An exquisite tale with a gravity all its own.
In a world where love is a weakness and the oceans are made of sand, Norah is plagued with insecurities within her tight-knit community of To’Rahn. Besides enduring the tragic loss of her father and worrying over the famine that has ravaged the land, Norah doesn’t possess any of the impressive sand gifts wielded by her neighbors. In fact, she may be the only one unable to use any of the four powerful abilities to tame the sandy environment. This is unfortunate for Norah, given the timing of things. The Anointing, an important partnering ceremony where people are matched based on their gifts and bloodlines, is just around the corner. And an attack from the merciless To’Morat marches closer and closer each day. Norah wants to do something, anything, to help her people, but manipulating sand doesn’t seem to flow in her blood. When the council decides to send Norah and her best friend on a secret mission that might save the village, she is handed the opportunity of her dreams. How can she be of any help, though, without a usable gift? What Norah learns about herself and about the nature of love could change everything, but time is running short and salvation takes a toll.
An exquisite tale with a gravity all its own, Oceans of Sand will lure you in with a powerful plot and hold you hostage with a cast you’ll love. Flory’s writing style is immensely visual, helping readers embrace an imaginative landscape with precision and clarity. Elegant sand battles and ships traversing a powdery sea are descriptive enough to make you feel the grains sting your cheeks as the wind kicks up the sand. So immersive is the storytelling that it’s impossible not to imagine the sensation of scratchy cactus fiber clothes rubbing against the skin or the coarse texture of a coat made of sand. As a literary device, the repetition of ideas might feel heavy-handed for seasoned readers, but is well-placed for a young adult audience looking for a fun, adventurous story. This consistency of writing helps cement the beautiful, otherworldly landscape and makes the character growth even more profound. Add to that the gentle love story that underpins that grand plot and you have an exotic story that will keep you up all hours of the night. The compelling, original storyline pairs with classic elements popular for this genre to quickly land this novel on the top of your favorites list. Clean fiction written with sincerity, discernment and absolute composure, Oceans of Sand is a magnificent tale told in a world you’ll never want to leave!
