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hallamahamster's review against another edition
3.0
Eh. The premise was interesting, I did like most of the characters--and there are a lot introduced in the first handful of chapters--but the story didn't grab me. Wonderful writing, though.
akikorye's review against another edition
5.0
Not really a lengthy review, but this was yet another exciting read by Nnedi Okorafor. I'll definitely be reading everything she writes. I love it!
bugnate4's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
candyms's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
caitibeth's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting concept, and certainly an ambitious scope. I love sci-fi and aliens, and I was excited to read a first-contact story set in Lagos.
However, the execution didn't quite work for me. There are an immense number of chaotic plot threads all swirling about, and many of them never go anywhere or coalesce. Meanwhile the characters are flat and not given much exploration or emotional depth, and the constant switching between approximately 523 points of view left me faintly seasick. I also see from other reviews that while Okorafor is Nigerian-American, she isn't from Lagos, and neither her setting nor her use of dialect is executed well, which is disappointing.
Great concept, mixed execution.
However, the execution didn't quite work for me. There are an immense number of chaotic plot threads all swirling about, and many of them never go anywhere or coalesce. Meanwhile the characters are flat and not given much exploration or emotional depth, and the constant switching between approximately 523 points of view left me faintly seasick. I also see from other reviews that while Okorafor is Nigerian-American, she isn't from Lagos, and neither her setting nor her use of dialect is executed well, which is disappointing.
Great concept, mixed execution.
marmoo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.75
A fast-paced adventure that builds to a cinematic, action-packed conclusion, this novel is an engaging mix of sci-fi and folklore. With a wide cast of point-of-view heroes and villains, Okorafor does an excellent job of attaching human stakes to the larger than life plot. I couldn’t put it down!
thrillsprills's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.5
whooperswan's review against another edition
5.0
My first foray into Afrofuturist fiction (if you ignore watching Black Panther). It was sublime!
sarahetc's review against another edition
4.0
Just up front: I selected this book because I liked the cover-- that bubble looks pregnant and ominous. Then I read the first chapter and got very hell yeah because who does not want to read a story about a vengeful swordfish using alien technology to become a giant avenging monster?! But that's not really what the story is about. It's just one of the few chapters Okorafor sprinkles through the story that give it body and heft and make what might be a standard sort of sci-fi adventure so much richer.
Lagoon is the story of aliens, who make contact in the city of Lagos, Nigeria. It's a city built on islands in the sea, hence imbued with extra energy, something different and special. The ocean calls out to Adaora, Anthony, and Agu who all walk toward, and accept even with reservation, that they will be the vanguard of a new human fate. Snatched by a fist of the ocean, complete with sonic boom, they return to the surface with the ambassador of the aliens, named by Adaora, "Ayodele." She is a shapeshifter and that's just the start.
The story is well-paced and, though full of what you might think of as "alien invasion" tropes, not exactly predictable. Okorafor's three main characters work together and split up several times, roping in and casting off secondary and tertiary characters whose plots enhance the main story, for the most part, although sometimes gum up the pace. She writes in English and a couple different English pidgins, which is exciting and goes a long way to helping the reader to keep track of the different threads and narrators.
There was an abrupt shift about three-quarters of the way through the book where Okorafor changed from direct character narration to a meta narration by the spirit Udide, the spider/weaver to tells all tales. After this point, the main narrative was interspersed with one-off short stories that pulled in the West African folktale pantheon, including Anansi, Legba, MamiWata, and others. It was jarring, but only because each seemed worth more than a few pages. I can only hope Okorafor develops this further in other novels. Or maybe she already has-- this was my first encounter with her.
So a spoiler-free recommendation for a non-traditional sci-fi adventure, with overtones of fiction-of-science, magical realism, and large-scale mythologizing.
Lagoon is the story of aliens, who make contact in the city of Lagos, Nigeria. It's a city built on islands in the sea, hence imbued with extra energy, something different and special. The ocean calls out to Adaora, Anthony, and Agu who all walk toward, and accept even with reservation, that they will be the vanguard of a new human fate. Snatched by a fist of the ocean, complete with sonic boom, they return to the surface with the ambassador of the aliens, named by Adaora, "Ayodele." She is a shapeshifter and that's just the start.
The story is well-paced and, though full of what you might think of as "alien invasion" tropes, not exactly predictable. Okorafor's three main characters work together and split up several times, roping in and casting off secondary and tertiary characters whose plots enhance the main story, for the most part, although sometimes gum up the pace. She writes in English and a couple different English pidgins, which is exciting and goes a long way to helping the reader to keep track of the different threads and narrators.
There was an abrupt shift about three-quarters of the way through the book where Okorafor changed from direct character narration to a meta narration by the spirit Udide, the spider/weaver to tells all tales. After this point, the main narrative was interspersed with one-off short stories that pulled in the West African folktale pantheon, including Anansi, Legba, MamiWata, and others. It was jarring, but only because each seemed worth more than a few pages. I can only hope Okorafor develops this further in other novels. Or maybe she already has-- this was my first encounter with her.
So a spoiler-free recommendation for a non-traditional sci-fi adventure, with overtones of fiction-of-science, magical realism, and large-scale mythologizing.
mindthegap92's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75