Lagoon

What if first contact between humans and aliens didn’t take place in a large, rich Western nation? What if it took place in Lagos, Nigeria?Our lead characters are Adaora, a marine biologist whose husband’s religious devotion is pushing him into abusive rage; Agu, a soldier on the run after he attacked comrades attempting to rape a woman; and Anthony, best known to the world as Anthony Dey Craze, a hip hop superstar from Ghana. These three strangers find themselves on Lagos’ Bar Beach one night and end up getting startled by a tremendous sonic boom and then pulled out to sea by a strange wave.And then a few minutes later, they get pushed back out of the ocean, accompanied by a woman who calls herself Ayodele. She looks perfectly normal — as long as you don’t look close enough to fall into the uncanny valley — but she’s not human. She’s not even biological. Ayodele is more like a collection of shapeshifting alien glass nanites, and her mission is to learn what she can about humanity, make friends, and decide what happens after that. So the four go to Adaora’s house, which she shares with Chris, her Christian fanatic husband, and her two children, so they can decide what to do.It’s not long before word gets out. And all hell breaks loose in Lagos. While one bunch of goons decides to kidnap Ayodele, Chris’ church members, including the manipulative Father Oke, decide to hold an intervention to either convert her or kill her. And Anthony has announced an impromptu concert at Adaora’s house so they can tell everyone in the city about Ayodele and her people. And once a trigger-happy soldier shoots the alien, the biggest riot in the city’s history erupts.Can the trio of humans escape the violence, convince Ayodele not to give up on or destroy humanity, retrieve Nigeria’s dying president, placate the monstrous human-eating highway that’s been roused to life by the chaos, discover the secrets that brought them together, and survive attacks by the ocean’s newly intelligent and upgraded sea life so they can meet with the aliens in person?Okorafor is the American-born daughter of Nigerian parents, and she’s spent much of her life in Lagos. So she knows the city and the people there very well. She knows their strengths and their weaknesses, their nobility and less-than-nobility. She knows what makes the city succeed and what makes it fail. She brings all of this to this novel, giving us a strong but broad overview of life in Nigeria’s largest city.And what we see is something very much unlike what we see in Western nations — except for all the ways it’s really, really similar. Yeah, it’s a different culture on a different continent. People think differently about life and death, gods and religion, money and jobs, law and crime, government, entertainment, poverty, and more. But it’s also been heavily influenced by the West. Nigeria isn’t Wakanda, an African paradise untouched by the decadent West — it’s a nation that’s grown up being told it should be more like the West, even while trying to hold on to the old traditions.There’s also a lot of Nigerian slang and pidgin, which can be a little difficult. You can generally figure out the gist of what’s being talked about through context. However, Okorafor does provide a glossary of Nigerian language and slang in the back of the book. So if you find yourself stumped, you can go check the glossary.In this novel, Adaora gets the most screen-time as a character, but often feels like one of the least developed characters. Agu is pretty interesting and well-developed, but I most wished we could spend more time with Anthony, who felt like someone with a very interesting story to tell but no time to tell it — we barely even get to hear him rap, unfortunately. Ayodele is a mystery from beginning to end — we never learn much about her or the aliens, and often what she says once is contradicted by something else a few pages later.But many of the best characters are less important ones. Chris and Father Oke are basically strawmen, but they do offer a look into the over-the-top evangelical mindset that seems to rule much of Christianity in Africa. Fisayo is a minor character with a fascinating backstory — office worker by day, prostitute by night, and with the coming of the aliens, a newborn proselytizer about the end of the world.Once the riots really get cooking, several chapters are devoted to individual Lagosians who witness the chaos and interact in some way with something strange or frightening, and these interludes are some of the best short character studies in the book.And some of the most fun — and often most tragic — characters aren’t human or alien — namely, a furious and dangerously upgraded swordfish, a handicapped but admirably optimistic tarantula, and the most enlightened bat in the world.And a few deities show up for the festivities, too, specifically Papa Legba, a god of languages and crossroads in a few different cultures, appears in more than one disguise, including a 419 scammer, and Udide Okwanka, an Igbo spider spirit who serves as a trickster, a master storyteller, and the bedrock of Lagos itself. Plus there’s the Bone Collector, a highway given monstrous life and an endless appetite for tasty humans.And the biggest non-human characters in the book are the city of Lagos itself and the ocean — it’s the first place the aliens visit, the place where they offer the creatures there all the enhancements they can dream of, the place our heroes must travel through to speak with the aliens.So is it worth reading? Heck, yeah. It’s a rapid-fire thrill ride through science fiction, fantasy, and a real city you’ve never heard of but probably won’t forget. There’s lots of action and excitement, short chapters so it’s easy to burn through, and a host of cool and weird characters, all wrapped around a crash course in a culture you’ve probably never experienced. Go check it out!

The aliens arrive and this city/country will never be the same. The author does a wonderful job sharing the experience from the perspective of people, fishes and various assorted other interested parties; including the giant spider who lives under the city who knows all.The city and culture are brought to life through the writing skills of the author. Short chapters shift one’s perspective quickly and easily and weave a tapestry of the most amazing story. An accountant and a marine biologist are the catalyst for a family at war between Christians and witches who are a part of the bigger story. Most amazing and never boring.

Science fiction is often used to explore real world issues, anxieties, and hopes. Lagoon is no exception. Through the use of an alien invasion, the author brings into sharp relief Nigeria’s chaos, brutality, and desperation, but also the resilience, perseverance, and ingenuity of Nigerians. The current crisis in the country spawned by the extremist sect Boko Haram gives the book a timeliness its author and publisher may not have anticipated. Many northern Nigerians probably feel as if they are experiencing an alien invasion in real life, as Boko Haram is as threatening as any extraterrestrial.Brilliantly imaginative, the book nonetheless is firmly rooted in the realities faced by ordinary people in Nigeria. These are revealed throughout the work as the three main characters cope with visitors from another world. Daily life is difficult and stressful. Agu, the soldier, comments after witnessing an eruption of street violence, “The alien invasion was just an excuse to let it all out.” Generalized anger finds expression, one way or another. Of all the portraits sketched in the book, that of Father Oke is perhaps the most compelling. It reveals the dubious character of some, (not all), of Nigeria’s large population of clergy, who at times take advantage of the very people they are supposed to help.Corruption tops the list of ills Okorafor targets. The President, she writes, “found himself powerless to fight against Nigeria’s soul-crushing corruption. Whenever he tried to make changes, people around him were always trying to drain some sort of shady profit from his efforts.” Fake contracts bled money from programs intended to aid the disadvantaged.Near the end of the book Father Oke states his belief that the Fin Bank in Lagos is evil. The bank, “one of Lagos’s most artistic structures, a giant trapezoid with arched wings made entirely out of square panes of glass,” is known as the Glass House. The reference calls to mind the passage in Katherine Boo’s book, Behind the Beautiful Forevers, about life in a Mumbai slum. In her book, a slum resident, who talks to luxury hotels, imagines that the Hyatt is trying to kill him, then changes his mind and asks the hotel’s nonreflective blue-glass front to take care of him. Perhaps there is a sense in which modern architecture in countries such as Nigeria and India is viewed by local residents as an alien invasion.

Not a bad story line but I need developed characters to really get into a book. Just my personal preference. I felt like the main characters had hardly any character development right at the beginning while some of the side characters were heavily focused on a bit later in the book. It felt weird not knowing much about the central characters, almost like that feeling you get when you enter a conversation with a group of people after they have already been joking for a while. It's still funny but you can't help wondering what you might have missed.

A great, entertaining, creature feature-y romp through one of the most densely populated and misunderstood cities in the world. Loved the use of African folklore and spirits to tell this story and the characters are spot on like people I’ve met on my travels. An homage and love letter to a place that needs much love. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

Mad, unbelievable, fascinating and definitely a page turner. I mostly enjoyed it and would welcome a sequel. The ideas and themes explored were interesting and enlightening, as well as scary and sometimes atrocious.

Who fears death and Phoenix are still my favorites of Okorafor. Lagoon felt more like a soap opera to me. Entertaining.

lo straniero più straniero che si può è proprio uguale a noi... e non è così orribile! Manca una stella perchè il finale è un po' irritante, Nnedi, potevi anche farlo quell'ultimo sforzo!

J'avais à lire ce livre pour les cours, mais je dois bien avouer que je suis très contente. On devient vite accro à l'histoire, on veut savoir ce qu'il va arriver aux personnes auxquels ont devient très vite attaché. L'histoire est très bien écrite et il n'y a pas un moment de mou!

Lagoon ist auch wieder so ein Spontankauf der letzten Wochen. Und wie bei den bisherigen Büchern, hatte ich auch hier wieder relativ viel Glück nach einem guten Roman gegriffen zu haben.Dieses Buch besticht durch so einiges: Das ungewöhnliche Setting, die Charaktere die so rein keinem Klischee entsprechen und der gehobene menschliche und soziale Anspruch. Viel Philosophie spielt auch eine Rolle. Es ist sicherlich auch ein Buch was für einige langweilig sein kann, aber der hohe Einfallsreichtum, der sehr dezente Fantasyanteil, ließen mich dran bleiben und dazu noch die sehr realistischen Protagonisten.Schön war auch, dass die Autorin selbst aus Lagos stammt und es somit kein Roman war, bei dem jemand dachte er wäre jetzt mal ganz kreativ. Sie weißt ein großes Verständnis und Wissen über die dortige Kultur auf und wie es ist, dort zu auch leben. Sie zeigt unglaublich viele Seiten dieser Stadt.Eines Nachts knallt es extrem laut, etwas fiel vom Himmel und landete in der Bucht von Lagos, Nigerias Hauptstadt. Durch den ansteigenden Meeresspiegel geht man zunächst von einem Terroranschlag aus. Doch es handelte sich eigentlich um ein Schiff von Wesen, die Zuflucht auf einem neuen Planeten suchten. Allerdings: der Mensch wäre nicht Mensch wenn dieser nicht viel eher ängstlich und ablehnend auf diese eigenartigen Kreaturen reagieren würde. In einem Land mit so viel Korruption, Armut, ungerecht verteilter Bildung und generell chaotischen Zuständen während des Umschwungs weg vom "Schwellenland" eskaliert die Situation. Selbst LGBTA wird thematisiert. Kriminelle Banden nutzen diese Gelegenheit und auch der Kampf zwischen Christen und Muslimen entbrennt immer heftiger. Die einen reden vom Teufeln, die anderen von der Erlösung. Dazwischen befinden sich die drei Protagonisten. Eine Meeresbiologin, ein Rapper und ein Soldat.Es ist irgendwie sehr schwer dieses Buch in Worte zu fassen da einfach enorm viel passiert, man hat eine geballte Ladung an Handlung und Wissen zu verarbeiten und nach einigem Überlegen öffnen sich viele neue Frage, die aber gekonnt offen gelassen wurden ohne dass es die Auflösung stört. Es regt mehr zum eigenen Denken an. Zum Beispiel ob die Kräfte der drei echt sind, sind sie tatsächlich erfüllt mit alten mystischen Mächten längst vergangener Götter? Oder waren es die Aliens die ihnen diese Gaben vermachten, da sie seither "auserwählt" waren?Ein Aspekt der mich allerdings besonders berührte, war meine eigenen Wahrnehmung und Vorstellungskraft. Ein modernes Buch zu lesen, welches in einem völlig anderen Kulturkreis spielt als jenen, den man gewöhnt ist (selbst Amerika ist ja nun nicht so fremd wie man meint), stellte sich als tatsächlich gar nicht so simpel heraus. Ich empfand es als furchtbar erschreckend dass es mir leichter fällt Elfen, Dämonen und Ritter, Fantasywelten und ferne Planeten als Afrika bildlich beim Lesen vorzustellen. Ein Ort der so tatsächlich ja existiert. Es war nicht so einfach mir ihre "Charakterdesigns" im Kopf auszumalen. Ich hatte nicht sofort genaue Gesichter vor meinem inneren Auge wenn ich ihre äußeren Beschreibungen las.Es war eine faszinierende Erfahrung derartig ins kalte Wasser geworfen zu werden und brachte somit ein Stück Selbsterkenntnis mit sich. Natürlich kann man so etwas auch nachvollziehen, wir kennen nur das, was wir auch konsumieren und ich konsumiere nun einmal hauptsächlich Fantasy. Aber schon interessante wie fremd (ich meine dies nun nicht negativ) einem eine Welt plötzlich vorkommt wenn man nicht das gewohnte blonde Mädchen präsentiert bekommt. Auch wenn dies sicherlich nicht die Intention der Autorin war, für mich war dies eine persönlich wirklich sehr wichtige Erfahrung.Außerdem macht dieses Buch einfach so viel richtig, ich empfehle es euch wirklich sehr. Es ist Sciencie-Fiction auch für Nicht-Science-Fiction-Leser da es mehr ein menschliches Dilemma, mehr ein Drama ist als wirklich Sci-Fi. Die Handlung der Menschen, die konfrontiert mit dem Ungewissen werden, steht definitiv im Vordergrund und nicht das Aliens per se dort landen.Es ist ein anspruchsvolles Buch. Hin und wieder wechseln die Dialoge in einen nigerianischen Dialekt der nur halb an Englisch erinnert und auch die Erzählperspektive neigt sich zum wandeln. So wird mal aus der Ich-Perspektive erzählt, dann wieder aus dem des Betrachters. Auch wird mal aus der Sicht eines Tieres berichtet, dann wieder taucht ein Charakter nur für ein Kapitel auf.Diese vielen Schichten fügen sich aber gekonnt in einen runden Roman zusammen. Für mich war es sehr angenehm zu lesen und es war schön mal wieder ein Buch zu lesen was ein wenig den Geist herausfordert.