From School Library Journal
Gr 10 Up—Seventeen-year-old Xochi's life has never been easy. Her single mother abandoned her to a man who repeatedly raped her, her loving adopted grandmother has died from cancer, and she has no idea who her father is. Xochi ends up in San Francisco, where she meets 12-year-old Pallas. The two bond almost instantly, and Pallas takes Xochi home, where she is hired as a governess for the precocious girl. Pallas's family and living situation are unusual, with unmarried parents who live together and "date" other people, a rock musician father, and various band members and friends all living there together. On the night of their annual Vernal Equinox party, Pallas and Xochi cast a spell for fun and accidentally bring forth two creatures whose mission is to punish anyone who has hurt Xochi. Chaos results as Xochi finds that she can never truly escape her past. This intricately constructed urban fantasy is complex and beautiful, blending folklore, San Franciscan history, the music scene, vampires, magic, and the intertwined lives of characters, including a cat named Peasblossom who sees and understands more than the humans. While some of the minor characters tend to blend together, the main characters are well developed and robust. The hippie "free love" atmosphere and various adult relationships make this a book for older teens that could also be a crossover for new adult and adult readers. This first book by Keil ends with the possibility of a welcome sequel. VERDICT Fantasy fans will find this book appealing, fun, and hard to put down.—Janet Hilbun, University of North Texas, Denton
Review
A Barnes & Noble Most Anticipated #OwnVoices YA Book of 2019
A Paste Best Young Adult Book of June 2019
A Book Riot Most Anticipated LGBTQ Read of 2019
A Book Riot Must-Read Debut Book of 2019
A She Reads Best YA Book of 2019
A Hip Latina Best YA Book of 2019
A Powell’s Top 5 Pick for 2019
Praise for All of Us With Wings
“Keil’s ambitious debut is jam-packed with twists and depth and froth and function . . . [this is] a book about embracing everything—people, lifestyles, beliefs, experiences—and, in so doing, finding your own distinct power.”
—The New York Times Book Review
“In the vein of many poignant teen fictions these days, Ruiz Keil has chosen to focus with compassion on a difficult reality for young people: that sometimes their parents will make incredibly damaging choices; and that, in the wake of those damaging choices, everyone will be left to decide if and how they move on . . . And what better literary backdrop exists, for themes of family rent so theatrically and disastrously asunder, than Shakespeare itself?”
—Strange Horizons
“Michelle Ruiz Keil’s strange but original premise gives fresh perspective to the ways pain and rage can manifest themselves as toxic elements that threaten a person’s well-being and endanger those around them.”
—NBC News
“In her debut novel, Michelle Ruiz Keil crafts a fantastical ode to the Golden City’s postpunk era.”
—Entertainment Weekly
“A spellbinding tale about finding magic in the mundane and hope in the unknown. Filled with dizzying danger and electrifying music, All of Us with Wings left me breathless.”
—Ruth Ozeki, Los Angeles Times Book Prize-winning author of A Tale for the Time Being
“Michelle Ruiz Keil creates a vivid and original novel full of music, rage, and characters that sing with purpose. Keil is a new voice to keep an eye on.”
—Zoraida Córdova, award-winning author of Labyrinth Lost
“All of Us with Wings is a decadent slice of post-punk rockstardom that will have you begging to stay at the party till sunrise. This gorgeous debut looks unflinchingly into often unexplored experiences of adolescence—abuse and addiction, lust and desire, found families and chosen homes—finding beauty and redemption even in the darkest places.”
—Tehlor Kay Mejia, author of We Set the Dark on Fire
“I'm convinced that Michelle Ruiz Keil has woven a magic spell into these pages. All of Us with Wings is gorgeous, gritty, and utterly transfixing.”
—Sara Holland, New York Times bestselling author of Everless
“Michelle Ruiz Keil puts exquisite language and wild imagination to the fierce onslaught of sensation and doubt that is adolescence. This is a story for young adults, but perhaps it is also a deeply poetic tale of what is lost in the transition to adulthood.”
—Joanna Rose, author of Little Miss Strange
"If Umbrella Academy has you in the mood for more fantastical schooling adventures, Keil’s YA-debut may be a good continuation . . . When Pallas and Xochi accidentally summon ancient powers on the Vernal Equinox, their homeschooling takes a dive into the mythical, with both characters learning about the powers (and consequences) of vengeance."
—Electric Lit
“An irresistible punk rock spirit . . . sets it apart from standard fantasy fare.”
—Popsugar
“A sort of goth Weetzie Bat, but even that doesn’t quite capture [its] beauty . . . The prose is gorgeous and lyrical and positively glitters, and the characters are vivid and lush. I loved this book.”
—Book Riot
“All of Us with Wings is the coming-of-age story for those of us whose adolescence didn't fit the script . . . Told in luminous prose, this novel achieves an intoxicating blend of fairytale and realism that quickly proves addictive.”
—Lit Reactor
“Put me under a happy spell.”
—OPB's State of Wonder
“Bursting with magic.”
—Audio File
“Michelle Ruiz Keil has crafted something of astonishing radiance with All of Us with Wings; it's not always easy or pretty, but it's a novel with real staying power that will reward all who succumb to its magic.”
—Locus Magazine
“The writing soars . . . This tale of found family and recovery weaves an unforgettable punk rock-infused spell.”
—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
“[An] atmospheric debut . . . Keil plays with prose and imagery, interweaving the dreamlike language of Francesca Lia Block with a Latin-American sensibility. The frank inclusion of sexual exploration and drug use adds an extra level of maturity to this thoughtful story about trauma and vengeance, adult decision making, and recovery.”
—Publishers Weekly
“This intricately constructed urban fantasy is complex and beautiful, blending folklore, San Franciscan history, the music scene, vampires, magic, and the intertwined lives of characters, including a cat named Peasblossom who sees and understands more than the humans . . . Fantasy fans will find this book appealing, fun, and hard to put down.”
—School Library Journal
"Punk-rock and music fans in general will especially love the flow of this book . . . A delicious debut filled with prose that reads like poetry."
—Booklist
“Michelle Ruiz Keil’s debut is sure to leave readers thinking about trauma, forgiveness, and growth.”
—Bookish
“Intriguing and well-crafted.”
—YA Books Central
“Keil is at her best playing with the magical realism element . . . using lush, imagistic prose to cast a dreamy (sometimes nightmarish) pall over the scenes.”
—Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books
“All of Us with Wings is unapologetically queer, sexy and colorful. It doesn’t pull its punches, but it also examines narratives of rape recovery in an as ethical a manner as possible. There is hope, it says. There is family. There is life beyond the trauma.”
—Young Adulting
“Magical realism that hits hard.”
—Cultura Colectiva
“All of Us with Wings is a book about trauma in all its forms and the price others pay for us accepting, rejecting, or ignoring our pain. But it’s also about found families and not letting your past define your future. Every library with a young adult section should buy this book—you never know which of your teens will need it as much as I did.”
—Alex Brown, Punk-Ass Book Jockey blog
“A fascinating story about growing up.”
—Rich in Color blog
“A remarkable, refreshing, dangerous book filled with beautiful language. Michelle Ruiz Keil brings the supernatural, the world of art and music, themes of abuse and agency, and characters so real, my heart broke for more than one of them.”
—Doug C., Powell’s Books (Portland, OR)
“A stunning re-imagining of Jane Eyre, set in San Francisco and exploring themes of found family, processing trauma, and growing up . . . With her magical setting, lush prose, and unforgettable characters, Michelle Ruiz Keil has created a world that you won’t want to leave.”
—Cecilia Cackley, East City Bookshop (Washington, DC)
About the Author
Michelle Ruiz Keil is a writer and tarot reader with an eye for the enchanted and a way with animals. She is a 2020 Literary Lions Honoree and the recipient of a 2020 Hedgebrook residency. Her short fiction can be found in the anthologies Color outside the Lines and Dispatches from Anarres. A Bay Area native, Michelle has lived in Portland, Oregon, for many years. She curates the fairytale reading series All Kinds of Fur and lives with her family in a cottage where the forest meets the city.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
1
All Tomorrow’s Parties
Pallas sat sidesaddle on the kitchen counter, velvet ankle boots resting daintily in the deep porcelain sink. Pressing her nose against the dark kitchen window, she glared at the hulking cyclops creeping steadily toward Eris Gardens, its single working headlight illuminating the carriage house and steep gravel drive.
“No one’s supposed to park back there,” she said. “Can’t they read?”
“Maybe they’re too tired.” Xochi yawned. “I mean, who starts a party at midnight?”
“It’s an afterparty.” Pallas swirled a perfect cursive P in the steam her breath had made on the window. “Midnight counts as after.”
“Midnight counts as bedtime.” Xochi downed the rest of her coffee.
“Maybe for you.”
Pallas had never had a bedtime herself, not even as a baby. Certainly not now that she was nearly thirteen.
She giggled. “You claim you’re not governess material, but listen to you—so prim and disapproving.”
Xochi rolled her eyes and reached over Pallas to pull back the lace curtain. Exhaust poured like fog from the old car’s tailpipe. “Who drives a hearse?”
Pallas sighed She had a pretty good idea of who the boxy eyesore belonged to. “Some people get one song on the radio or open for Lady Frieda a few times and suddenly they’re above parking on the street like everyone else.”
She held her breath as the rusty behemoth lurched past the collection of vintage motorcycles parked behind the kitchen and shuddered to a stop. Four doors opened and five girls emerged. Like a line of paper dolls cut from the same pattern, they were thin and pale, with long white muslin dresses and waist-length blonde hair. They came in single file without knocking and passed through the kitchen without a word. The last one spared a head movement toward Pallas that might have been a nod and followed the others into the hall.
Rude, Pallas thought. But they were just bitter. That wannabe coven of undead schoolgirls had spent all of last summer trying to infiltrate Eris Gardens. They learned soon enough: sleeping with the band did not make you part of the family. Pallas slid off the counter with a thud.
“Wow,” Xochi said. “So are they a cult, or what?”
“Just a band. Filles Mourantes,” Pallas said. “Dead Girls. They sing in a made-up language and never eat. They want people to think they’re, like, vampires or Parisian or something.”
Pallas wasn’t about to admit that their music was actually good. It was easier to have compassion for the not-so-gifted who tried to make up for it with attitude, but those attractive, talented girls had no excuse for being mean.
“They’re gorgeous, though,” Xochi said. “And those dresses are amazing.”
“Please. “You’re way prettier.” Pallas opened the industrial-sized refrigerator, the only modern thing in the large, drafty kitchen, and took out a platter of sushi and a bowl of chocolate-covered strawberries—Equinox food. “And your hair is perfect, especially with that dress. I’m so glad you listened to me and Kiki.”
Xochi touched her newly bare neck. “It’s not too short?”
“Of course not!” Pallas’s godmother Kiki had bobbed Xochi’s hair perfectly. And this after magically producing a sparkly ashes-of-roses flapper dress for the governess when Pallas had worried Xochi wouldn’t have anything nice to wear for the concert. The dress had once belonged to Pallas’s mother. Io was too thin for it now, but it fit just right on Xochi. She looked so glamorous.
Like a storybook governess, Xochi was from a small, uneventful place where the most exciting happenings were potlucks and school dances. Although she was almost eighteen, she had never been to a real concert, let alone an afterparty for one.
Pallas sighed. It would be selfish to keep Xochi cooped up in the attic all night reading.
She took a deep breath. “You know,” she said, “you could stay down here and check out the party. If you want.”
“I thought we were finishing Villette.”
Taking turns reading their favorite books aloud had been Pallas’s idea; she’d chosen Villette because of its governess heroine. Xochi was usually into the story as much as Pallas was. But tonight, there was a tiny hint of reluctance in her voice.
Before Pallas could answer, a disgruntled yowl sounded from the patio.
“More vampires?” Xochi’s eyes were brighter now, the way they always got when her coffee kicked in.
“Not this time.” Pallas hurried to open the back door. “Just one grumpy old sphinx.”
Peasblossom strolled in, looking pleased with himself as usual. Pallas reached down to pet him.
“Wait a minute,” Xochi said. “Is that the bookstore cat?”
Pallas couldn’t help but laugh at the look on Xochi’s face. “He comes over to keep me company during parties.”
Peas trotted past Xochi and leaped onto the counter, suspiciously close to the covered party platter of sushi.
“In your dreams!” Pallas scooped him up and set him back on the floor. His tail twitched. “Nora said no sushi—it gives you gas.”
Peas washed his shoulder in disdain, clearly insulted.
“Nora—she’s the bookstore lady, right?” Xochi’s brow furrowed. “She knows about these little visits?”
“Of course,” Pallas said, stroking Peasblossom’s velvet nose.
“But how does he know when there’s a party?”
“I tell him,” Pallas said.
The front door banged. Laughter. Voices. The thud of music gear. The mayhem was about to begin. Pallas steeled herself. It wouldn’t be so bad now that Peas was here.
She feigned a big yawn, put a few pieces of sushi into her Hello Kitty bento box, and looked down at Peasblossom, her best and oldest friend. “Come upstairs, hungry thing. Maybe I’ll give you one bite of my yellowtail.” To Xochi, she said, “Reading’s going to be pointless when the music starts. Why don’t you go freshen up your lipstick? You should experience the full catastrophe at least once. In the morning, I’ll say I told you so.”
Xochi’s eyes narrowed. “Are you sure?”
Now it was Pallas’s turn to roll her eyes. Of course she was sure. Wasn’t she? She’d always loved the feeling of being alone in her attic bedroom during a party. She’d imagine her bed was a ship in a storm or Dorothy’s house spinning through the tornado toward Oz. That kind of imagining was harder these days; she wasn’t sure why.
“Totally sure! I’ll probably just go to sleep.” She yawned again, this time for real. She was tired. And honestly a little peopled out, as her mother would say.
From somewhere in the front of the house, a speaker made a catfight screech, putting Peasblossom’s fur visibly on end.
“You can sleep through this?”
Pallas shrugged. “I have earplugs. I’ve been at this since I was a baby, you know. Every Solstice and Equinox and Samhain and Beltane—a concert, a big afterparty. I have it down to a science.”
“Maybe I’ll just go check it out for a minute . . .” Xochi was already pulling the red lipstick Kiki gave her from the pocket of her leather jacket. She looked so beautiful with her warm brown skin and minky waves. The kind of girl flapper dresses and fishnets and combat boots and leather jackets were made for.
“Come on, Peas,” Pallas said, heading for the attic staircase. She bit her lip against an absurd welling of tears. There was no reason to be upset. Nothing was different about this Equinox from any other—nothing except Xochi. And now that Xochi was going to the party and Pallas was alone, nothing was different at all.
