The Perishing: A Novel [B0981]

2021 HCDJ 1st edition in nice clean condition. A Black immortal in 1930's Los Angeles must recover the memory of her past in order to discover who she truly is in this extraordinarily affecting novel. Nominee for the 2022 NAACP Image Award in Literature. Nominee for the 2022 Hurston/Wright Legacy Awards in Fiction. An Entropy Best Book of the Year.

Lou, a young Black woman, wakes up in an alley in 1930s Los Angeles with no memory of how she got there or where she's from. Taken in by a caring foster family, Lou dedicates herself to her education while trying to put her mysterious origins behind her. She'll go on to become the first Black female journalist at the Los Angeles Times, but Lou's extraordinary life is about to take an even more remarkable turn. When she befriends a firefighter at a downtown boxing gym, Lou is shocked to realize that though she has no memory of meeting him, she's been drawing his face for years. Increasingly certain that their paths previously crossed-and beset by unexplainable flashes from different eras haunting her dreams-Lou begins to believe she may be an immortal sent here for a very important reason, one that only others like her can explain. Setting out to investigate the mystery of her existence, Lou must make sense of the jumble of lifetimes calling to her, just as new forces threaten the existence of those around her. Immersed in the rich historical tapestry of Los Angeles-Prohibition, the creation of Route 66, and the collapse of the St. Francis Dam-The Perishing is a stunning examination of love and justice through the eyes of one miraculous woman whose fate seems linked to the city she comes to call home. "Is it sci-fi? Is it historical fiction? Mystery? Yes! And it's unique, wondrous and brilliant."-Karla Strand, Ms. "History repeats itself on a personal level in this time-travel novel from Natashia Deón . . . The book is a fascinating and thrilling mystery, but for Deón, it's also a commentary on the frustrating cycles of injustice that have yet to crack." -Rosa Cartagena, Bitch. "An intoxicating blend of sci-fi and historical fiction, The Perishing is a unique perspective on Depression-era life for a Black woman, time traveler or not." -Kirby Beaton, BuzzFeed.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "This book was not what I expected based on the blurb and felt like it needed more somehow, but ultimately still gets 5 stars. I loved the message, the characters and the way this book made me feel."; "Incredible. Loved this book instantaneously! I've never seen immortality done like this before. I cannot recommend this book enough it is now one of my all-time favorites! Beautifully written and never a dull moment!"; "Stunning. A history of Los Angeles. An exploration of a woman's heart. An investigation of a mystery An examination of love and justice."