either, I was blown away by this book!

Our story follows Xochitl, is the la cuentista of her village, Emppalme, taking the stories of her villagers and returning them to Solis. Until one day, Xochitl decides to keep a story and nothing is ever the same. When Julio, the murderous man who has has conquered their town, unleashes his wrath like never before and Xochitl’s secret has been revealed, she has no other choice, but to leave her village into the unforgiving desert, to find a kindred spirit who will understand her.

“Solo quiero ser vista. I only want to be seen.”


I truly loved the experience and the way Oshiro built the world in this book. You feel the heavy sense of how harsh the environment is and how sacred water truly is. You have areas that have been scorched or turned to ruin. It really adds to the apocalyptic elements of the world. You also get to experience the mythology Oshiro built surrounding cuentistas. As Xochitl is traveling throughout this book, she encounters various people from many different places who have different relations, experiences, and stories of cuentistas. These challenge the beliefs that Xochitl has always been told and we see, despite the differences, how those beliefs can coexist without there being a default “right way”.

I also really loved the relationship between Xochitl and Emilia. Both of these young women are trying to find there place in the world after each of them have experienced so much. Somehow, despite all the pain they’ve experienced, held back from others, they find comfort within the company of one another. Their relationship isn’t the main focus of this novel, but it’s a consistent slow build throughout the whole book. And if you’re fan of slow burn romances, with slight elements of enemies to lovers, then you’re going to love these two. I also want to take how throughout this book, LGBTQ+ relationships were normalized through this book. There’s no pain, no hardships, you just get these glimpses of them being with one another and living in that moment of happiness.

There’s also a huge theme of community and togetherness throughout this book. Whether it’s through the storytelling or when Xochitl and Emilia are traveling through the desert. There’s just a large sense of connection to everyone and everything. It made my heart so warm and causes the reader to pause to cherish the stories that have been passed to them whether through family, friends, or your relationships.

“We’re shaped by the experiences that we live.”


Also, let me say how much I loved the Spanish included throughout this book. I don’t say it enough, but it truly is a breath of fresh air to see an author speak their native language or a language that’s a huge part of them. I think for many readers who aren’t familiar with Spanish, never learned Spanish, it might be hard to understand certain parts throughout the book. However, it truly makes for an exceptional experience and makes this book an even better read.

Overall, I really loved this story and so many elements this book holds. The journey in itself and the many messages this book holds are unforgettable. I have no doubt that this book is going to impact so many readers. I can’t wait to read more from Mark Oshiro and see where they’re next book takes them! I also want to recommend that if you’re reading this review, then please make sure you look up Latinx book reviewers for their thoughts on this book. I’m not Latinx so I can’t comment on the cultural elements laced throughout this book. But if you are Latinx, please let me know so I can link you.

The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

If ever there has been a book published in recent years that deserves and can stand the test of time, it is Each of Us a Desert. It compares to me to the likes of Grapes of Wrath or other classic novels taught and tested on in AP Literature. Mark Oshiro has created a novel and a story that is full of such star dust and poignant lines, wrapped in a plot that pulls and drags you in until you're just as much a part of our cuantista's story as the ones she takes. Xochitl is an unreliable narrator, but, as a result, the reader is left pulling out the pieces of her story, one you slowly begin to learn she's giving to Solis. For so long, she's taken others' stories and given them to the earth, in Solis' name. But who exists to take a cuantista's story? The only thing that keeps her going in the draining life of being a cuantista is la poemas she finds, buried in the earth. Each one she finds pulls her to it, calls to her soul until she digs it up and devours the words, embedding them in her head. When Xochitl finds a way to leave her small town, she takes it, regardless of how concerned she is about what will happen to the people she's leaving. The journey she departs on, with the most unlikely of partners, will eat at her and destroy all of that's she known until she's finally given the truth. But is she prepared for what Solis and the rest of the world has been hiding?

I'm truly not kidding when I say this novel could be the next YA classic. Or even just a classic. Oshiro writes so well, so vivid, but also advanced. It's a novel that stands apart from most other YA novels in that the blend of Spanish and English is woven intricately, but never in a way that makes the reader feel lost. It is equal parts strenuous and enjoyable. The plot is a diverse fluctuation of a story, the separate waves and stories overlapping and diverging in an almost unbelievable way. At the novel's end, you simultaneously wonder how you got there as well as how you missed at the minor pieces cast within in the novel that hinted towards the end. There are high points that bring joy and low points that make you gasp. There is a narrator that is unsure and it leads the reader to be just as unsure. Each of Us a Desert is ultimately a novel that will stick with you for a long time. While true it might not resonate with everyone, I will admit as a teacher I can see being included in classrooms for years to come and will definitely earn its place on the AP Literature exam, cementing it as a classic.

The short summary: This is desert fantasy, but not on a faraway Dune planet. This is south of the border, and much more of an allegory for political happenings along la frontera. A teenage girl named Xochitl is a cuentista, a storyteller who absorbs others' stories and vomits them into the desert as part of a ritual to Solís, the sun god. After returning the stories to the earth, she forgets them, and the rest of her days are spent finding water and finding mysterious poems left by a stranger in the desert. One day, she keeps a story that has to do with a secret surrounding Julio, the town's brutal conqueror, and leaves with Julio's daughter and heads north in search of answers about the town, about her powers, and about herself.

I went into this book without reading a summary or anything else my Mark Oshiro, and at first, like with any fantasy, it was a bit disorienting getting used to the fantasy elements (magic powers, spirit guardians, storytelling powers, etc.) mixed in with Mexican city names and a lot of Spanish. But this book has a lot of beautiful writing, from descriptions of the desert to surprisingly inclusive visions of fantasy cities that have diverse people in terms of race, language, queerness, and ability. It says a lot about the power that storytelling has but also the burdens of holding other people's pain within you when you hear those stories. It's about forgiveness, about coming to terms with religious belief and indifferent gods, about reaching out to others despite feeling deep loneliness, etc.

And, this part is kind of a spoiler, so don't read ahead if you don't want to be spoiled!!
the main villains of the novel, the ones who corrupt spirit guardians, wreak violence on every town they see and conquer, and kidnap brown people to enhance their own wealth are called los pálidos, the pale ones. It's a clear nod towards not just the current moment, where more eyes are on the fascist violence wreaked at the border, but also towards a history of white people conquering and exploiting those who belong on that land.

If you like desert fantasy with great heart, this would be a good one to pick up.

Xochitl is la cuentista of her village. She takes stories from people, absolving them of their secrets, guilt and anguish, before spilling them in the desert to the sun god Solis. But Xo wishes to create a story of her own. When she discovers a horrible truth, she is forced to flee with Emilia, the daughter of the village’s merciless conqueror. As they journey together across the desert, Xochitl seeks the truth about her power.

“Each of us a desert.
Weren’t we all?
Weren’t we all so vast and solitary inside?”

Told in beautiful prose, Each of Us a Desert is a tale about identity, community and discovering your own path. The writing style felt unique, vivid, and laced with emotion. Set in Central America after solar devastation, it slips effortlessly between English and Spanish. A hint of the mystical adds to the novel’s rich atmosphere. The pace is fairly slow, the strength of this book lies instead in its introspective character development- particularly in the case of Xochitl and Emilia. Each of Us a Desert is an original and poetic reading experience and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

*Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a honest review.

WARNING: This review contains spoilers.

“Each Of Us A Desert” is a young adult book centered around a character named Xochitl, who is supposed to wander the desert alone until she ends up going on that journey with the other main character, Emilia. The journey the two of them go on and the stories of their village make up the majority of this story’s plot.

I honestly found myself confused while reading some of this story. That being said, I still thought the overall plot was pretty interesting, and would still recommend this book to YA fans.

This is a hard one for me to review. My feelings on this book are swimming and I’m not sure where I stand. It took me quite a bit longer to finish this book than it should have.
But I feel this book is worth doing my best

Let’s start with the cons, because I prefer wrapping up on a positive note. Keep in mind not all of these “cons” are an issue for me, personally.
I think the biggest hurdle I could see this book facing is accessibility. A lot of us don’t mind it, but having Spanish words at random can be an issue for some people. There were times it threw me off, even. I like having them speak in Spanish but it is a bit jarring and confusing to have one random word in the “narration” in another language. Again. Not at all a deal breaker for me, but I can definitely see it causing issues for some readers who would need to pull a dictionary out every five minutes.
Parts of the book feel rushed while others seemed to drag on unnecessarily. The relationship between the two main characters didn’t “work” for me. It made little sense, but after reading the authors notes, I find it easier to accept. It wasn’t for me, it was for him.
Another minor thing...I found it a bit distracting how many times “relieving” themselves was mention, but I suppose it is a simple fact of life after all lol.

I loved the premise of this book. I love the world this book is set in and it’s history is intriguing. Unique mythology and I love the creatures. Most especially Amato.
The opening was a heavy hitter for me. It really drew me in, and through the entire read I had a clear picture in my head of this desolate world they inhabited. It reminded me of how much I hated living in the desert.

Ultimately I feel a bit let down by the book. Like there was so much more potential. And the end fell flat for me. But it’s still an interesting read with some good high notes.

CWs: Descriptions of graphic violence, injury, and death; allusions to animal deaths; instances of emotional abuse and domestic abuse.

This is an ambitious fantasy novel that explores the power of stories—how we pass stories onto each other, how we hold stories in our hearts, and how our lives are the stories we tell ourselves and each other.

Thematically, I found myself incredibly moved by this book. It calls to mind stories like The Deep by Rivers Solomon, in the sense that it's also about one person taking on a community's stories in the most literal sense. Like in Solomon's novella, Each of Us a Desert calls us to recognize that forgetting is not the same as healing, and that our obligation to ourselves matters every bit as much as our obligation to those around us.

The magic and mythology surrounding cuentistas in this world is really well thought-out, because it emulates how a singular idea can exist across times and across cultures, but the manifestation of that idea or belief is rarely ever exactly the same from place to place. As Xochital travels further away from her home and the only way of life she's ever known, she's encountering people whose relationships to cuentistas are very different from her own, and that challenges this belief system she has always thought to be self-evident—a system dependent on her pain and her sacrifice. It's interesting to see how her faith is challenged and how these different beliefs can coexist without there being one "right way."

Xochital's struggle is a universal one, I think, because she's trying to understand her place in the world and she's realizing for the first time that she doesn't have be defined by her role or her relationship to other people—that she is not only worth what she can provide to others. In her experience as a cuentista, her role is about being a fail-safe and maintaining everyone else's purity by cleansing them of their secrets and their stories. She has always seen contrition as a performance, and playing the part of cuentista doesn't leave room for her to just be a person with fears, and desires, and dreams. The stories she takes on literally take up space in her body, and she wants to reclaim that space and make room for her own stories for once.

But there's also this community element of storytelling that I really appreciate, because we get to see that telling each other our stories makes them real, and gives people something to remember us by. So whether Xochital is taking on stories or giving them back to the desert, there is a feeling of connection and mutual transference there.

I will say that this is not necessarily a plot-driven fantasy. The main conflict is interior conflict as Xochital is struggling to determine who she wants to be and where she sees her place in the world. So if you're not into gradually evolving, character-driven fantasies, this may not be for you. The bulk of the legwork is thematic and emotional, so that's something to keep in mind. I was also a little thrown off because the story did start off with a Big Bad, who was definitely a bit of a mustache-twirling type, but then they didn't end up playing a huge role in the story overall. It's one of those cases where I think maybe they're weren't truly needed in the story, because there's already a lot at stake, but that could just be me.

All in all, I really enjoyed this story. It's a true journey in every sense of the word, and it really makes you want to see Xochital to the end of that journey. I'm excited to see where Mark Oshiro goes from here!

Each of Us a Desert
By: Mark Oshiro
2.5 / 5.0

I really enjoyed Oshiro’s other novel, but this one wasn’t my cup of tea. I loved the inclusiveness of a different culture and language, but I was confused for most of the beginning. The information was just given to you and you were expected to know it or put it together through the little context clues that were given. The writing was good and flowed well just like their last novel. I just personally didn’t enjoy this novel that much. I will still give whatever Oshiro writes a try and will look out for what they write next.

Author’s Site: https://www.markoshiro.com/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1250169216/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Barnes and Noble: https://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/each-of-us-a-desert-mark-oshiro/1129417283?ean=9781250169211

This review will appear on my blog on September 18,2020.

Xochitl is la cuentista for her people, but she wishes she wasn't. She hears their sins through their stories and releases them into the desert to give the stories back to Solis. Her position is lonely and she longs to feel like someone understands her. Her breaking point comes after witnessing a tragic event that shakes her. She sets off into the desert to find the truth and search for her destiny, but she isn't the only one searching to escape. Emilia, the daughter of the murderer running their town, follows. As they journey together, her loathing of Emilia begins to turn into something different and unexpected.

This is a very emotional and character-driven story that goes deep into Xochitl's struggles and life, making her journey feel intimate and powerful. I enjoyed the character growth and the way her relationship with Emilia changes over the duration of the story. The desert setting played perfectly into her journey and the post-apocalyptic angle well. It was also a nice change of pace to get a desert story based on Central America for once. However, the book did feel a little slow at times, especially when it was focused on characters that I couldn't seem to get interested in.

I received an arc from NetGalley and the publisher for review.

Unfortunately this wasn't an amazing read for me - it felt like another YA fantasy, in a different setting for sure, but the main character was so interchangeable with other YA fantasy MCs that I lost interest very quickly. I also had issues with the writing style, which was stilted, dry and didn't help me connect with the characters at all. I personally also dislike when words that can be directly translated into the language the book is written into (like "my family" in English is a perfectly good translation to "mi familia" from Spanish) but the author insists on adding these random words in Spanish, which is their style choice for sure but I personally don't like it when authors do that. If the book were set in Brazil (I am Brazilian) and random words were in Portuguese, I would also feel this way, and it does annoy me too when it's done in Portuguese translations of English books - it gives me the impression that it's keeping the characters a bit apart from the reader by adding so many words an English-reading person (as the book is written in English) could understand.

A wonderfully crafted story. The worldbuilding is impressive, and the characters are as alive as the universe this story takes place in. So many emotions.

I won't lie, Each of Us a Desert didn't immediately grab my attention, and I don't know why - the start was fairly slow to be sure and I felt the world wasn't particularly well-developed at the start. HOWEVER, that being said... there was a point about halfway through where I had to just put it down and think for a while, and THAT was when I realised everything had clicked. The story, the characters, the world... everything had gelled into this beautiful story I didn't even realised I'd fallen in love with. More than anything, I adored the use of languages and poetry - to say any more would spoil, but to summarise I think I loved this more than the authors debut (which I also loved). Absolutely incredible and if I could I'd give it a sixth star.

This was an incredibly unique story, this is like nothing I have read this year. If you like a Young Adult book with a more authentic, unique vision, this is a perfect book for you. I loved the inclusion of Spanish throughout the dialogue, I don't speak Spanish but it included phrases in the context that I could easily understand.



I'm struggling to explain the book in a way that could do it justice. It was very poetic and almost abstract. I think if you're looking for a break from the stereotypical young adult book adventure, this book is a slow trip for a more intelligent reader.

This book is about the journey of Xochitl, a girl that was born and raised on Empalme, Sonora. A girl with the gift -or the curse- to listen to the suffering or guilt of everyone that begs her to be listened to. She takes their stories and then she tells them to Solís, a divinity that cursed human kind. Xochitl is very important to every citizen of Empalme, because she is the connection between them and Solís. She is “La cuentista” but Xochitl doesn't want to have that gift, she wants more and she needs more. So after some horrible events she starts a trip to find herself and her truth through the desert. But she won't be alone, Emilia, an Empalme’s citizen with a terrible story, will accompany her on the path to discover herself.

I liked all the things that the author tried to say through Xochitl, her fears, what she wanted and what she needed. How sometimes we came to this world with a purpose that otherones put up in our heads even though that is not what we want. How we extend ourselves like a desert to fit on everyone’s expectations.
Xochitl’s trip is a way to express how sometimes we need to move to find us or do an introspection to know who we are or what we want in this life.

I liked the atmosphere, it was very unique how the reality was mixed with the fantasy, all the magic that involved everything and of course I really really loved that touch of traditional Mexican town and those words and phrases that were in spanish.
The characters were good, I liked how the author introduced them to us, how we could know them and how important they are for the history, the representation of human errors, guilt, lies and secrets and how those affect them. I think I would liked to know more about Emilia, she was a mystery for me, I think she has more to say.
I think this story has potential if you want or need a book that makes you think, accompanied with a touch of magic, adventures and secrets.

•ENGLISH/ESPAÑOL•

~ENGLISH~

The ARC for this novel was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you very much!

I have many mixed feelings with this novel. When I read the synopsis I didn't know what to expect about the characters or the adventure of Xochitl or Emilia but as I was reading I realized that the author surprised me a lot with this work.
I had not read anything from Mark Oshiro, so this is a new author for me, but I must say that this adventure was unexpected.

The story centers on Xochitl, la cuentista from Empalme, who has been given the power to listen to the stories of the citizens of Empalme, whom she must help to confess and then deliver those stories to Solís, the goddess who observes and protects them all.
The role of la cuentista is very important, thanks to this the people of Empalme can purify themselves and prevent their mistakes from becoming nightmares and torment them all, maintaining communication between citizens and Solís. For the people of Empalme, the role of la cuentista is very important, but Xochitl does not want to have that gift, she doesn't want to be una cuentista, she had no choice. She does her job but wants more, and when she witnesses a horrible event, she thinks she has failed as la cuentista and Solís has punished her. Now she must leave Empalme and find the truth in the desert, find her place and someone who can help and understand her. But she will not be alone, because Emilia, the daughter of a murderer and dictator, will accompany her on that path of self-discovery.

Although I got an idea of what the story was going to be about thanks to the synopsis, meeting Xochitl and her story was really unexpected, incredible.
She is the narrator and tells the story to you as if you were Solís, she confesses on each page and each paragraph and shows you what is like to live in Empalme. She tells you how las cuentistas came to be and the important role they have and everything is so interesting that it keeps you attentive to what is going to happen.

In addition, the atmosphere is very unique, with that touch of mystical magic that surrounds everything and that touch of traditional Mexican pueblitos. It seriously transports you that atmosphere that the author put it! I was able to identify myself too much because I'm from Mexico and thanks to that I can say that the author did an incredible job representing this feeling of a Mexican pueblito.
It is even striking that, while reading the story, you come across phrases and words in Spanish, that helped the atmosphere a lot~.

On the other hand, we have the characters that seemed very mysterious to me, very curious, especially Emilia.
Throughout the book we know Xochitl's perspective and his way of being, but with his role as la cuentista we get to know other characters like Emilia, Manolito, Omar, Ofelia... Each one of them different, people who represent human errors, lies, secrets. Throughout history we see how Xochitl realizes the mistakes humans fall into over and over and over again. Each character is very complex but, although I did not feel much empathy for any of them, Emilia and her complexity caught my attention. I would have loved to know more about her, more in-depth, but I'm actually satisfied with her and Xochitl.

This is a very unique adventure, with the aim of knowing the truth and finding your place in the world, a journey to discover yourself that it will be full of magic and deceit, secrets and dangers. There are some parts where the magic gets very dark and I think those were my favorites.

I really liked the book, I enjoyed it, however I think it is the kind of book that you have to read slowly, take the time to reflect and not read it as quickly (as I did). I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it slowly.
As for the couple, I think this book would have been perfect if the romance had been based. I found the couple they made to be super cute, but I still couldn't stop thinking that I felt that it had appeared out of nowhere. I think that, the slow reading and the fact that in the end it was not my type of reading made the score drop, but I think the story has a lot of potential, it is magical and interesting, full of secrets and adventure. It is perfect for people who love slow, reflective books with touches of magic.

~ESPAÑOL~
El ARC de esta novela fue proporcionado por la editorial a través de NetGalley a cambio de una reseña honesta. ¡Muchas gracias!

Tengo muchos sentimientos encontrados con esta novela. Cuando leí la sinopsis no tenía muy claro qué esperar sobre los personajes o la aventura de Xochitl o Emilia pero conforme fui leyendo me di cuenta que el autor me sorprendió muchísimo con esta obra.
No había leído nada de Mark Oshiro, así que este es un autor nuevo para mi, pero debo decir que fue inesperada esta aventura.

La historia se centra en Xochitl, la cuentista de Empalme, que ha sido otorgada con el poder de escuchar las historias de los ciudadanos de Empalme, a quienes debe ayudar a confesarse para luego entregar dichas historias a Solís, la diosa que los observa y protege a todos.
El papel de una cuentista es muy importante, gracias a este, las personas de Empalme pueden purificarse y evitar que sus errores se conviertan en pesadillas y los atormenten a todos, mantienen comunicación entre los ciudadanos y Solís. Para el pueblo de Empalme, el rol de una cuentista es muy importante, pero Xochitl no desea tener ese don, no desea ser una cuentista, no tuvo ninguna opción. Ella hace su trabajo pero quiere más, desea más, y cuando presencia un horrible suceso, piensa que ha fallado como cuentista y Solís la ha castigado. Ahora debe salir de Empalme y encontrar la verdad en el desierto, encontrar su lugar y a alguien que pueda ayudarla y entenderla. Pero no estará sola, porque Emilia, la hija de un asesino y dictador, la acompañará en ese camino de autodescubrimiento.

Aunque me hice una idea de lo que iba a tratar la historia gracias a la sinopsis, conocer a Xochitl y su historia fue realmente inesperado, increíble.
Ella es la narradora y te cuenta la historia a ti como si fueras Solís, se confiesa en cada página y cada párrafo y te enseña cómo es la vida en Empalme. Te cuenta cómo llegaron a surgir las cuentistas y el rol tan importante que tienen y todo es tan interesante que te mantiene atento a lo que va a pasar.

Además, la ambientación es muy única, con ese toque de magia mística que lo envuelve todo y ese toque de pueblo tradicional mexicano. En serio te transporta esa ambientación que le puso el autor! Pude identificarme demasiado porque soy de México y gracias a eso puedo decir que el autor hizo un increíble trabajo al representar esta sensación de pueblito mexicano.
Incluso llama la atención que, mientras lees la historia, te encuentras con frases y palabras en español, eso ayudó muchísimo a la ambientación~.

Por otro lado, tenemos a los personajes que me parecieron muy misteriosos, muy curiosos, especialmente Emilia.
A lo largo del libro conocemos la perspectiva de Xochitl y su forma de ser, pero con su rol de cuentista llegamos a conocer a fondo a otros personajes como Emilia, Manolito, Omar, Ofelia... Cada uno de ellos diferentes, personas que representan los errores humanos, los vivios, los secretos. A lo largo de la historia vemos cómo Xochitl se da cuenta de los errores en los que los humanos caen una y otra y otra vez. Cada personaje es muy complejo pero, aunque no sentí mucha empatía por ninguno de ellos, me llamó la atención Emilia y su complejidad. Me hubiera encantado conocer más sobre ella, más a fondo, pero en realidad estoy satisfecha con ella y Xochitl.

Esta es una aventura muy única, con el objetivo de conocer la verdad y encontrar tu lugar en el mundo, un viaje para auto descubrirse que va a estar lleno de magia y engaños, secretos y peligros. Hay algunas partes donde la magia se vuelve muy oscura y creo que esos fueron mis favoritos.

Me gustó mucho el libro, lo disfruté, sin embargo creo que es el tipo de libro que hay que leerlo a pausas, tomarse el tiempo de reflexionar y no leerlo tan rápido (como yo lo hice). Creo que lo hubiera disfrutado más de haberlo leído lentamente.
En cuanto a la pareja, creo que este libro hubiera quedado perfecto si hubiera tenido bases el romance. Me pareció super cute la pareja que hacían, pero no terminaba de encantarme porque sentía que había aparecido de la nada. Creo que eso, lo lento de la lectura y el hecho de que al final no fue mi tipo de lectura hicieron que bajara la puntuación, pero creo que la historia tiene mucho potencial, es mágica e interesante, llena de secretos y aventura. Es perfecta para las personas que aman los libros lentos, reflexivos y con toques de magia.

In a post apocalyptic world, Xochitl is la cuentista, a kind of sin eater through the stories her community tells her. A traumatic event causes her to run and try to learn how to find value in herself beyond what she does for her village and find the truth of her abilities.

This was beautiful and lyrical and left me breathless. A book about the importance of the stories we tell each other and ourselves, and the choices that we make.

First of all, I want to thank Tor Teen for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest thoughts, celebrating "Latino Book Month"

WOW, I'm really impressed by the quality, intensity, reality, and depth of this story, I think it will be one of those difficult reviews to write due to the emotional charge that this book gives me with its pages. There's so much that I could share with you about the book, but I'll try to give what I can without spoilers, throwing all my thoughts and feelings here, so I hope it's understood. In summary, this book is a poem about the strengths and weaknesses of human beings. It's about overcoming fear & going in search of your own truth and your own destiny, I loved it, obviously!


This story follows Xochitl, "la cuentista" of her village who one day, after a tragic and unexpected event, decides to go out to pursue the truth about her destiny and for this, she must undertake a dangerous journey across the desert. But their path ends up bumping into Emilia's, the cold and beautiful daughter of the town's murderous mayor, and together they'll go through hundreds of creepy and challenging obstacles to discover their destinies, and meanwhile, something magical begins to emerge between them.


I loved it! Something really magical happened to me with this book, I knew that I would love it from the moment I started reading it, there's something in which it feels very captivating and unique, so it was inevitable for me to commit myself to the story and the characters. It's also super special for me due to the amount of Spanish I found in the story. If you're not Spanish-speaking, don't worry, the author makes everything understood perfectly anyway, but being Latina myself, it felts super nice to find a story that's so familiar and fluid in such a special way for you, you know?

The plot is the most unique thing I've read in a while, and also something strange and difficult to explain, but I will try. In this book, as I mentioned before, we follow Xo, and she's a cuentista, which means that she has a special ability which allows her to retain people's stories and then deliver them to Solís (who's their god) and so allow these people to feel relieved and not be persecuted for their nightmares or past guilt, and after having delivered those stories Xo immediately forgets about them, but it does drain a lot of her energy which leaves her super tired until even make her sleepy for many hours. So this story focuses on this concept in a world where "Solís" has given this "privilege" to certain people, and they become the most important people in their villages, being a job or duty for life. On the other hand, even when everyone believes that being the cuentista is a great privilege, Xo feels drained by it, and after terrible situations, she begins to see it as a curse. Also, this "power" has been passed to her by her aunt before she died, which is why she has never had a real chance to be or do anything else, you know? And with all that comes this journey in which hundreds of magical, shocking, and supernatural things happen.


In this book, we have a lot of magic happening all the time, even when they're atrocious situations because it's not a fairy tale, in fact, it's a very graphic, hard-hitting, and bloody book, so if you're an easily impressed person, I recommend discretion. I was so shocked when so many gory and brutal things begin to happen, I certainly didn't expect it, but I think it's the tone of the book and that scene remains throughout the course of it. So I could say that it's a survival story too, because the characters will have to face extreme climates under super scarce resources. In addition to the cuentistas, we also have other beings such as "Los Guardianes", "Los Sabuesos" and "Los Palidos" among others, who are represented in the form of animals (wolves, cats, bears) as well as in other humanoid forms.

On the other hand, I can't fail to mention another kind of magic that occurs in the book and they are the relationships between each character, it felt so real to me, especially because there's a sub-plot in this story where Xo finds poems on the way and feels absolutely attracted to them for things that she still doesn't know and there's such a powerful message there of love and of super innocent and sweet energy. I think magic is also in everything the author shows us through small gestures.


The writing style is wonderful, one of my favorite things about the book, it's easy to read but at the same time it's complex and poetic, and it fulfills with transmits all the feelings that the characters are going through, it's a story that although it focuses in fantasy you can feel its great power and strength in the realistic side. I can't wait to read more from the author to continue experiencing his unique style. In addition, the plot is told from Xo's perspective, but as telling everything that happened to Solís, which seemed like a great detail to me, as well as we also have small poems, which are beautiful.

There's a female/female romance happening in the book and I adore it, especially since it's not 100% focused on it and it's not very heavy, in fact, it develops very naturally and is a slow-burn kind of romance, which I personally LOVE. I really enjoyed it, each scene of these girls interacting is wonderful, it's all super organic and perfectly imperfect. In addition to the romance, we have a lot of diversity, obviously, all the characters are Latinos, but we also have gay and lesbian representations, played in a very casual and natural way in these communities, which is great.


The main character is Xochitl, and she's great! She's a super-strong young woman, she doesn't know it, though, because she has lived all her life in the same place and doesn't know much about life outside her village, but once she decides going out to discover, you can really see the inner strength that she has and a great conviction to find her truth. She has a super noticeable growth, she begins having many doubts about her life and what's true and what's not, and after facing so many obstacles that make her grow, we can see a different girl more determined and ready to decide for the first time for herself. I'm proud of the journey that Xo undertakes and above all, of her great growth and personal development. Emilia is amazing too, a super interesting character, she's the daughter of a ruthless man who goes village by village destroying everything, and at first, you don't know what her role really is, but when the character develops and we know her whole story, we can know the reason for her attitudes and decisions. I adore Emilia, she's a really kind soul, and she has gone through so many injustices that really breaks my heart, but also as Xo, she becomes strong and ready to show her true self. Then we have hundreds of characters that we know on our trip and others who live at each stop that the characters make, and although there's not much development of them, you do can appreciate their personalities and even feel connected to them and their lives. I want to mention Julio specifically because he's one of the most awful, evil and terrible villains that I've read in a long time, I really came to hate him, a ruthless man that dragged everything in his path for his desire for power . Then we have several wonderful and interesting souls that I will mention quickly like Rosalinda, Felipe, Manolito, Luz & Eliazar, all them AMAZING.


The story takes place in the desert, so it's a fairly vast and desolate image that gives the story a lot of meaning in itself. We also toured villages and towns, desolate and ravaged by what was is called "La Quema". We also explore places underground, so the whole landscape is quite sad, but also very atmospheric and scary.

This book, in addition to being wonderful because you go throughout a discovery journey and search for freedom, also discusses and questions many belief systems that these people have, and the characters are super confused because they've grown up thinking in a certain way and suddenly everything is uncertain and it seems that everything was a lie or that things aren't as they seem. I liked that this is discussed, as well as "realities are created by our beliefs" and that "we're shaped by the experiences that we live". The book forces the characters at times to challenge their biggest fears and is heartbreaking, but also eye-opening for them and makes the plot even more incredible. I think the blurb doesn't do the story justice, I don't think this is a simple romance, you know? This book is much more than that, it's self-discovery, it's facing the truth, it's fighting for your freedom, it's learning to put yourself first and be responsible for your decisions, and it's to grow and heal. It's wonderful and I'm very happy to have had the chance to read it.


I know that maybe it's a disorganized review, but honestly, I couldn't explain all these feelings with words and do justice to the book, as well as it's a rather difficult and complex promise to explain in its entirety, even more without spoilers. But, I hope I've done my best and that you feel that desire to give it a chance because it's very worth it. It's a whimsical story and I would highly recommend it if you enjoy complex and weird storylines, but the best kind of weird, you know? I compare this story a lot with Seanan McGuire's stories, for some reason they resonate for me, and I remembered Middlegame a lot while reading this book for its original plot and its unexpected twists, but also for the whimsical and crazy of the stories and that power to make you addictive to them. I highly recommend it, and I hope you decide to give it a try as soon as it comes out on September 15th, 2020, I know you have to wait a little while but it's worth it, I promise.

Each of Us a Desert by Mark Oshiro is a spectacular story. The title alone gripped me and I knew I would be in for a powerful journey; I wasn't wrong.