What if the heroine from The Fault in Our Stars discovered that she was really from another world and that she could breathe and sing and be incredibly extra powerful in that world? Beautifully written, based on intriguing medieval Celtic accounts of UFOs and alien visitors who "drowned" in the air. Unique and beautiful premise.

Lost interest - WSOD overload

Awesome concepts, predictable plot line. I wanted to like it but...

Magonia begins well with a lot of intriguing premises (a feather in a lung?!) but when the action began, my attention began to waver. A very cool world that has been created but I wanted a bit more...

Excellent idea, not-so-great execution. Leaves a bit to be desired in the explanations of why and how, BUT if you suspend your disbelief, the characters are heartfelt and relatable, and the magic of other-worlds is just too much right up my alley to dismiss. Looking forward to the next book.

4.5 stars maybe? I avoided this book (despite it's gorgeous cover) for a few months, though I kept stumbling across it, but I'm glad I finally gave in. For a YA book, it also had some beautiful prose in it, and it also had one of the few believably-teenage-but-not-maximum-annoying teenager characters I've read. The story, while a little silly to explain to anyone, is lovely in it's originality and "YEAH THERE ARE OWL PEOPLE AND ITS WEIRD BUT JUST GO WITH IT OKAY" attitude, which I pretty much love. Fun, quick read... except the beginning. That was beautifully written but not so fun, as I was listening to it at work and literally crying at my desk because, MAN. But worth it, imo.

Loved this so much.

September TRL book

To be honest, I'm not even sure how to begin this review, except to preface that I honestly loved this book. It was recommended to me by a dear friend of mine who had adored it, so I took my time getting around to reading it because I knew I had to read it at the right time, and finally it came and I sunk myself in all the way.

What Magonia is, truly, is a fantastic fantasy piece. YA is so heavily littered with paranormal - which is not a dig at all - that it was a breath of fresh air (HAH) to run into something as creative and different as it is. Though the inspiration is loosely set with actual history, Magonia is definitely the creation of Maria Dahvana Headley and goodness, what a story teller sh is. Though first person is not my thing at all, she does it in a manner that I favor, and while the storytelling switches POV occasionally and lacks a distinct voice per character, it doesn't end up bothering me. The narration is sharp, a story told directly to you as a reader, rather than a bland narration, with a sharp and pointed voice. I love it!

Aza Rey herself is wonderful, a biting, capricious thing, having lived her whole life wondering if this will be the day she dies, living with an unknown disease that's made breathing difficult and limited her in life. She's surrounded by a family that cares deeply for her and a friend she is totally not (definitely) in love with, who care enormously for her, which really sets a tone for family importance to be paralleled after she finds herself in Magonia. Far from soft and far from perfect, Aza Rey struggles to adapt to this new world, this place she's always belonged, and thus gives readers a fun watch as she fully comes into her.

Magonia itself, this world inhabited by part-bird beings, is so fresh and intriguing. From the moment she arrives (is "rescued"), Aza Rey finds herself wrapped up in a scheme she doesn't know the details of, and with secrecy and intrigue rampant, it's hard to know who is to be trusted. How is one to know what they're fighting - or against, who to support, who to believe - when they aren't given all the pieces of the puzzle?

She's so frankly human that her choices come as no surprise, whether or not one agrees with her, and the battle with her duality, with her yearning and longing for a home and family she can't return to, is a strife that gives her so much life and richness.

Occasionally the story flips to Jason's narration, who is every bit as sharp and bitter as she, and while ordinarily the similar voices would drive me nuts, I think it's incredibly suited to them, as wrapped up in each others' lives and existences as they are, that they've morphed into people so incredibly similar to each other. While one can argue Jason's ardent love for Aza Rey borders on the flipside of intensely in love girl protagonists, I found that I wasn't terribly bothered by it, and it gave his sense of purpose solid grounds.

All in all, it's a creative and unique read. The prose is the true selling point - somewhere between lyric and pointedly plain, sharp and sort of stream of conscience, compelling and urging and pressing and confused. Emotion is palpable at times and the story telling itself is done in such a way to leave one as limited as Aza Rey but just as wrapped up. tbh I really can't wait to get my hands on the sequel later this year, because I'd love to see more of the political forces of Magonia, which understandably were not laid out concisely.

Great book! Loved these characters, the fascinating world the author built..... the whole thing read very quickly and felt way too short. Looking forward to book #2!