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dlrosebyh's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Xochitl is condemned to travel the desert by herself while telling the tales of her unhappy hamlet to its parched winds. Her solitary company is provided by the wonderful stars overhead and mysterious lines of poetry that appear magically scattered across sand dunes. Her only wish is to connect with someone who shares her values.
One night, Emilia, the icy and stunning daughter of the town's merciless conqueror, comes into the world, fulfilling Xo's wish. However, when the two embark on a fantastical voyage over the desert, they discover that their hearts might be compatible. If only they can make it through the nighttime terrors that seem like nightmares.
I see why everyone loved this book, but my timing was off. Not because the plot wasn't intriguing, but rather because I've been having a terrible reading slump, I found myself skimming through a lot of it. I think it's a nice book overall—it has a flawed hero, a wholesome conclusion, lyrical writing, and a clever plot twist—but my slump really sapped the fun out of it for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty
Minor: Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, and Infidelity
tree_star's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Body horror, Grief, Animal cruelty, Death, and Animal death
mandkips's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Gore
Moderate: Animal death and Animal cruelty
Minor: Domestic abuse and Alcoholism
meagangrace's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Death, Murder, Animal death, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Vomit, Animal cruelty, and Child abuse
Minor: Alcoholism and Domestic abuse
the_grimdragon's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"A new sensation filled my belly, one that did not belong to any of the stories, but was mine and mine alone. Desire."
Each of Us a Desert is the sophomore novel from Mark Oshiro. If this is any indication, Oshiro is a damn fine writer that will be around for a long time to come!
Following sixteen year old Xochitl, a cuentista in the village of Empalme, Each of Us a Desert is a story about stories. Given these special powers at just eight years old, Xo listens to stories of the villagers, then leaves them to Solís, the sun god, scattering them back to the earth. These stories are confessions that they will no longer need to bear the weight of, purging secrets from their lives, their bodies during the prayer ritual. The cuentista takes on the sin, yet once they return the story to Solís, it is forgotten.
Except one day, Xo decides she doesn't want to give up a particular story. Rather, she ventures out of her village on a quest to save her people, her only companions are her thoughts & the magical lines of poetry she finds hidden amongst the dunes.
For the first time in her young life, Xochitl is following her heart, her desires. But will the story consume her?
"Each of us a desert, alone and vast."
Each of Us a Desert is a post-apocalyptic fantasy coming-of-age story that is exquisitely queer, subverting the genre & the western gaze. The worldbuilding is vivid & atmospheric, taking place in a queernorm desert society with a diverse cast of characters, including nonbinary & Latinx rep, as well as a sapphic main relationship. I swear my little queer heart grew ten sizes while reading this! Oof.
Mark Oshiro's writing is beautifully intense & tangible. Exploring themes of immigration, history & trauma, Each of Us a Desert is a brutal, achingly emotional novel. It's about overwhelming loneliness, grief, pain, sacrifice, love & support. It's that sense of isolation, when you feel like you never quite belong. It's about that little flicker of hope that one grasps onto, while searching for your place in this unpredictable world.
Each of Us a Desert is the kind of book where I had finished & then immediately wanted to start reading again, so that I could find things that I had missed.
CW: Violence, abuse, gore, visceral horrors.
(Big thanks to Tor Teen/Tor Books for sending me a copy!)
Each of Us a Desert is the sophomore novel from Mark Oshiro. If this is any indication, Oshiro is a damn fine writer that will be around for a long time to come!
Following sixteen year old Xochitl, a cuentista in the village of Empalme, Each of Us a Desert is a story about stories. Given these special powers at just eight years old, Xo listens to stories of the villagers, then leaves them to Solís, the sun god, scattering them back to the earth. These stories are confessions that they will no longer need to bear the weight of, purging secrets from their lives, their bodies during the prayer ritual. The cuentista takes on the sin, yet once they return the story to Solís, it is forgotten.
Except one day, Xo decides she doesn't want to give up a particular story. Rather, she ventures out of her village on a quest to save her people, her only companions are her thoughts & the magical lines of poetry she finds hidden amongst the dunes.
For the first time in her young life, Xochitl is following her heart, her desires. But will the story consume her?
"Each of us a desert, alone and vast."
Each of Us a Desert is a post-apocalyptic fantasy coming-of-age story that is exquisitely queer, subverting the genre & the western gaze. The worldbuilding is vivid & atmospheric, taking place in a queernorm desert society with a diverse cast of characters, including nonbinary & Latinx rep, as well as a sapphic main relationship. I swear my little queer heart grew ten sizes while reading this! Oof.
Mark Oshiro's writing is beautifully intense & tangible. Exploring themes of immigration, history & trauma, Each of Us a Desert is a brutal, achingly emotional novel. It's about overwhelming loneliness, grief, pain, sacrifice, love & support. It's that sense of isolation, when you feel like you never quite belong. It's about that little flicker of hope that one grasps onto, while searching for your place in this unpredictable world.
Each of Us a Desert is the kind of book where I had finished & then immediately wanted to start reading again, so that I could find things that I had missed.
CW: Violence, abuse, gore, visceral horrors.
(Big thanks to Tor Teen/Tor Books for sending me a copy!)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
plumpaperbacks's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Each of Us a Desert was my introduction to Oshiro’s work, and I can definitely see their potential in it. The characters and the world are both well-developed, and they have a very nice writing style, pretty yet simple. I also enjoyed the slow-burn sapphic romance and general queerness of the story.
However, the downfall for me was the extremely slow pacing. I was invested at first but slowly lost interest as the story dragged on, and I considered putting the book down unfinished. There was just barely enough intrigue for me to continue, which is why I took longer than I expected to read it.
Additionally, when I finally reached the end, I found it unsatisfying, and more open than I would’ve liked. Oshiro created something that could’ve been fascinating, but the meandering pace hindered that. I do think that the themes of faith and self-honesty and making your own path were interesting and managed well, though.
The last thing I’ll address is the unapologetic Latinx nature of the novel, something I’ve seen in many YA books, but as I recall, not quite to this extent. The story is full of Spanish poems and phrases and food, written in a way that’s also understandable for those like me with very little knowledge of the language. I did like this element.
While Each of Us a Desert wasn’t my cup of tea, I’d recommend it to those that enjoy slower stories, thematic stories, and unique fantasies. I plan to read Oshiro’s debut, which I will hopefully enjoy more.
Representation
However, the downfall for me was the extremely slow pacing. I was invested at first but slowly lost interest as the story dragged on, and I considered putting the book down unfinished. There was just barely enough intrigue for me to continue, which is why I took longer than I expected to read it.
Additionally, when I finally reached the end, I found it unsatisfying, and more open than I would’ve liked. Oshiro created something that could’ve been fascinating, but the meandering pace hindered that. I do think that the themes of faith and self-honesty and making your own path were interesting and managed well, though.
The last thing I’ll address is the unapologetic Latinx nature of the novel, something I’ve seen in many YA books, but as I recall, not quite to this extent. The story is full of Spanish poems and phrases and food, written in a way that’s also understandable for those like me with very little knowledge of the language. I did like this element.
While Each of Us a Desert wasn’t my cup of tea, I’d recommend it to those that enjoy slower stories, thematic stories, and unique fantasies. I plan to read Oshiro’s debut, which I will hopefully enjoy more.
Representation
- full Latinx cast
- main sapphic romance
- numerous queer side characters
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Death, and Vomit
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Excrement
Also contains mention of murders.iviarelle's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is one heck of a slow burn. There's not a whole lot of action. I don't think the characters get a whole lot of depth. If you prefer to have those things, this may not be a good book for you. But if you have an open mind and an open heart, there is an incredible journey here. I think the best way I could describe this book is a deeply introspective love letter to the power of stories and the power we have to interpret them. If that speaks to you, and you like the sound of an unapologetically queer desert world where poetry is a driving plot point, this book may be the sweet balm to your soul that it is to mine.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Gore
Moderate: Vomit, Animal death, and Animal cruelty
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