Reviews

The Dragonfly Sea by Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor

seeyouinorbit's review

adventurous emotional funny informative reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

• This is a 500 page story of epic proportions about a young girl navigating borders, alienation, and womanhood. In the book Ayaana travels to China where she becomes the revered “Descendant” there to bridge past and future East Africa - Asia relations. When she goes to Turkey she’s promised luxury and wealth. She returns to Pate Island disillusioned, but with new knowledge and eyes that see the future differently. She realizes she can’t play whatever role others want from her anymore, she simply wants to be herself and to sail the waters of her homeland. 
• Ayaana is the sea and her island personified. Much like her home, she’s left in the margins of Kenya living as a pariah with her single mother. Until one day foreigners find something unique in her. Not her talent but her genes. Her genealogy grants her status and a chance to study in China. It’s full of promise to tie two nations together in the name of history. But there was always something more. To cement this relationship so the Chinese can have a foot hold to start projects like drilling for oil and controlling the port along the coast. In Turkey it’s the same thing, no genuine relationships built on the basis of mutual respect. She’s exoticized and her autonomy stripped away. People dictate to her how to dress and when to smile. Her relationship turns abusive because of the power imbalance between her and his far wealthier family. A metaphor I think about how there is no developing a brotherhood or fair trading when the GDP of these two countries is very different. However, in all this, the sea keeps Ayaana constant and her memories of her mother and chosen father keep her going. I’m glad she got a happy ending with the man that loves and understands her. 
• This book used very descriptive language and metaphors. At times it was to its advantage and it created strong visual imagery in my head, but most times I kept pushing myself to keep reading walls of text. However, the dialogue was entertaining and I was gasping and laughing at these well written characters with complex backstories.
• Since this was based on real life events/ locations, but not directly on actual people. I believe this was well researched and a lot of care was put into telling a story about Pate Island and the other countries. With all their nuisances and not in a way that others them. I think the author did a good job bringing Pate to the forefront again. 
• As a Kenyan I’ve mostly heard of Lamu Island, but almost never hear of Pate Island. But now I have and it’s on my radar. I’ll definitely visit it one day.

paulette1133's review

emotional inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

erboe501's review

2.0

At points I found this book decently absorbing and compelling, but at other points I couldn't help skimming and wishing the page count wasn't quite so long. I enjoyed reading about the island of Pate in Kenya and of Ayaana's love for her home. The descriptions of Munira's garden and women's bodies and work was beautiful too. But overall the book was so poetic and often oblique in its language that I found it tough to concentrate.

aftereliza's review against another edition

Started reading for book club, didn't manage any more, went to meeting and didn't want to read further

madi_mcb's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

cpavi100's review

adventurous dark emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

dsak's review

5.0

If you are looking to be transported into an epic story, read The Dragonfly Sea. I picked up this book as part of a challenge to read a book by an author from every country, so this was my first Kenyan novel (and I am looking forward to reading more from Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor). The sensory experience of this book was excellent, with the descriptions of places and smells and people. It also deals very deeply with the complexity of family, love, and grief. And, although it was not a focal point, I truly appreciated the glimpses of the western world (specifically the War on Terror) from a Kenyan perspective. Overall a very poetic, and also raw, narrative. I added this to my "read again later" list!

esessa's review

5.0

Stunning. One of the things I loved most about [b:Dust|17883925|Dust|Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1367929565s/17883925.jpg|25047009] was how [a:Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor|7076927|Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1408409634p2/7076927.jpg] captured the essence of the aridity of the central Kenyan drylands in her prose. In The Dragonfly Sea, she does the same for the sea. The writing is mesmerizing, as are the characters and her weaving together of their stories. The regular back-and-forth motions of flashbacks that each lead forward through time to connect to the present give the book a cadence like the movements of waves. I did find some elements of the plot a little contrived (e.g., the relationship with Koray and its outcome), but that's forgivable. As a whole, this exploration of one woman's life plumbed beautifully and deeply many different facets of how humans struggle with longing, belonging, grief, place, and meaning. I also appreciated learning, through the perspectives of the Pate Island characters, how worldwide movements centered around terrorism and globalization are likely affecting the day-to-day lives of East Africans, whether it is the US "war on terror" leading to innocent people being kidnapped and tortured under fabricated accusations of terrorism to satisfy foreign governments' desires for action, or the increasing, creeping grasp of China for African lands, waters, and resources. Owuor has an incredible gift for weaving these stories with language that makes even the melancholy aspects profound and beautiful.

darillium_'s review against another edition

reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

rissaleighs's review

3.0

The Dragonfly Sea is a coming of age story richly steeped in setting. We follow the heroine, Ayaana, across a decade or so and three continents. When I began the book, I had no concept of coastal east Africa, but now I feel as though I could find my way around Pate Island like an old resident. This book is wonderfully vivid.

So why only three stars? I guess I just struggled to connect to the characters. In some ways Ayaana grew more opaque as the story wore on. The characters seemed to speak on riddles and react in hyperbole. As a reader, I also wanted more closure around certain characters. I loved the beginning of this story, but starting with the voyage to China, I kind of struggled to keep in step.

It's a beautiful book, though. I just didn't love it.

I received a free digital ARC of this book through the Penguins First Reads program in exchange for an honest review. :)