{"product_id":"thousand-steps-into-night-traci-chee-9780358469988","title":"A Thousand Steps into Night by Traci Chee","description":"\u003cdiv style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.6; color: #111111;\" class=\"product-description-container\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"color: #8b0000;\"\u003eA Thousand Steps into Night\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: #333333;\"\u003eby Traci Chee\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-style: italic; color: #555555;\"\u003e\"A rigorous examination of irreversible transformation, the acquisition of lethal agency, and the systemic friction between social conformity and demonic power.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr style=\"border: 0; border-top: 2px solid #8b0000; margin: 20px 0;\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"background-color: #fcf4f4; border-left: 5px solid #8b0000; padding: 10px; margin-bottom: 20px;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0; font-weight: bold; color: #5a0000;\"\u003e👹 SYSTEMIC TRANSFORMATION \u0026amp; LETHAL AGENCY\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0; font-size: 0.9em;\"\u003eAn analytical narrative centering on the metabolic and psychological shift of a non-combatant into a high-lethality entity within a co-existing human-demon ecosystem.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eExtended Synopsis\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA Thousand Steps into Night\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, National Book Award longlisted author \u003cstrong\u003eTraci Chee\u003c\/strong\u003e constructs a vibrant, high-stakes realm known as Awara. The narrative follows Miuko, an ordinary innkeeper’s daughter whose life is defined by a safe, if uneventful, adherence to societal expectations. This equilibrium is shattered when Miuko is struck by a curse that initiates a metabolic and ontological transformation into a demon with a \"deadly touch.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe text rigorously documents Miuko’s quest to reverse this systemic change and return to her previous \"normal\" state. Accompanied by Gege, a thieving magpie spirit, Miuko must navigate a landscape populated by feral gods, tricksters, and aggressive demon hunters. However, as the curse progresses, it grants Miuko a degree of freedom and power previously inaccessible within her rigid social hierarchy. The narrative ultimately forces a confrontation with the \"sunk cost\" of normalcy, as Miuko evaluates whether her former life can ever truly accommodate her newly acquired agency.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; padding: 15px; border-radius: 5px; margin-top: 20px; border: 1px solid #ddd;\"\u003e\n\u003ch4 style=\"margin-top: 0; color: #8b0000;\"\u003eAuthor Profile\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTraci Chee\u003c\/strong\u003e is a \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling author and National Book Award finalist, acclaimed for her intricate world-building and profound explorations of identity and justice. Drawing inspiration from Japanese mythology and the aesthetic of Studio Ghibli, Chee provides a sophisticated framework for analyzing how external trauma can catalyze internal evolution and a total restructuring of personal philosophy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eReader Targeting \u0026amp; Academic Utility\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMythology \u0026amp; Folklore Scholars:\u003c\/strong\u003e A primary text for analyzing the modernization of Japanese yōkai and kami within a YA framework.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSociological Analysis:\u003c\/strong\u003e Offers a rich context for discussing the constraints of gendered roles and the liberation found through \"monstrosity.\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAdvanced Fantasy Readers:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ideal for those who value lush, atmospheric prose paired with rigorous, high-stakes decision-making.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eCore Analytical Themes\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe metabolic and psychological cost of irreversible transformation.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFriction between institutional safety and the lethal agency of the \"demonized\" individual.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNavigating high-risk environments through tactical alliances with unreliable spirits.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eAccolades \u0026amp; Awards\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNational Book Award Longlist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Recognized for its exceptional literary merit and cultural contribution.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNational Bestseller:\u003c\/strong\u003e A commercially significant work by an award-winning author.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"A masterclass in transformation and reclaiming agency.\" — \u003cem\u003eBust Down Books Editorial Review\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eProduct Specifications\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin-bottom: 20px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px; border-bottom: 1px solid #dddddd;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px; border-bottom: 1px solid #dddddd;\"\u003e9780358469988\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px; border-bottom: 1px solid #dddddd;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px; border-bottom: 1px solid #dddddd;\"\u003e0358469988\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px; border-bottom: 1px solid #dddddd;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px; border-bottom: 1px solid #dddddd;\"\u003eHarperCollins\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px; border-bottom: 1px solid #dddddd;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBinding:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px; border-bottom: 1px solid #dddddd;\"\u003eHardcover\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px; border-bottom: 1px solid #dddddd;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px; border-bottom: 1px solid #dddddd;\"\u003e2022\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px; 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