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A review by thebookishmel
Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley
3.0
3.0-3.5
This book was slow for me from the start. It had the very cliche YA fantasy story line of a "normal" girl with a bigger purpose in a different world. Magonia is essentially a city above earth's skies and has their own politics and agendas with "drowner" interaction. The story didn't build as quickly for me as most fantasies do, as it took me quite literally half way through the book for something exciting to happen. There are pirates aboard the ships, Aza Ray has to figure out the whole "Magonian" lifestyle on her own and I had some issues with the way it was built.
Let me start with something good: After reading the question and answer segment at the back, seeing that the inspiration for Magonia is based on real folklore has me really excited and gives the book the little umph it needs because it takes folklore and makes it into a living story. I'm just upset I had to learn that after reading it.
First off, she takes in and understands everything way too quickly for my liking. When comparing to something like City of Bones, Clary fumbles and messes up a ton before she really understands it for herself. Aza Ray however, doesn't fumble at all, it just consumes her and is almost perfect, NOT because of her own ability, but because of the birds that they're connected with.
The story of her mother's actions and life before Aza returns is still in the grey for me, it wasn't well developed and she was just taken away ?? I didn't really understand it but it played a significant enough role to influence Aza at the end which, idk I'm still not sold.
Jason at one point says "I'm not making you [ie the reader] scroll through" which has me wondering, is he telling us a story? Or was this just a flub by the author? Jason also doesn't play the role I thought he was going to, which was nice in the sense that I didn't expect it. But the role he played was to literally be research, a love interest, and Aza's rock. I loved the latter, but I couldn't fully picture him running to wherever Aza was to "save" her.
The ending was something I didn't love but didn't have a problem with. I think it leads up to the second book really well, but I still have so many unanswered questions and holes in the plot that I'm really hoping the second book will provide.
This book was slow for me from the start. It had the very cliche YA fantasy story line of a "normal" girl with a bigger purpose in a different world. Magonia is essentially a city above earth's skies and has their own politics and agendas with "drowner" interaction. The story didn't build as quickly for me as most fantasies do, as it took me quite literally half way through the book for something exciting to happen. There are pirates aboard the ships, Aza Ray has to figure out the whole "Magonian" lifestyle on her own and I had some issues with the way it was built.
Let me start with something good: After reading the question and answer segment at the back, seeing that the inspiration for Magonia is based on real folklore has me really excited and gives the book the little umph it needs because it takes folklore and makes it into a living story. I'm just upset I had to learn that after reading it.
First off, she takes in and understands everything way too quickly for my liking. When comparing to something like City of Bones, Clary fumbles and messes up a ton before she really understands it for herself. Aza Ray however, doesn't fumble at all, it just consumes her and is almost perfect, NOT because of her own ability, but because of the birds that they're connected with.
The story of her mother's actions and life before Aza returns is still in the grey for me, it wasn't well developed and she was just taken away ?? I didn't really understand it but it played a significant enough role to influence Aza at the end which, idk I'm still not sold.
Jason at one point says "I'm not making you [ie the reader] scroll through" which has me wondering, is he telling us a story? Or was this just a flub by the author? Jason also doesn't play the role I thought he was going to, which was nice in the sense that I didn't expect it. But the role he played was to literally be research, a love interest, and Aza's rock. I loved the latter, but I couldn't fully picture him running to wherever Aza was to "save" her.
The ending was something I didn't love but didn't have a problem with. I think it leads up to the second book really well, but I still have so many unanswered questions and holes in the plot that I'm really hoping the second book will provide.