Yumi and the Nightmare Painter

Yumi lives in a ritual-bound, spirit-filled world where her life is defined by duty, while Painter works in a dark, nightmare-haunted city where art is used to hold monsters at bay. Their worlds are strikingly different, but a strange supernatural connection suddenly ties their lives together.

As they begin waking in each other’s circumstances, they must navigate unfamiliar customs, learn each other’s work, and make sense of the mystery behind their bond. The story follows their growing understanding of one another while the larger danger facing both of their communities comes into focus.

With Hoid narrating, the novel moves between the two protagonists’ perspectives as they uncover what is happening and why. Along the way, the story emphasizes art, stories, identity, and the way two very different people can become essential to each other.