I got this softcover at Barnes and Noble today, attracted by the dream-like cover-art. The concept's intriguing too: a community lives on an endless Sand Sea, on a floating island/vehicle/thing that they refer to as the Mud Whale. Most of the inhabitants are Marked - that is, they can use magical abilities via emotional energy called thymia, though it also means they tend to die relatively young. The Unmarked can't use magic but have much longer lives, and are the ruling class, though in this small community everybody knows everyone else pretty well.

The story introduces several characters, including young Chakuro, whose urge to write things down has made him the archivist for the community. But when he goes along on a scouting mission to salvage from a floating object that drifts near them on the sand, he meets an emotionless young girl, and suddenly the insular world of the Mud Whale is in danger...

Some very nice world-building here, with plenty of hints as to the things that most of the Mud Whale's inhabitants are never told - though it looks like they're going to find out quite soon, if they survive. I like the artwork, and will be interested to see where the story goes from here.

[There's a TV Tropes page on the series, and on its anime adaptation.]

I left this book in the Little Free Library on this rainy day; hope someone enjoys it!

[See other recent releases in MA here.]

*** Released for the 2018 You're Such an Animal release challenge. ***

*** Released for the 2018 TV Series release challenge. ***