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Jul 07, 2016livieb17 rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
This was a really interesting and unique book. Aza is a mostly likeable character but sometimes she does things that I don't like. I think I liked the first 100 pages of the book best. At about 100 pages, there is a plot twist of a sort which changes everything and makes it all so much more confusing. I can't say much without spoiling things but this book is magical realism and Aza is magically transported to a land called Magonia and it is based on histories legends/stories of ships in the sky. The book didn't describe things properly and it used a ton of terms that weren't explained soon enough. For example: the people in the book are constantly saying 'by the breath' but you don't know what the breath is until past 200 pages. I really liked it but it should have been described more. If you have read the book, you know about the whole singing business. I think it was a cool thing but I also hated it a bit. It was kind of like "You're a wizard Aza. In this world we sing with birds to make magic happen instead of wands." LOL! And then there is the thing with Caru and Milekt (they are birds). Milekt is the equivalent to Aza's wand because she can't do magic without him. They talk about how birds choose you and people and birds become partners. You can't not see the Harry Potter in this. These things could have been good things but they were so similar to Harry Potter that it made me laugh. LOLOL Another thing that needed more explaining is Zal and Caru. They are supposed to be singing partners but aren't anymore and I don't think the author told why in a good way. Also, it felt like Aza developed a whole new personality that was never explained. Aza does not have the kind of personality that I can imagine her singing. Some of the people that Aza meets throughout this book are portrayed in a certain way because you are supposed to like them, but you can kinda tell that they are going to end up being bad in the end. So umm... that was kind of stupid. <<ONLY KEEP READING IF YOU WANT SPOILERS>> Other people in the book have no emotion. Dai: Aza would reach for his hand, feelings would cross between them but there was no real emotion. The book described Aza feeling connected, which I think you were supposed to interpret as love but nah. Zal: you could kinda tell from the beginning that she was the evil mother. "No one is more loved than you Aza." Honestly, she said that so many times that it naturally made me suspicious. The stupid lady needs to shut up. Jik: this isn't really emotionless, but still didn't make sense. Jik told Aza tons of secret insider information even though they aren't even friends. I don't get it and I don't like it. Now lets talk about the love triangle. I really liked Jason in the beginning and I was really sad for him when Aza died, but then Dai came along. I fell a bit in like with him, but as I stated before, there was absolutely no emotion between him and Aza. And he betrayed her in the end-ugggh. But I did think it was cute how they had to sing together. I'll finish with the ending. Umm... I hated it. I know there will be a second book, however that does not excuse the ending. I wanted Aza to end up with Dai and he betrayed her. And one more thing that should have been explained better is how when Dai and Aza were singing at the end, Aza tried to stop singing, but she couldn't because Dai was singing through her. Like... what the heck. That cannot happen. If the author wanted it to happen then she should have EXPLAINED IT!!!!!! And since I wanted Aza to end up with Dai, I didn't like how she went home with Jason. Also, I hated how she went to see her parents and they were just like 'yeah come on in. lets have tea or something' So i realize that this has been a really negative review, but I did really like this book. I loved the world that Maria Dahvana Headley created though and that is what has redeemed this book for me.