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LaGuardia #1-4
LaGuardia
From Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Award Winner Nnedi Okorafor (Who Fears Death, Binti, Akata series) comes Laguardia. Set in an alternative world where aliens have come to Earth and integrated with society, LaGuardia revolves around a pregnant Nigerian-American doctor, Future Nwafor Chukwuebuka, who has just returned to NYC under mysterious conditions. After smuggling an illegal alien plant named "Letme Live" through LaGuardia International and Interstellar Airport's customs and security, she arrives at her grandmother's tenement, the New Hope Apartments in the South Bronx.
There, she and Letme become part of a growing population of mostly African and shape-shifting alien immigrants, battling against interrogation, discrimination and travel bans, as they try to make it in a new land. But, as the birth of her child nears, Future begins to change. What dark secret is she hiding?
From the team behind Black Panther: Long Live the King #6 Nnedi Okorafor and illustrator Tana Ford (Silk, Duck!) this Hardcover collects the entire 4 issue miniseries of Laguardia.
There, she and Letme become part of a growing population of mostly African and shape-shifting alien immigrants, battling against interrogation, discrimination and travel bans, as they try to make it in a new land. But, as the birth of her child nears, Future begins to change. What dark secret is she hiding?
From the team behind Black Panther: Long Live the King #6 Nnedi Okorafor and illustrator Tana Ford (Silk, Duck!) this Hardcover collects the entire 4 issue miniseries of Laguardia.
136 pages, Paperback
First published July 30, 2019
About the author
Nnedi Okorafor
151 books17k followersNnedi Okorafor is a New York Times Bestselling writer of science fiction and fantasy for both children and adults. The more specific terms for her works are africanfuturism and africanjujuism, both terms she coined and defined. Born in the United States to two Nigerian (Igbo) immigrant parents and visiting family in Nigeria since she was a child, the foundation and inspiration of Nnedi’s work is rooted in this part of Africa. Her many works include Who Fears Death (winner of the World Fantasy Award and in development at HBO as a TV series), the Nebula and Hugo award winning novella trilogy Binti (in development as a TV series), the Lodestar and Locus Award winning Nsibidi Scripts Series, LaGuardia (winner of a Hugo and Eisner awards for Best Graphic Novel) and her most recent novella Remote Control. Her debut novel Zahrah the Windseeker won the prestigious Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature. She lives with her daughter Anyaugo in Phoenix, AZ. Learn more about Nnedi at Nnedi.com and follow Nnedi on twitter (as @Nnedi), Facebook and Instagram.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 329 reviews
March 4, 2021
LaGuardia is a fascinating and engaging graphic novel that takes a empathetically nuanced look at immigration policies and refugee rights by Hugo Award winning author Nnedi Okorafor. The story is beautifully brought to life through Tana Ford's colorful and detailed artwork that captures New York city and Nigeria in a period of interplanetary integration. This volume collects all of Okorafor's single issue releases and tells the entire story in one book-binding of how aliens have come to earth and dramatically advanced Nigeria economically and scientifically. Meanwhile, the US has decided to ban immigration from African nations that have allowed these visitors to earth to live in their society. Okorafor takes a critical look at the ways this harms society and innocent bystanders while making a strong case for immigrant rights.
What really sets this graphic novel above many social-issue metaphor stories in the care and detail to examine how multifaceted issues such as these can be. People with student visas are denied entry to strong arm political points, and people of mixed DNA become caught in the middle here. Often with political metaphors in fiction it translates as fairly single-issue and broad sweeping to make a point whereas Okorafor shows how other issues occur within the broader topic that complicate matters and reveal the blind spots in tidy conclusions. While one might support integration with the alien species, they might also be activists for splitting into a separate country altogether. One of the most effective examples is how the humans lump all the Floral species--basically autonomous plants-- together and miss that within the Florals a larger tribe is committing genocide on another. Relationships that begin easy despite slight differences in political opinion are tested when those differences became major political disputes worldwide. Okorafor is effective and these details really help shape a thrilling story where nothing is easy.
While acknowledging the complexities, Okorafor also manages to examine how this also means there are many different ways to show your support or dissent for causes. Characters are reminded that protests are not for everyone but not going doesn't mean you can't still help while also addressing how differently-abled bodies have different strenghts or barriers. The discourse between characters is also well done, with a specific scene near the beginning that acknowledges how one can be on the "right side" yet still be coming from a place of priviledge with blindspots that further marginalize those they seek to help. All in all it's a really well crafted and nuanced work that feels authentic even if the subject is interstellar travelers.
What I’ve come to really enjoy about Okorafor is the way she can tell a focused story that exists in a much wider-world without having to expand upon much. Small details reveal a larger context existing outside the scope of the text without making you feel slighted. It’s all very impressive. This graphic novel is a real gem.
4/5
What really sets this graphic novel above many social-issue metaphor stories in the care and detail to examine how multifaceted issues such as these can be. People with student visas are denied entry to strong arm political points, and people of mixed DNA become caught in the middle here. Often with political metaphors in fiction it translates as fairly single-issue and broad sweeping to make a point whereas Okorafor shows how other issues occur within the broader topic that complicate matters and reveal the blind spots in tidy conclusions. While one might support integration with the alien species, they might also be activists for splitting into a separate country altogether. One of the most effective examples is how the humans lump all the Floral species--basically autonomous plants-- together and miss that within the Florals a larger tribe is committing genocide on another. Relationships that begin easy despite slight differences in political opinion are tested when those differences became major political disputes worldwide. Okorafor is effective and these details really help shape a thrilling story where nothing is easy.
While acknowledging the complexities, Okorafor also manages to examine how this also means there are many different ways to show your support or dissent for causes. Characters are reminded that protests are not for everyone but not going doesn't mean you can't still help while also addressing how differently-abled bodies have different strenghts or barriers. The discourse between characters is also well done, with a specific scene near the beginning that acknowledges how one can be on the "right side" yet still be coming from a place of priviledge with blindspots that further marginalize those they seek to help. All in all it's a really well crafted and nuanced work that feels authentic even if the subject is interstellar travelers.
What I’ve come to really enjoy about Okorafor is the way she can tell a focused story that exists in a much wider-world without having to expand upon much. Small details reveal a larger context existing outside the scope of the text without making you feel slighted. It’s all very impressive. This graphic novel is a real gem.
4/5
August 22, 2019
The first book in the Berger Books line I've found worth reading. Okorafor is the up and coming Sci-Fi writer who wrote Binti. Here she writes about a future America who is instituting a travel ban from certain countries, this time with aliens in the mix. I would have liked to see some more world building here because there's no reason given for the ban. We are left to assume it's for the same xenophobic reasons as the current ban. Future is a Nigerian-American who has been working as a doctor in Nigeria for the last several years. She returns to America to have the baby among other reasons that we don't find out until later. There's some really interesting stuff here. Tana Ford's art is solid although she still draws people with unnaturally long necks.
Received a review copy from Dark Horse and Edelweiss. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
Received a review copy from Dark Horse and Edelweiss. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
February 24, 2021
Listen Nnedi Okorafor has been doing some big things in the comic book world that I greatly appreciate. I've seen a few people in the community pick this one up so I naturally couldn't resist getting my hands on it.
LaGuardia is an interesting look at oppressive systems that exist in our current world but told within a narrative of the future world. These oppressive systems are then passed on to aliens as more humans become weary of their abilities; although, a great portion of humans have welcomed them in and work and live with them, side by side. At first, I thought that the narrative was going to be heavy handed to capture both the oppressive systems associated with our present time and then those associated with humans and aliens in the near future. However, part of me can't help but to think that the world "alien" is some double entendre utilized to capture polices that exists in 2021 but in a science-fiction setting. My analysis of this could be completely off base, but either way this comic book is a great example of issues that plague our more contemporary society. The story focuses on and follows pregnant Future as she leaves Nigeria with an illegal alien plant named Let Me Live to travel back to the United States to seek refuge with her grandmother. The story itself is dynamic which is, of course, no surprise. The writing and the artwork worked and flowed well together. While this may seem like a strange analysis, it is extremely import for the art of a comic and the narrative to seamlessly work together to create a bigger picture. And the artwork was beautiful. The illustrator did an excellent job showcasing the futuristic look of the world as well as the characters (both humans and aliens). Bright colors made the story itself aesthetically appealing to the eye. There was strong character development and by the end, I was shocked to learn of the secrets both Citizen and Future carried and what it meant for their unborn child. Okorafor never fails to impress me with her brilliance. Because this is categorized as a mini-series, I highly doubt we'll get more from this particularly comic story arc; however, I saw another reviewer state that this is connected to Lagoon so I'm looking forward to reading that book. If you haven't read this comic book series yet I would definitely recommend giving it a try.
LaGuardia is an interesting look at oppressive systems that exist in our current world but told within a narrative of the future world. These oppressive systems are then passed on to aliens as more humans become weary of their abilities; although, a great portion of humans have welcomed them in and work and live with them, side by side. At first, I thought that the narrative was going to be heavy handed to capture both the oppressive systems associated with our present time and then those associated with humans and aliens in the near future. However, part of me can't help but to think that the world "alien" is some double entendre utilized to capture polices that exists in 2021 but in a science-fiction setting. My analysis of this could be completely off base, but either way this comic book is a great example of issues that plague our more contemporary society. The story focuses on and follows pregnant Future as she leaves Nigeria with an illegal alien plant named Let Me Live to travel back to the United States to seek refuge with her grandmother. The story itself is dynamic which is, of course, no surprise. The writing and the artwork worked and flowed well together. While this may seem like a strange analysis, it is extremely import for the art of a comic and the narrative to seamlessly work together to create a bigger picture. And the artwork was beautiful. The illustrator did an excellent job showcasing the futuristic look of the world as well as the characters (both humans and aliens). Bright colors made the story itself aesthetically appealing to the eye. There was strong character development and by the end, I was shocked to learn of the secrets both Citizen and Future carried and what it meant for their unborn child. Okorafor never fails to impress me with her brilliance. Because this is categorized as a mini-series, I highly doubt we'll get more from this particularly comic story arc; however, I saw another reviewer state that this is connected to Lagoon so I'm looking forward to reading that book. If you haven't read this comic book series yet I would definitely recommend giving it a try.
March 14, 2022
So disappointing. Here you have an interesting and worthy subject - immigration, and what immigration adds to a city and/or country, how xenophobia is not only plain horrible but also plain illogical. A real chance to approach this in an adult, nuanced way, and instead we get a story that feels like it's written for 12-year-olds, with all the subtlety of getting a brick smashed between the eyes.
I love the message, but this is pretty bad.
(Thanks to Dark Horse Books for providing me with a review copy through Edelweiss)
I love the message, but this is pretty bad.
(Thanks to Dark Horse Books for providing me with a review copy through Edelweiss)
March 13, 2019
I first discovered Okorafor with Binti which I loved. She's the first science fiction writer in a long time, all right maybe 10-12 years, who made go I need to start buying more of her books (and will when more of them hit paperback). So, she's writing an original science fiction comic, no problem getting me to sign up.
This is a good examination of prejudice, especially in Trump Era America (damn, I cringe just writing that). Aliens have come to Earth, and Lagos is one of the busiest hubs for comings and goings. At the same time the U.S. has imposed even stricter restrictions on visa and passport. The reader is introduced to this when after living for years in Lagos, Future elects to return home to America and struggles just getting past TSA.
Future's parents were physicians killed in a riot about treating patients at the New York hospital they worked in. Future herself is pregnant and has been exposed to a plant like, very intelligent, alien who's DNA has merged (at least a little) with that of her unborn child.
After she arrives in New York we meet more of Future's family, and her neighbors (which includes other types of aliens). The story also flashes to Future's partner in Lagos. Okorafor adds context when she discusses Nigeria's history of prejudice.
I'd like to think some people would read this, and take to heart the lessons about prejudice and family.
This is a good examination of prejudice, especially in Trump Era America (damn, I cringe just writing that). Aliens have come to Earth, and Lagos is one of the busiest hubs for comings and goings. At the same time the U.S. has imposed even stricter restrictions on visa and passport. The reader is introduced to this when after living for years in Lagos, Future elects to return home to America and struggles just getting past TSA.
Future's parents were physicians killed in a riot about treating patients at the New York hospital they worked in. Future herself is pregnant and has been exposed to a plant like, very intelligent, alien who's DNA has merged (at least a little) with that of her unborn child.
After she arrives in New York we meet more of Future's family, and her neighbors (which includes other types of aliens). The story also flashes to Future's partner in Lagos. Okorafor adds context when she discusses Nigeria's history of prejudice.
I'd like to think some people would read this, and take to heart the lessons about prejudice and family.
August 31, 2019
Loved this story about immigration, tolerance and intolerance, family, both biological and found, and kindness. Loved the artwork, too, for its exuberance and beauty.
September 1, 2019
Okorafor uses speculative fiction and extraterrestrials to take on present day U.S. travel bans and immigration issues. The storyline is a little loopy but stays fun while landing its points well.
Countries thrive when they leave themselves open to a constant infusion of new blood and ideas.
Countries thrive when they leave themselves open to a constant infusion of new blood and ideas.
June 12, 2020
A sweet, ultimately feel good comic about immigration, family, and prejudice. A bit preachy, a bit trite, but the art is pretty and the message is solid, if a bit on the nose.
June 18, 2020
I was expecting a much fast-moving action packed story (I mean, look at that cover!), but apparently it was a more subdued account on the issues of immigration and racism. The author said in her end note that if you came from Africa and sported some 'exotic' hairdos, it is likely you'll get more attention from the airport authority, such as extra screenings and whatnots. She had that experience in LaGuardia airport, hence this book.
But, let's talk about the aliens! Remember District 9 the movie? The colorful, wonderfully weird aliens in this story also suffered similar racism. I think Supergirl also had human-supremacy storyline in its recent season. Aliens, figuratively and literally, if you look different, prepare for the consequences.
I digress, the book is actually more about a family. A preggo lady and her alien friend. It's sweet. And a standalone. And the illustrations are gorgeous.
But, let's talk about the aliens! Remember District 9 the movie? The colorful, wonderfully weird aliens in this story also suffered similar racism. I think Supergirl also had human-supremacy storyline in its recent season. Aliens, figuratively and literally, if you look different, prepare for the consequences.
I digress, the book is actually more about a family. A preggo lady and her alien friend. It's sweet. And a standalone. And the illustrations are gorgeous.
March 2, 2020
Future Nwafor Chukwuebuka is leaving Nigeria. In a hurry. With a sentient plant, Letme Live. And without telling her fiancé. She arrives in the US via Laguardia International and Interplanetary Airport. Yes, it's still under construction.
The story is about why they fled Nigeria, and what happens to Future’s relationship with her fiancé. And the birth of their child. And how the world deals with an influx of aliens. It's warm and optimistic and fascinating. I’d say it's about shared humanity, but that's not the right word in this context. Is there a single word for the shared emotions and ideas common among all sentient lifeforms? There ought to be.
As with all good science fiction, it's about seeing the world and exciting possibilities through someone else's eyes. This book is a delight. Highly recommended!
The story is about why they fled Nigeria, and what happens to Future’s relationship with her fiancé. And the birth of their child. And how the world deals with an influx of aliens. It's warm and optimistic and fascinating. I’d say it's about shared humanity, but that's not the right word in this context. Is there a single word for the shared emotions and ideas common among all sentient lifeforms? There ought to be.
As with all good science fiction, it's about seeing the world and exciting possibilities through someone else's eyes. This book is a delight. Highly recommended!
July 22, 2020
Read for the 2020 Hugos. Fittingly, it reminded me of Okorafor's Binti novellas in terms of mixing sci fi & aliens with Nigerian history and identity, plus the juxtaposition of Black locks vs. alien tentacles, and a main female character undergoing an alien bodily transformation. Okorafor uses sci fi to examine present-day racism and xenophobia cast against actual interplanetary visitors.
That said: it just felt way too heavy-handed and on-the-nose with the mingling of the 2017 travel ban and protests and literal aliens, and then it just... doesn't go anywhere with any of it, while also being fairly cringe-inducing. Like, look, I'm progressive af and I am absolutely on board with all the messages being espoused here, but a baby named Future Citizen Lives? And an alien called Letme Live? Ugh.
I'd have been more interested in the worldbuilding and logistics of how humans & aliens coexist in this setting (those wee tiny adorable aliens rolling their suitcases through the airport!), like something out of Men in Black, but none of it is really fleshed out. Also, I well and truly do not trust Letme, and felt like the ending was way too neat and pat and tidy; look, I've read Octavia Butler's Dawn, I will literally never trust aliens forcing a rushed infestation onto a human!!! Letme was supposed to look cute, I think(?), but they always felt incredibly ominous to me and I suspect they're one of the war-like Florals that aren't to be trusted and they've just gone and manipulated the main character (particularly when you see the character designs in the back and see what Letme's adult design looks like, all tooth and fangs and Audrey Too-esque??? YIKES).
Anyway. Conclusion: Misses the mark, and Okorafor is still not for me.
The art is nice, though.
That said: it just felt way too heavy-handed and on-the-nose with the mingling of the 2017 travel ban and protests and literal aliens, and then it just... doesn't go anywhere with any of it, while also being fairly cringe-inducing. Like, look, I'm progressive af and I am absolutely on board with all the messages being espoused here, but a baby named Future Citizen Lives? And an alien called Letme Live? Ugh.
I'd have been more interested in the worldbuilding and logistics of how humans & aliens coexist in this setting (those wee tiny adorable aliens rolling their suitcases through the airport!), like something out of Men in Black, but none of it is really fleshed out. Also, I well and truly do not trust Letme, and felt like the ending was way too neat and pat and tidy; look, I've read Octavia Butler's Dawn, I will literally never trust aliens forcing a rushed infestation onto a human!!! Letme was supposed to look cute, I think(?), but they always felt incredibly ominous to me and I suspect they're one of the war-like Florals that aren't to be trusted and they've just gone and manipulated the main character (particularly when you see the character designs in the back and see what Letme's adult design looks like, all tooth and fangs and Audrey Too-esque??? YIKES).
Anyway. Conclusion: Misses the mark, and Okorafor is still not for me.
The art is nice, though.
February 17, 2021
I wanted a bit more from this, so the actual rating is 3.5 . It's an interesting, and very real take, on aliens and Earth. The romantic relationship and its problem just seemed to easily solved. But the aliens were very cool.
January 3, 2023
This one had potential, but I was disappointed that the origin of all the aliens was never explained. OK, so we get to expose xenophobia and racism which was good, and the novel is sort of centered in Nigeria (but also New York, of course), so that was cool. I just never bonded with any of the protagonists. I did enjoy the artwork, but the story was somewhat convoluted and did not always make a lot of sense. I know it was highly regarded as winning both an Eisner and a Hugo, but maybe that was political correctness more than the pure quality of story writing? I hope that Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation works better for me (the protagonist seems to be drawn almost identically to that of this book!)
August 12, 2023
I feel like every time I review a book from Okorafor the word I want to use is "inventive" and LaGuardia is no different. She does such interesting things with science fiction and often uses them to tell stories that are saying something about the world we live in and centering the Black, often African experience. LaGuardia is a story about aliens from outer space that is also a story about "aliens" who are immigrants of color or people from other marginalized communities being mistreated. It follows a pregnant woman emigrating back to the United States after living in Nigeria for years, smuggling in a plant-like alien. The social commentary is clear and important, the story is interesting and the art is so vivid! I quite liked it.
June 10, 2020
The Good: Fun aliens and progressive politics
The Bad: Poor plotting and little meaningful to add to an important conversation
The Literary: Classic scifi conceit of questioning aliens as the other
Pregnant Nigerian-American doctor Future Nwafor Chukwuebuka hasn't been back to the USA in a long time. She's been working in Nigeria where alien immigrants (the kind from space) are accepted and welcomed. America, on the other hand, isn't so welcoming, so when she arrives at Laguardia International and Interstellar Spaceport with a plant-like alien companion named Letme Live, she has to smuggle him through customs into a land of discrimination and xenophobia. And as the birth of her child approaches, her involvement with aliens becomes ever more personal.
This is a series that uses science fiction to speak directly to some of the most serious issues facing our culture today, and it's not trying to hide it. In the grand tradition of some of the greatest scifi stories, the othering that humans inflict upon one another is transmuted to the othering of literal aliens and explored through that lens. Unfortunately, here the transmutation is somewhat less than clever in its expression. In fact, one of the most important political issues of this fictional future America is the imposition of a travel ban on countries that are friendly to aliens. You know, like the travel ban of real world America? A little on the nose, if you ask me.
Okorafor's aliens are colorful and fun, and much of the book's pleasure results from the juxtaposition of all these strange creatures with extremely familiar domestic settings. This is supported by Tana Ford's colorful and somewhat cartoonish artwork, which wouldn't normally be my cup of tea, but I have to admit that it works for this story.
But in a book so explicitly concerned with racism, xenophobia, and their political ramifications, my biggest question is how well does it examine and comment on those issues? Here's where it really falls short. Every single character is on the right side of history and they all spend the majority of the story agreeing with each other about the issues, though they lack sufficient depth to bring any texture or insight in the course of those conversations. And while an America rank with fear and hatred serves as the backdrop to the events of the story (insomuch as there can be said to be a story), it has surprisingly little impact on the plot or actions of any of the principles. Sure, an occasional bigot shows up to say something rude, but they're invariably incidental to the action. I agree with Okorafor's desire to confront and combat the disconcerting strain of xenophobia marring our society right now, and that's why it's so disappointing that she fails to bring anything fresh or poignant to the conversation.
For all these faults, the read isn't too much of a slog; the weirdness of the aliens and the vague mystery surrounding Future's baby and the secret war her friend Letme is running from serve to keep you interested. Recommended for fans of interesting aliens.
Readwellreviews.com
The Bad: Poor plotting and little meaningful to add to an important conversation
The Literary: Classic scifi conceit of questioning aliens as the other
Pregnant Nigerian-American doctor Future Nwafor Chukwuebuka hasn't been back to the USA in a long time. She's been working in Nigeria where alien immigrants (the kind from space) are accepted and welcomed. America, on the other hand, isn't so welcoming, so when she arrives at Laguardia International and Interstellar Spaceport with a plant-like alien companion named Letme Live, she has to smuggle him through customs into a land of discrimination and xenophobia. And as the birth of her child approaches, her involvement with aliens becomes ever more personal.
This is a series that uses science fiction to speak directly to some of the most serious issues facing our culture today, and it's not trying to hide it. In the grand tradition of some of the greatest scifi stories, the othering that humans inflict upon one another is transmuted to the othering of literal aliens and explored through that lens. Unfortunately, here the transmutation is somewhat less than clever in its expression. In fact, one of the most important political issues of this fictional future America is the imposition of a travel ban on countries that are friendly to aliens. You know, like the travel ban of real world America? A little on the nose, if you ask me.
Okorafor's aliens are colorful and fun, and much of the book's pleasure results from the juxtaposition of all these strange creatures with extremely familiar domestic settings. This is supported by Tana Ford's colorful and somewhat cartoonish artwork, which wouldn't normally be my cup of tea, but I have to admit that it works for this story.
But in a book so explicitly concerned with racism, xenophobia, and their political ramifications, my biggest question is how well does it examine and comment on those issues? Here's where it really falls short. Every single character is on the right side of history and they all spend the majority of the story agreeing with each other about the issues, though they lack sufficient depth to bring any texture or insight in the course of those conversations. And while an America rank with fear and hatred serves as the backdrop to the events of the story (insomuch as there can be said to be a story), it has surprisingly little impact on the plot or actions of any of the principles. Sure, an occasional bigot shows up to say something rude, but they're invariably incidental to the action. I agree with Okorafor's desire to confront and combat the disconcerting strain of xenophobia marring our society right now, and that's why it's so disappointing that she fails to bring anything fresh or poignant to the conversation.
For all these faults, the read isn't too much of a slog; the weirdness of the aliens and the vague mystery surrounding Future's baby and the secret war her friend Letme is running from serve to keep you interested. Recommended for fans of interesting aliens.
Readwellreviews.com
January 13, 2025
The premise of this story is everything I look for in science fiction. It's a futuristic story that spaks clearly about problems we are having now, thus acting as a parable from the future.
Okorafor gives us a world where aliens, referred to as florals, who look like plants are a part of our society. Certain racist countries like The United States start to restrict florals or people who have come into contact with florals. or people from countries with large floral populations, from entering the country. Our protagonist is pregnant from her very human partner, who neither of them realized, was exposed to floral DNA, thus making her, her partner, and their yet unborn baby, part floral.
Right up until the very end, this was a five star book for me. I loved the art, the layouts, the very imperfect but well-meaning and making-the-effort characters, the premise, the plot, the dialog, nearly everything.
My one problem was that there is a plot point for a major character at the end that is never really explained, and I was excited to see it explained in the next volume. But there is no next volume. That's where the story was intended to end. It left me wanting more, which is better than wanting less. Still, everything else was so good that this one flaw, happening right at the end, soured me a bit on the story.
I still recommend the hell out of this book. It's so nearly perfect. If you like sci-fi, better representation in comics, or if you just wished Audrey II from Little House Of Horrors had a better backstory and purpose. you should check it out.
Okorafor gives us a world where aliens, referred to as florals, who look like plants are a part of our society. Certain racist countries like The United States start to restrict florals or people who have come into contact with florals. or people from countries with large floral populations, from entering the country. Our protagonist is pregnant from her very human partner, who neither of them realized, was exposed to floral DNA, thus making her, her partner, and their yet unborn baby, part floral.
Right up until the very end, this was a five star book for me. I loved the art, the layouts, the very imperfect but well-meaning and making-the-effort characters, the premise, the plot, the dialog, nearly everything.
My one problem was that there is a plot point for a major character at the end that is never really explained, and I was excited to see it explained in the next volume. But there is no next volume. That's where the story was intended to end. It left me wanting more, which is better than wanting less. Still, everything else was so good that this one flaw, happening right at the end, soured me a bit on the story.
I still recommend the hell out of this book. It's so nearly perfect. If you like sci-fi, better representation in comics, or if you just wished Audrey II from Little House Of Horrors had a better backstory and purpose. you should check it out.
March 22, 2020
I don't know why Tana Ford's gorgeous illustrations deteriorated so much in the last chapter, perhaps she too, by this point, was bored by the story.
November 11, 2021
LaGuardia looks at belonging, community, and family through the lens extraterrestrial immigration. I loved the world-building, which was a delightful blend of familiar and bizarre. The story was a bit too heavy-handed with its message for me.
September 24, 2019
Sci-fi tales often take on the issues of their times, and this one takes on the current US immigration and travel ban policies head on.
Aliens, of the extraterrestrial kind, have arrived on Earth and integrated well in most places. Countries that welcomed them have flourished, while those that didn't, well ... didn't do as well. This is a bizarre story with wonderful art that tackles issues of who belongs and who doesn't, and who decides. There are plot points that don't make sense, but I went along for the zany ride and enjoyed the art and pointed critiques along the way.
Aliens, of the extraterrestrial kind, have arrived on Earth and integrated well in most places. Countries that welcomed them have flourished, while those that didn't, well ... didn't do as well. This is a bizarre story with wonderful art that tackles issues of who belongs and who doesn't, and who decides. There are plot points that don't make sense, but I went along for the zany ride and enjoyed the art and pointed critiques along the way.
August 18, 2019
I didn't realize this was set in the same world as Lagoon! Really interesting look at immigration, xenophobia, and racism--not just as metaphor, but interwoven with existing prejudices. Okorafor presents a future that is hopeful while dealing with the struggles we have now. I appreciated the complexity in characters like Citizen or the inter-Floral wars. I hope Okorafor does more comics in the future!
August 31, 2019
did i completely understand what was going on? no
was is completely invested in the story? YES!
the metaphors and how connected it was to today's political climate and state of the world was so smart and this idea was weird and fresh.
i mean, i have A LOT of questions but this story was good and easy to follow for the most part.
was is completely invested in the story? YES!
the metaphors and how connected it was to today's political climate and state of the world was so smart and this idea was weird and fresh.
i mean, i have A LOT of questions but this story was good and easy to follow for the most part.
August 25, 2021
Cool aliens, progressive politics, and the underlying message are a plus. Storytelling, though, is rather poor and despite its short length, it's slightly boring. An ok read, I guess.
September 25, 2019
Solid and definitely par for the course for Nnedi Okorafor's work. Great writing and inspired alien art.
August 7, 2020
Eisner a Hugo award, čo ti jebe..
Ale teraz narovinu a viac.. To že niekde nacpete zväčšenú Costasiellu a Tardigradu a označíte ich za alienov ešte nespraví zaujímavý sci-fi komiks. Dej bol totálne prázdny a plný dier, kresba je otrasná miestami. Celé to pôsobí skôr dojmom "všetci nečierny sú rasistické svine" ako než niečo, čo by malo vzbudiť dojem, že rasizmus je zlý. Dialógy totálne bez ducha, a sorry ako, ale s tými menami v štýle Future a Citizen, ktorí majú decko Future Citizen a rastlinu Letme Live som si pripadala ako keby som pozerala South Park, ale tam to aspoň mysleli ironickou formou.
Ale teraz narovinu a viac.. To že niekde nacpete zväčšenú Costasiellu a Tardigradu a označíte ich za alienov ešte nespraví zaujímavý sci-fi komiks. Dej bol totálne prázdny a plný dier, kresba je otrasná miestami. Celé to pôsobí skôr dojmom "všetci nečierny sú rasistické svine" ako než niečo, čo by malo vzbudiť dojem, že rasizmus je zlý. Dialógy totálne bez ducha, a sorry ako, ale s tými menami v štýle Future a Citizen, ktorí majú decko Future Citizen a rastlinu Letme Live som si pripadala ako keby som pozerala South Park, ale tam to aspoň mysleli ironickou formou.
May 19, 2021
4.5 stars
Fantastic!
Okorafor created such a fascinating world where literal aliens have started immigrating to Earth, mirroring the same experiences that many people have immigrating to other countries (notably USA in this story). LaGuardia functions as both a literal story of protesting and fighting against anti-alien sentiment and laws (through the microcosm of travelling at LaGuardia airport between Nigeria/South Sudan and USA) and a metaphor for our world.
The art is absolutely stunning and so richly coloured. I loved the Floral people element - using plant-based lifeforms gave so much dynamism and colour to the story, while also beautifully contrasting against human beings.
The sub-plot of the ongoing repercussions of the Nigerian-Biafra Civil War and the discrimination experienced by Igbos in northern Nigeria served well to ground the story in our reality (despite the aliens) and raelly highlights how Earth will still have the same problems it did before, even after alien first contact.
Also all the aliens depicted were so cool and different - I really enjoyed learning about them and seeing how they interact in human society... and the names they chose!
Overall, a really smart and beautiful story with many layers - which I expect nothing less than from Nnedi Okorafor.
Fantastic!
Okorafor created such a fascinating world where literal aliens have started immigrating to Earth, mirroring the same experiences that many people have immigrating to other countries (notably USA in this story). LaGuardia functions as both a literal story of protesting and fighting against anti-alien sentiment and laws (through the microcosm of travelling at LaGuardia airport between Nigeria/South Sudan and USA) and a metaphor for our world.
The art is absolutely stunning and so richly coloured. I loved the Floral people element - using plant-based lifeforms gave so much dynamism and colour to the story, while also beautifully contrasting against human beings.
The sub-plot of the ongoing repercussions of the Nigerian-Biafra Civil War and the discrimination experienced by Igbos in northern Nigeria served well to ground the story in our reality (despite the aliens) and raelly highlights how Earth will still have the same problems it did before, even after alien first contact.
Also all the aliens depicted were so cool and different - I really enjoyed learning about them and seeing how they interact in human society... and the names they chose!
Overall, a really smart and beautiful story with many layers - which I expect nothing less than from Nnedi Okorafor.
January 2, 2020
I couldn't recall where I had seen this author's name before, now I realize that I read The Book of Phoenix, her novella prequel to Who Fears Death (which I have not read). From her author blurb, "Nnedi Okorafor is a Nigerian-American author of African-based science fiction and fantasy (Africanfuturism and Africanjujuism)." LaGuardia is an interesting bit of story, very rooted (that's a joke, if you have read this book) is the current American and global political climate. In a now-future world just a decade past extraterrestrial presence on Earth, both Nigeria and New York are central points of contact with alien species, and all of the xenophobia, border and racial fears that are part of our human landscape are reflected here. I feel like this is just a snippet of a larger story, an idea that could provide much more material with more brewing time. I would like to see more of what develops societally in Nigeria and America in parallel. I don't see what purpose the three students arriving from Sudan served in the story, other that as an excuse to bring it back to the titular Laguardia airport, which plays a minor role in the whole affair except as a portal location.
June 16, 2024
Great concept but I hated the story. It's so heavy handed, blazing past allegory to become preachy and repetitive. This book works way to hard to constantly remind the reader that discrimination exists, when more time could (and probably should) have been focused on world building or character development
August 29, 2021
I'm always impressed by how Okorafor's storytelling depicts the world as a complex network woven from simple relationships. Whenever someone is mentioned in passing -- a man sitting nearby on the bus, a dog passed on the street, a bat thrown in the air -- that someone shows up again.
In LaGuardia, this networking transcends individual stories; the subtle connections to her other works are so, so crafty and satisfying.
And that's probably the least important thing about LaGuardia.
In LaGuardia, this networking transcends individual stories; the subtle connections to her other works are so, so crafty and satisfying.
And that's probably the least important thing about LaGuardia.
May 13, 2021
The colors were gorgeous and the message good but this wasn't subtle and had some clunky dialogue. A good book if you need kids to clearly understand theme!
November 1, 2021
I loved it!! The art was so gorgeous I’m obsessed!!!!! I will be forcing everyone I know to read this.
It handled real issues so beautifully, and it was still interesting, fun and futuristic.
It handled real issues so beautifully, and it was still interesting, fun and futuristic.
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