MAGONIA: Book Review
- Amira
- Aug 23, 2016
- 4 min read
MAGONIA by Maria Dahvana Headley
Rating: 4 / 5 Stars
Strengths: Writing (diction and description), Narrator voice, World building
Aza Ray is drowning in thin air. Since she was a baby, Aza has suffered from a mysterious lung disease that makes it ever harder for her to breathe, to speak—to live. So when Aza catches a glimpse of a ship in the sky, her family chalks it up to a cruel side effect of her medication. But Aza doesn't think this is a hallucination. She can hear someone on the ship calling her name. Only her best friend, Jason, listens. Jason, who’s always been there. Jason, for whom she might have more-than-friendly feelings. But before Aza can consider that thrilling idea, something goes terribly wrong. Aza is lost to our world—and found, by another. Magonia. Above the clouds, in a land of trading ships, Aza is not the weak and dying thing she was. In Magonia, she can breathe for the first time. Better, she has immense power—and as she navigates her new life, she discovers that war is coming. Magonia and Earth are on the cusp of a reckoning. And in Aza’s hands lies the fate of the whole of humanity—including the boy who loves her. Where do her loyalties lie?
I picked this up because of an Epic Reads quiz I took some time ago. I remember being entranced by the cover (and the blurb of course). I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did.
But.
Oh.
Did.
I.
I was hooked from the beginning. The narrator and the writing were so enthralling that I was captivated after just reading a couple of pages.
It was so easy to read. The beginning wasn't too overwhelming. Aza was a lovable character, with her attitude, sarcasm and quirky qualities.
I applaud Maria's ability in tying the real world to the fantastical. The first third of the book seems mostly mundane, just our everyday, Earthly life struggles. Then the second third of the book happens and it becomes a whirlwind of F
A
N
T
A
S
Y . And then the last third of the book fuses both together, landing back to the mundane- but not completely.
Magonia also highlighted certain aspects about reality, such as environmental issues, the contemplation of death, and dealing with disease.
The one major issue I had with the book was the romance/ love traingle. It wasn't the presence of the love triangle that irked me, but the way it was incorporated into the story. I feel like the majesty of the fantasy world that Maria created was inhibited by the romance.
Breakdown
WRITING: My favorite part of the book was the writing. It is spectacular, not in a lyrical sense, but more in terms of structure and form. The use of capitalizations, [strategic] run-ons, punctuation, and utilizing space both evokes the enjoyable voice of the narrator and supports the unique content of the book. Although it was mostly colloquial (capturing Aza and Jason's stream of consciousness), there was still an essence of grandeur that was preserved in the writing. The stream of consciousness style may seem to be dragging and excessive, but I was actually quite amused by it. It kind of reminded me of the narration in How I Met Your Mother.
Had the writing been normal, without the elements that make it unique, then I would definitely not have enjoyed this book as thoroughly as I did. This definitely does not negate the fact that the content was also incredibly interesting.
WORLD BUILDING: I had no idea what I was getting into when I started reading this. I did not expect the world that I was being sucked into. It is so incredibly unique, one that I have never encountered before. Because it was so unfamiliar, I got slightly overwhelmed and confused. I was hesitant in accepting the concept, unsure of how to absorb it. But as the story progressed, I got accustomed to it and even began enjoying it.
The fantasy world in Magonia is derived from mythology, a medieval French Folktale. Maria didn't just fling us into that world unexpectedly, she eased the concept in to the readers by using the characters. We absorbed the information about the world in increments, at the same time as Aza and Jason did.
CHARACTERS:
AZA: Sassy. Sarcastic. {occasional} Dry humor. She amused me. She is probably one of my favorite narrative voices so far. Her attitude to life and death and all things in between is interesting and entertaining. Although she is sick, she is not demonstrated as a weak, quiet and quaint girl. She is smart, with bountiful knowledge that would satisfy everyone's inner nerd. Sure, sometimes she was aggravating (for me at least) but it was never to an extent where it became distasteful.
JASON: Aza's best friend (and crush) and the cutest, quirkiest soul ever. I enjoyed his presence. His rambles. His encyclopedic self. I appreciate his importance in the plot, he added a certain kind of depth.
DAI: Majestic otherworldly creature that is Guy #2 around the "heroine". Moody and rude, of course. He intrigued me, though. As the story progressed and pieces of his vulnerable self shone through, I began to fall in love with him to the point I would sometimes get peeved at Jason's presence. I both liked and disliked Dai's connection with Aza. It didn't bide well with me.
All in all, it was an enjoyable read. Although I'm not in desperate need to have the sequel in my hand right now, I'm interested to see what else Maria has in store!
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