The following version of this novel was used in the creation of this study guide: Pasternack, Sofiya. Black Bird, Blue Road. Versify. 2022. First Edition. Hardcover.

In Part One, 12-year-old Ziva is desperate to find a cure for her twin brother Pesah’s leprosy. However, she feels that her family is against her, even accusing her mother of being ashamed of Pesah since she refuses to see him. This resentment boils over during Ziva’s bar mitzvah when a potential suitor and the rabbi’s son insults Pesah’s appearance and Ziva punches him. In response, Baba announces that he is sending Pesah to a colony where they expect him to die, but safely away from the rest of the family. Furthermore, Pesah has a vision of meeting the Angel of Death one month later during Rosh Hashanah Ziva, however, refuses to accept this, and runs away with Pesah the same night with the goal of finding help in Constantinople.

In Part Two, Ziva and Pesah are attacked by a pair of thieves and a young boy named Almas. He convinces her to break a pot owned by the men and, when she does, it frees him just before soldiers arrive. Ziva sees the Angel of Death as she and Pesah run and assumes it is Almas. However, when he finds them later, he confirms he is half-sheyd and that he wants to take them to the city of Luz where Death cannot enter. At first, Ziva refuses to trust him since the sheyd are known only for deception and evil. However, after she defends a woman from a scam in a marketplace, Almas forces her to see that she trusts humans more than him, even though she has already met many evil humans. Eventually, Ziva realizes that her biases are born from childhood stories and apologizes. Almas accepts this and the three continue on.

In Part Three, Pesah’s condition gets worse as they continue into the steppe. They are found by the Asena tribe; members of the Celestial Khazars who can shapeshift into wolves. A woman named Chichäk asks the spirits to heal Pesah, and he is given three more days; just enough time to reach Luz. Meanwhile, Ziva meets a young boy who asks if she thinks the Angel of Death is evil. She admits that death can be good, but that Pesah deserves to live. Later on, once they are close to the city, Ziva sees that boy again and realizes he is actually the Angel of Death. He chases them, but they manage to escape into Luz.

However, in Part Four, they learn that the Milcham refuses to use his feathers to heal Pesah, as he will die the moment he leaves the city regardless. Still desperate to save Pesah’s life, Ziva decides to bargain directly with the Angel of Death and offers her life for her brother’s. However, the angel, who gives his name as Azriel, tells her that Death is natural. He does not kill people; only helps them move on at the end. He refuses her offer, but counters with something new: he will heal Ziva’s own leprosy if Pesah dies when he is supposed to. Ziva is against this, but Pesah resolves to save her and convinces Ziva that living in his deteriorated body is not living at all. He willingly takes Azriel’s hand while Ziva and Almas mourn before returning home to tell Ziva’s parent’s the truth.

In the final chapter, it is revealed that the storyteller, who has given very short introductions for each part, is actually Azriel. He explains that Ziva and Almas got married and both enjoyed long and happy lives with lots of children while pursuing their dreams. He meets them again by the side of a lake and promises to show them his favorite star while taking both of their hands.