The Dragonfly Sea
£9.50
A magical novel of love, exploration and home, spanning the East African coast, China, Turkey and the seas in between, from one of Kenya’s leading writers.
The Dragonfly Sea follows the unforgettable Ayaana’s journey to adulthood after her small-island childhood is interrupted. Targeted first by religious fundamentalists and second by Chinese emissaries, Ayaana is sent on a container ship to study in China, where she is forced to grow up fast.
With its epic scope and lush lyricism, Owuor evokes a fascinating kind of beauty in this dangerous, chaotic world and its ever-shifting oceans and trade. A transcendent story of love and adventure, and of the inexorable need for shelter in a dangerous world.
‘The Dragonfly Sea transported me at a time I really wanted to be transported. Lyrical, compassionate, and deeply original, it has stayed with me, and is the novel I have most enjoyed this year.’ Sathnam Sanghera, author of Empireland
‘This novel from one of Africa’s most exciting voices in fiction delivers on expectations . . . a continent hopping novel of epic proportions.’ Refinery29
‘A daring and compelling novel, evocative and lavishly detailed.’ Abdulrazak Gurnah, Nobel prize-winning author of Afterlives
‘Moving, epic and transcendent, The Dragonfly Sea is a glorious tale that spans two continents, multiple cultures and the lives of endearing characters.’ Bad Form Review
‘Owuor writes in heart-stopping bursts of imagery and retooled language . . . gloriously unique.’ Vanity Fair
Read more
Additional information
| Publisher | September Publishing (7 July 2022) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 496 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1914613082 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1914613081 |
| Dimensions | 19.9 x 3.3 x 12.7 cm |
by booklover
I picked this up as part of a lucky dip – had never heard of the author nor of this book – and it is a gem (that is if you like lush, poetical writing or poetry in general). The perfect (and gripping at that too) read to transport one elsewhere, including rich olfactory and visual discriptions.
I really enjoyed reading this and the book was over by far too quickly – I felt it had not just transported me elsewhere but somehow made me richer and shown me a completely different world. Highly recommend
by Geoff Crocker
Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor tells a gripping story in richly descriptive prose. The historical background of Pate Island in northern Kenya, the 14th century naval exploits of Chinese admiral Zheng He, and contemporary backgrounds of Kenya, China, and Turkey are all interesting. Owuor’s characters Ayaana, Munira, Muhidin, Koray, Lai Jin, become familiar and recognisable. The abuse suffered by Ayaana from Kenyan and Turkish potentates, coupled with her determination to survive, her self-respect, her skill development, and her search for love make this an epic.
by Seahorse0804
This is one of the most beautiful, skilfully crafted books I’ve ever read. Her writing is full of poetry and magic on every page, with characters so well drawn they feel like people you know. Just breathtaking.