Publishers Weekly
★ 11/19/2018
Several residents of St. Thomas weather the storms of life before and after the occupation of the alien species Ynaa in Turnbull’s rich debut novel about family, love, and loyalty in turbulent times. The story centers on Mera, Ynaa ambassador to the human residents of the Virgin Islands, who has hidden among humans for centuries, and Derrick Reed, her human assistant, who persists despite accusations of betraying his kind. Neither is a perfect fit for the worlds they come from, and the closer they grow to each other, the more adversity they face. When a Ynaa kills a young man and his grieving brother responds by assassinating one of the aliens, a terrible cycle of violent retribution begins, and Mera and Derrick must choose sides. Turnbull uses a beautifully drawn cast of black characters to convey the complexity of ordinary hardship in extraordinary times. This is an ideal story for fans of Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven and other literary science fiction novels. Agent: Martha Millard, Sterling Lord Literistic. (June)
Library Journal
★ 05/01/2019
DEBUT Five years ago, an alien ship appeared above Water Island, and the U.S. Virgin Islands met the Ynaa. A species on an undisclosed research mission on Earth, the Ynaa hold great healing powers that benefit the island residents but also show no tolerance for aggression against themselves; aggressors are met with extraordinary violence and that often results in death. Mera, the Ynaa ambassador, tries to balance her people's actions with the humans', while bonding with Derrick Reed, her assistant with his own family struggles, during the anniversary of the death of a young man at the hands of the Ynaa. They will have to choose sides in a growing standoff between the Ynaa and humanity. As other residents see their journey play out from the occupation to the anniversary, stories and lives become intertwined, culminating in a final conflict that not everyone can survive. Emotional prose and distinctive characters highlight this incredible tale that will touch readers' hearts and minds. VERDICT A compelling read of an invasive occupation and emotional uprising, Turnbull's debut is a must for all libraries. The author, who crafts speculative stories featuring black characters on par with Octavia Butler, is definitely one to watch.—Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton
AUGUST 2019 - AudioFile
A culture clash between humans and aliens is brought to life in the narration of Janina Edwards and Ron Butler. On the island of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, an interconnected community of families, friends, and lovers must adjust to the sometimes violent presence of the Ynaa, an advanced race of aliens who arrive on a mysterious research mission. Edwards and Butler both excel in their smooth Caribbean accents, bringing to life an intergenerational cast of characters with distinct personalities. The voices of the alien Ynaa are hushed, with sibilant “s” sounds and quiet whispers that the listener must sometimes strain to hear and understand. As tensions rise, characters struggle to maintain relationships while learning what it means to be—or remain—human. H.C. 2020 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2019-06-03
Sometimes the aliens don't land in New York or London.
In fact, the alien Ynaa ship that catalyzes the emotional landscape and drives the action of this debut novel lands in the harbor of Water Island , one of the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Ynaa are decidedly a mixed bag, as aliens go: They don't intend to conquer, just to stay for a while to do some unspecified research. In return, they give humans advances in medicine and other technology. The downside is that the Ynaa, who nearly appear to be human but are far stronger, live by a code of survival above all things and return any violence or even perceived violence done to them with more excessive violence, which the governments of the world decline to pursue legally. Five years after the landing, many islanders are unhappy about the occasional dog ripped in half and young man's neck snapped. Moreover, the Ynaa are being less than forthcoming: The Ynaa ambassador, Mera, has been here far longer than most humans know. But that time has done more to damage her relationship with the Ynaa than with humanity; her intimate contacts with humans and the brutality she witnessed centuries ago when she posed as a slave have caused her to question both her people's way of life and their mysterious mission. Her struggle to reconcile her origins with her experiences and present circumstances is mirrored by several humans on the island—including Shawn, the angry brother of a boy killed by the Ynaa; Patrice, a young woman who went to the mainland U.S. for college but has returned pregnant; her ex-boyfriend Derrick, dubbed a traitor for his job working for Mera; and Derrick's grandmother Henrietta who refuses a Ynaa treatment for her cancer. All of them must come to their own conclusions, for good or for ill, as all of Water Island moves toward a final, explosive confrontation.
A persuasively—almost musically—worded meditation on colonialism and whether it's really possible to return home again.
