Battleborn
- 288 pages
- 11 hours of reading
Drawing on personal experiences with grief, loss, sisterhood, violence and death, these stories form a response to the genre of the Western, adding a rare, powerful, female voice to that tradition.
Claire Vaye Watkins Books
Claire Vaye Watkins explores the landscape and lives of the American West, particularly the overlooked and remote corners of the Mojave Desert. Her writing is characterized by a raw yet lyrical prose that delves into themes of survival, family, and the search for identity within harsh environments. Watkins skillfully captures the tension between the wildness of nature and human desires, with characters often confronting existential challenges. Her work offers a unique perspective on the American myth and reality, immersing readers in its unforgiving yet compelling worlds.
Gold Fame Citrus
- 352 pages
- 13 hours of reading
In this highly anticipated debut novel from a celebrated short fiction writer, a love story unfolds in a hauntingly imagined near future ravaged by relentless drought. Southern California has transformed into a surreal landscape, with the Central Valley barren and water sources depleted. Most "Mojavs," hindered by armed vigilantes and bureaucratic indifference, have been evacuated to internment camps. Amidst this chaos, Luz and Ray, two young Mojavs, find refuge in an abandoned mansion in Los Angeles' Laurel Canyon. Once a conservation icon, Luz and Ray, a veteran turned surfer, struggle to survive on rationed cola and scavenged supplies. Their fragile love flourishes in this desolate environment, providing a glimmer of hope. However, their lives change when they encounter a mysterious child, igniting a desire for a better future. They embark on a perilous journey east, facing dangers such as sinkholes, patrolling authorities, and bandits, all under the relentless sun. Rumors of a visionary dowser and his followers, said to have formed a colony near a sea of dunes, haunt their path. This profoundly moving and original narrative delves into the myths we create about ourselves and others, exploring the complex power of relationships and the shape of hope in an uncertain future.
From "the most captivating voice to come out of the West since Annie Proulx" (Vogue), the furious, hilarious, soul-rending story of one woman's reckoning with marriage, work, sex, and motherhood.