To the End of the World is the first book in José Ignacio Valenzuela's internationally bestselling Malamor Trilogy, which has sold in more
than 21 countries. Valenzuela, also known as Chascas, says the book tackles "the eternal fight between science and nature" and "the loss of innocence," themes anyone can relate to. A YA fantasy, the story follows a young woman named Angela; she receives a mysterious text from her estranged best friend, which sends her on a journey to a cursed town in the Chilean Patagonia.The trilogy has become a cult hit throughout the Spanish-speaking world, Deletrea founder Casandra Badillo says, sparking book clubs, fan videos, and character costume events. Valenzuela even began to take an extra suitcase to international shows for all the fan art readers gave him, Badillo says.
Deletrea has long had its eye on the series, which was originally published in Mexico in 2011. Badillo says that when she learned the rights to book one were available, she "jumped at the chance to bring the work of this prolific author to English-language readers in the U.S."
Badillo compares To the End of the World to books such as City of Bones, The Golden Compass, and Twilight and says that the title has also been optioned for film. The plan is to make a movie based on each of the three books; excitement around the series is building. Badillo says that once readers "fall in love with book one," they will be hooked on the series.
This is Valenzuela's first book to appear in English. Because To the End of the World deals primarily with the subject of love—the town Angela is traveling to is supposedly under a curse that forces its inhabitants to live without love—Valenzuela says American readers will connect deeply with the story. "It has a very universal soul," he says.
