An Expanse of Blue

Fans of The Poet X will fall for this powerful, romantic debut novel-in-verse about a Native Hawaiian girl's fight to find belonging in a fracturing family, sharing a message of love with resounding emotional truth.

Aouli Elizabeth Smith is adrift: unheard at home and an unbeliever at church, fighting her sister and losing her best friend. Overflowing with feeling, she pours her secrets and herself into her song journal when the world threatens to sweep her away. The one place she feels tied down to earth is at her Aunty Ehu’s house. Those joyous Saturdays with her extended Native Hawaiian community living in Western Washington are precious to her. Under the maple trees, the fragments of her life fit together, if only for an afternoon.

Then, an unspeakable truth about her father shatters this one perfect corner of her life.

As Aouli’s world constricts around what others wish she could be, language fails her. But when a new boy, Nalu, turns up with eyes that seem to pierce right into her soul, maybe it’s love that can give her the words to set herself free.

"Via distinctive and emotionally resonant verse, Adams crafts an evocative story about identity, devotion, and belonging. Measured and profound language—arranged in short lines, cascading stanzas, and block formations that reflect emotional shifts—conveys Aouli’s internal growth and cultural awakening with aching assuredness. " - Publisher's Weekly (starred review)

"An emotionally raw, nuanced work from a new voice to watch. Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) debut novelist Adams makes strong use of the verse format, effectively utilizing layout to emphasize meaning in this culturally rich coming-of-age story. Aouli’s desperate yearning to be seen and valued for herself will resonate widely." - Kirkus Reviews