Each Of Us a Desert-Mark Oshiro

Mark Oshiro's Each of Us a Desert is a powerful and atmospheric coming-of-age fantasy novel set in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by "La Quema," a devastating solar disaster that turned much of the planet into a dry desert. The story centers on Xochitl, a young woman burdened with a unique and sacred duty: she is the cuentista of her village, Empalme. This means she is destined to wander the desert alone, absorbing the dark confessions and painful stories of her villagers and offering them to the god Solís, ensuring that these unspoken truths don't manifest as dangerous, nightmare-like creatures.

Xochitl's life is one of isolation and profound responsibility, a role she never chose and secretly yearns to escape. Exhausted by the emotional weight of carrying everyone else's burdens, she begins to question her role and the very nature of Solís. Her world shifts dramatically when, against all custom, she keeps a story for herself – a dangerous secret from her friend that hints at impending peril for Empalme. This act of rebellion, and her deep longing for connection, is answered in the unexpected arrival of Emilia, the enigmatic and beautiful daughter of the conqueror who terrorized Xochitl's village.

As Xochitl and Emilia, bound by a shared past and uncertain future, embark on a perilous journey across the unforgiving desert, they face not only the physical dangers of the scorched landscape and the monstrous "pesadillas" that emerge at night, but also their own internal struggles and the complex, developing feelings between them. Each of Us a Desert is a deeply emotional and introspective novel that explores themes of self-discovery, responsibility, the power of stories, and the search for belonging in a world where truth and trust are as scarce as water.

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