Eloia Born was released January 2019 and was long-listed for the Exeter Novel Prize. The novel centers around two blind teenagers who are in love: a girl who’s lost her mother and a boy learning about love. On the remote planet of Eloia, Dex and Leanora live in two worlds that intersect: the world of the seeing and the blind. Leanora alone travels between them. But she hides her limited eyesight from the boy she loves. Then tragedy strikes and Leanora and Dex must trek across Eloia in search of answers while struggling to survive in the harsh wilderness. Leanora’s mother, believed to be dead, has left traces of herself in every community they encounter. Each step of their odyssey takes Dex further away from Leanora and closer to someone new. Caught between her allegiance to their shared history and following her heart, Leanora must decide: is survival more important than love?
Eloia Born is the first book in a two-book series. Its sequel, Hirana’s War, will release October 1, 2020.
Reviewers have said the following:
“A well-written narrative of disability, dystopia, and exploration, featuring a main character with partial sight. Eloia Born is both a dystopian narrative and a quest story; consider it a spiritual successor to Lois Lowry’s The Giver and M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village. We learn quickly that the people in Leanora’s community are not blind by chance, but by design…”–Nicole Dieker, Discover Reedsy
“This story reminds me of all the things I like so much about Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen series. It is a story of growth – not everything ends on a happy note, everyone has something to add to the story, and the journey was hard – but such is life. I believe that many young adult readers will find a bit of themselves in this story and perhaps even a desire to “choose kind.” If we can learn to recognize the gifts in others, realize that there is more to life than what we see, and honestly try to understand one another, this world – and our individual lives – could be very different.”–Yalonda Wilhoite, Goodreads Reviewer
“Eloia Born is more than just a simple love story. It’s about leaving your comfort zones in search of life’s truths. It plays on your emotions and forces you to accept things that you may not want to. It does this wonderfully…I would highly recommend this novel for anyone looking to immerse themselves into a new, beautifully crafted YA world.”–GeanerikC, Goodreads Reviewer
Buy your author signed copy of the paperback today. Glossy cover, ivory B&W interior. 287 pages. Published in 2019 by Murasaki Press. Indicate on your order who you would like the book to be personalized to, if desired. Orders come with free postcards and stickers. Bulk discounts are available for schools and organizations. Please e-mail murasakipress@gmail.com with your order request.
