Aerie (Magonia, 2)

"I’ve missed two class periods by sitting in my car gnawing on the universe."I know how that feels. You could say that I missed anything and everything while gnawing on this bland book and I am far from sated.Aerie is not only bland but disappointing to say the least. I read Magonia only days before Aerie so it was fresh in my head and entirely too anticipated. I REALLY liked Magonia! I know that isn't a common opinion but I really did. This book is a watered down version of Magonia wherein: 1) the main characters are less rich in complexity 2) the banter and interplay between characters are not as authentic or tangible and 3) the whole fantastical imagery not only falls short of WOW but hovers squarely at SOOOOO, I CARE WHY?!? for the entirety of the book. There were new extraordinary creatures introduced, barely utilized and then essentially forgotten. Things simply worked out for the best where need be without effort. A few examples are like when Aza escapes a prison ship with no idea which way to go and no real means to get there & randomly picks a direction only to fall directly into the very (invisible) ship she had been seeking to begin with. OR how the humans can find a way to hook up with the Resistance when they need to, no problem, almost like hailing a cab. OR how they can withstand the lack of oxygen up high by ingesting a miracle pill Eli just happens to carry around with her in bulk...etc...etc...etc"You don’t know how much you can lie until you find yourself in the middle of it, lying again to cover the lie you already gave out as truth. You don’t know how much you can mess your own life up until you’re looking out from the inside, and thinking you’re not the person you set out to be."No lies here with this review and I definitely didn't get the journey/experience I set out to get when I wasted the Time, Money and Hope I had with regards to this dud.

So it makes me kind of sad to be writing this review with four stars. Maria Dahvana Headley is an amazing author! Her humor and wit and her style is just perfect! There's never a dull moment with Aza and Jason, but the ending of it all failed to excite. It was good, don't get me wrong, and the level she took the sequel to was awesome! New characters, twists! And adventure. It was all there. It just felt to me like Maria was pushed or pushing to wrap this one up quickly. It just felt a bit rushed and forced when the ending came. I love her characters and the story and again, her writing style! But I was hoping to feel more complete, more awed, more something! I was left feeling satisfied, and a bit of that melancholy-but-it's-ok feeling you get at the end of a good story, but not the intense end of the story feeling that should have came with this one. Great story, great read and I highly recommend anyway!

So often when the second book in a series is announced, you wonder if the second book will live up to the expectations established by the first. For fans of Headley's Magonia, Aerie will not disappoint. With a fluid transition from Magonia, the characters of Aerie are rich and full, if not a bit more somber this time around, and the world of Magonia continues to be fully and brilliantly realized. With new creatures and action-packed fight scenes, Aerie is a fulfilling read, and leaves one hoping the world of Magonia will one day be brought to life on the big-screen.Parental Warning: PG-13/R rating for language; R rating for scenes that are not out-right sexually descriptive, but are sexually implicit

If you LOVED Magonia, you won't like this book. Seriously, the characters' voices and actions didn't even resemble who they were in Magonia. I was thoroughly disappointed.

Came in excellent shape

The first book, Magonia, was great. I really enjoy this author's writing style, and I think that the storyline is really interesting. However, the sequel was just really dull, in my opinion. I had to force myself to finish it once I got to about page 100. This might just be me, though.

Grear

Science, love and fantasy combine for a hell of a good read. I hope Aza Ray will return in a 3rd installment.

In what is clearly a book for young adults, Ms. Headley provides a story which is both beautifully morbid and epically fanatical. The first half of the book is incredibly human and personal, and the second half is very much fantasy for children/young adults, with fast-paced dialogue and flowing chapters which make it very easy to read, and easy to finish.There are a few negatives, such as the book being way too short and not enough subplot going on, but it's clear that this is due to the author's intention for it to be a series, with the next in the anthology already released not long after this one was, with Magonia also too short. Despite this, Aerie is the better of the two and is a book I wish I had read as a child, as I can only imagine how much it would have filled me with wonder.If you are 11-16 then this will be a great read for you, and may even be your favourite book. If you're older than this, it's easy to appreciate the audience and unique writing style Ms. Headley is going for, and you'll probably have great, if short-lived, fun.

So much of this book just feels true to me. The way, and pattern in which, the characters think makes sense to me. This book is more of the same from Magonia, so if you liked it then just go ahead and purchase this one too. This sequel continues to be about finding one's way and understanding your inner self.

The book was delivered before the expected and it was brand new.