Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley

Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley

Release Date:  April 28, 2015

Publisher: Harpercollins

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 320

Summary:   Neil Gaiman’s Stardust meets John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars in this fantasy about a girl caught between two worlds... two races…and two destinies.

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?

My Thoughts: I’m still not sure what I thought of Magonia and I finished it a few days ago. I read a few other reviews before reading this one and people described it as beautiful and unique. And it was. The descriptions were very vivid, almost like you were experiencing it!

We are introduced to Aza who has always had a respiratory illness. She’s always had a bit of trouble breathing on earth. She’s had medical problems. Been to doctors. Taken medicines. We also meet her best friend Jason. Jason loves Aza and he has for a while. He tries to be there for her through her illness and just generally cares about her.

Aza has never really felt right on earth. Almost like something was missing or something was out there different for her.

When Aza gets sick and everyone thinks she passes away, she ends up on a ship. Magonia. She finds out about her real family. She finds out there was so much more to her life and she can finally breathe again.

This was such an imaginary tale. I don’t even really know what to say about it. I liked how she opened up and finally found her voice.  I even liked the parts with Jason’s Point Of View.

The whole story was very original. I hadn't quite read anything like it before. It was weird at some points too. The birds were weird. I had a little trouble following along there.

I’m glad I gave this debut a chance. I really liked Aza and how she learned to come into her own skin.

Overall: Days later, and I’m still a bit unsure what to say. I liked it, but I thought it was somewhat weird. Not weird in a bad way, just weird. I did think some of it was beautiful though. I’d probably give this one a 3.5 cupcake rating for me. I can see how some will truly love this one but I’m more of a contemp reader instead of fantasy so that's probably why I give it more of a 3.5.

Cover: Like it! Its cute! Like the feather and the colors.

What I’d Give It: