A Thousand Steps into Night

Longlisted for the National Book Award

From bestselling and award-winning author Traci Chee comes a fantasy perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli. When a girl who’s never longed for adventure is hit with a curse that begins to transform her into a demon, she embarks on a quest to reverse the curse and return to her normal life, but along the way is forced to confront her true power within. 

In the realm of Awara, where gods, monsters, and humans exist side by side, Miuko is an ordinary girl resigned to a safe, if uneventful, existence as an innkeeper’s daughter.

But when Miuko is cursed and begins to transform into a demon with a deadly touch, she embarks on a quest to reverse the curse and return to her normal life. Aided by a thieving magpie spirit and continuously thwarted by a demon prince, Miuko must outfox tricksters, escape demon hunters, and negotiate with feral gods if she wants to make it home again.

With her transformation comes power and freedom she never even dreamed of, and she’ll have to decide if saving her soul is worth trying to cram herself back into an ordinary life that no longer fits her… and perhaps never did.

She never wanted an adventure. Now she has to survive one.

• Gods and Monsters: A realm inspired by Japanese folklore, where Miuko must outfox trickster spirits, bargain with feral gods, and escape demon hunters on her quest.
• A Cursed Heroine: Once an ordinary innkeeper's daughter, Miuko is transforming into a demon with a deadly touch. To save her soul, she must risk everything she’s ever known.
• Unlikely Allies: Aided by a thieving magpie spirit and constantly thwarted by a mysterious demon prince, Miuko discovers that friends—and enemies—can be found in the strangest of places.
• Found Power: With her curse comes a power and freedom she never imagined. But will she choose to reclaim her old life, or embrace the monster she’s becoming?