_142 OSTRICHES _(Kensington Books)Set against the unexpected splendor
of an ostrich ranch in the California desert, April Dávila’s
beautifully written debut conjures an absorbing and compelling heroine
in a story of courage, family and forgiveness.
When Tallulah Jones was thirteen, her grandmother plucked her from the
dank Oakland apartment she shared with her unreliable mom and brought
her to the family ostrich ranch in the Mojave Desert. After eleven
years caring for the curious, graceful birds, Tallulah accepts a job
in Montana and prepares to leave home. But when Grandma Helen dies
under strange circumstances, Tallulah inherits everything—just days
before the birds inexplicably stop laying eggs.
Guarding the secret of the suddenly barren birds, Tallulah endeavors
to force through a sale of the ranch, a task that is complicated by
the arrival of her extended family. Their designs on the property, and
deeply rooted dysfunction, threaten Tallulah’s ambitions and
eventually her life.
With no options left, Tallulah must pull her head out of the sand and
face the fifty-year legacy of a family in turmoil: the reality of her
grandmother's death, her mother's alcoholism, her uncle's covetous
anger, and the 142 ostriches whose lives are in her hands.
Praise for _142 Ostriches_:
"In Dávila’s vivid, uplifting DEBUT, a free-spirited woman
navigates her obligations to a dysfunctional family… The fascinating
details of operating an ostrich ranch elevate this family tale…"–
_Publisher’s Weekly_
"Navigating the aftermath of her grandmother’s death is a defining,
tumultuous time for Tallulah, which Dávila presents with empathy and
insight. How do we make hard choices in the face of uncertainty? What
drives behavior, particularly harmful behavior? Readers will be
fascinated by the OSTRICHES AND THE DESERT, both of which Tallulah
believes she wants to escape. Tension mounts in every chapter, and
when the difficult forces converge in the satisfying climax, Tallulah
discovers clarity. This is an enjoyable, winning, interesting NOVEL
FOR READERS OF MANY BACKGROUNDS."– _Booklist_, Starred Review
"An unusual ranching tale set in the Mojave Desert, where the herd is
a flock of eight foot tall birds and their wrangler a young woman
raised by her gruff grandmother who dreams of another kind of life. A
twisty, warmhearted story of family, community and fate, a
thoroughgoing delight."– Janet Fitch, Author of _Chimes of a Lost
Cathedral_
"Tolstoy probably never envisioned an unhappy family which included
OSTRICHES, but these fine feathered beasts nearly steal the heart of
this humane and heartfelt DEBUT NOVEL. Dávila’s protagonist
Tallulah must navigate that most fundamental of choices: should I stay
or should I go? Anyone who has ever felt the insistent tug of
Somewhere Else doing battle with the responsibilities of their Here
and Now will find something of themselves in these fine
pages."– Mark Sarvas, Author of _Memento Park_
_"142 Ostriches_ is unlike anything I’ve read before. Wholly
unique, this cinematic NOVEL EXPOSES READERS TO THE RELATIVELY UNKNOWN
INDUSTRY OF OSTRICH FARMING. In Dávila’s skillful hands, the desert
comes alive and the OSTRICHES ARE AS COMPELLING AS THE HUMAN
CHARACTERS. Tallulah herself is a memorable, strong-willed
protagonist. Her struggle to negotiate family obligations with her own
desires feels both singular and highly relatable. I loved following
her through the pages of this fast-paced and lovely NOVEL."– Amy
MEYERSON, Author of _The Bookshop of Yesterdays_
"APRIL Dávila has made the rare thing: The perfect meeting of plot
and character. A hurtling adventure of family intrigue helmed by a
heroine for the ages, Dávila’s NOVEL WILL MAKE YOUR HEART SWELL AS
BIG AS AN OSTRICH EGG, and then hatch it."– Katie Williams, Author
of _Tell The Machine Goodnight_
"A story told with depth and beauty about the many things we inherit
from our families. Dávila’s characters are familiar, yet
unforgettable, and I’m waiting patiently for what she writes
next."– Wayétu Moore, Author of _She Would Be King_
"An engrossing and original tale of love, betrayal, and extremely
large birds, APRIL Dávila’s _142 Ostriches_ is a NOVEL THAT BLOOMS
LIKE SPRINGTIME IN THE CALIFORNIA DESERT. Fiercely independent, brave,
and tender, Tallulah Jones is a heroine for our time."– Seth
Greenland, Author of _The Hazards of Good Fortune_
"Vividly imagined and deeply felt, _142 Ostriches_ is an utterly
absorbing tale of an intrepid young woman coming of age in the
CALIFORNIA desert. I loved Dávila’s big-hearted DEBUT ABOUT LAND,
family, and the ties that bind. Highly recommended."– Lindsey Lee
Johnson, Author of _The Most Dangerous Place on Earth_
"Dávila’s observant prose conjures the drama of sun-scorched days
and the calm of cool painted evenings as it chronicles the struggles
and rewards of a rugged life in the vast Mohave. This is a story that
envelops you with a sense of place, and uses its setting to reveal how
the human heart, like wildflowers after a rampaging storm, can thrive
in the harshest conditions. It is a tale as surprising and delightful
as a profusion of florid color in the sandy stretches of the
CALIFORNIA desert." – Yvonne Puig, Author of _A Wife of Nobel
Character_
"_142 Ostriches_, APRIL Dávila’s utterly unique NOVEL, nails the
Zeitgeist when her protagonist inherits a Death Valley bird ranch
she’d hoped to escape. An avian Greek chorus, the birds seem to
observe and share her longing to stand in a place of my own choosing.
With unsentimental acuity, her narrator confronts the intangible
covenant foisted upon her, and the reality that the disposal of her
flock, from nature to product, is by no means a matter just for the
birds."– Rita Williams, Author of _If The Creek Don’t Rise_
"I’ve never read a coming of age story quite like Dávila’s.
It’s about a rugged existence, but with prose so gorgeously written
that you can’t help but see the beauty in the world she’s
built."– Erin La Rosa, author of _The Big Redhead Book_
APRIL DÁVILA received her undergraduate degree from Scripps College
before going on to study writing at USC. She was an Artist in
Residence at the Dorland Mountain Arts Colony in 2017 and attended the
Squaw Valley Community of Writers in 2018. In 2019 her short story
“Ultra” was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. A fourth-generation
Californian, she lives in La Cañada Flintridge with her husband and
two children. She is a practicing Buddhist, half-hearted gardener, and
occasional runner. 142 Ostriches is her first novel.
AMY MEYERSON is the bestselling author of _The Bookshop of
Yesterdays_, which will be translated into 11 languages. She has been
published in numerous literary magazines and teaches in the writing
department at the University of Southern CALIFORNIA, where she
completed her graduate work in creative writing. Originally from
Philadelphia, she currently lives in Los Angeles. Her new NOVEL, _The
Imperfects_, will be published in May 2020.
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