Book Review: Rosewater by Tade Thompson
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 1 of The Wormwood Trilogy
Publisher: Orbit (September 18, 2018)
Length: 432 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Rosewater was weird, but in the best way possible. And that’s not something I can say about a lot of books, given my low weirdness tolerance. However, this was an instance where I was glad I kept an open mind, because while the story and I may have started out on shaky ground, it eventually expanded and developed into something strangely wonderful and compelling.
The book opens with our protagonist, Kaaro, arriving to work at the secret government facility known only as Section 45. The year is 2066, and the world has seen dramatic changes since the arrival of an alien lifeform which has settled itself near right outside of Lagos, Nigeria, where most of this story takes place. There, the alien presence has taken the form of a biodome, giving rise to Rosewater, the name of the community that has sprung up around its edges. Every so often, the dome would also split apart, releasing a mysterious substance rumored to have strong healing powers. As a result, Rosewater has become a destination for some of the world’s most hungry, sick, and desperate.
Kaaro himself has been changed by the biodome. He is among a group of individuals “infected” by the alien presence when it first arrived, which has granted them these uncanny telepathic abilities. Called sensitives, they share a special connection with the living dome, allowing them to pick up on thoughts and other signals to glean information and knowledge. When Kaaro first discovered he was a sensitive, he used his newfound powers to steal, but now he has joined many others like him, coerced by Section 45 to work for them as an interrogator to extract information from prisoners. But something odd has been happening lately. Visions of a woman with butterfly wings inside the biodome keep appearing to Kaaro, and soon many of his fellow sensitives are getting sick and dying. Is this a targeted attack on those like him, or something else? And will he be next?
I won’t deny this was a story that took a long time to take shape and gain traction. There’s a lot of world-building to establish, not to mention a lot jumping around in the timeline—something I admittedly struggle with when I encounter non-linear storytelling. And I would say Rosewater did take a while to generate interest, but once it dug its hooks into me, I was sold. Around the time Kaaro was informed of the many other sensitives like him dying under mysterious circumstances, the mystery plot came into the forefront and became the most important element of the book. At this point I finally felt like I was in my element, that there were tangible conflicts to which I could latch onto and focus my attentions.
That said, I also don’t want to give the wrong impression of this book. Yes, it is strange, and there are many moving parts, with the story taking a long rambling route to where it wants to be. Despite this though, Rosewater is very readable and accessible, even if it did require a fair bit of investment on my part. It is almost overwhelming in places, due to the sheer amount of information one must take in, from reanimates to secret portals and angel-like extraterrestrials. Suffice to say, we would be here all day if I were to detail all of the crazy inventive stuff I found in this novel, because pretty much everything was just so damn cool.
And to be honest, Rosewater only started to grow on me once all these ideas had their chance to settle. It wasn’t until much later that it occurred to me, this novel that I held in my hands was much more than a sci-fi mystery. It is also a tale of alien first contact, but unlike any I’ve ever read before. Revolution simmers beneath the surface, in this future version of Africa where many of the rights and freedoms have still yet to reach the people. Nigeria has become a gathering place for much of the world’s disenfranchised, who have come to the biodome with hopes of salvation.
Now might also be a good time to point out this is not a very cheerful tale; it is set to the backdrop of a lot of unpleasantness and misery, and Kaaro is a character with whom readers might have a hard time connecting. He fits the profile of a film noir protagonist in a lot of ways, namely being a socially estranged loner with a lot of existential angst—much of it not unwarranted, I might add. He has a complicated past, a result of coming into his powers at a young age. The rapport he has with coworkers and fellow sensitives also belies the fact he despises working for Section 45, though the details of his history with them isn’t revealed until much later. His experience with the alien lifeform, Rosewater, and his own powers are dominated by emotions of uncertainty, and it is this vulnerability that makes him feel so genuine to me. Such a complex portrayal of a multilayered, often contradictory protagonist is never easy, but I was really impressed by the work Tade Thompson has done.
So, if you are feeling brave, please think about giving Rosewater a chance. Personally, I am glad I did, despite my initial worries that it would be too weird or confusing for my tastes. Frankly, it is an rare and beautiful thing for a book to start off by filling me with doubt, only to turn around and sweep me off my feet, leaving me with a strong and lasting impression by the end. It’s a real treat, one I hope many others will be able to experience with this incredibly unique and thought-provoking novel.
The BiblioSanctum 
It sounds like you ended up really enjoying this one. Hopefully the series will keep up the standard for you!
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The sequel should be interesting…at least I know that for sure 🙂
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I can’t wait to read this! It’s the first book on my post-Halloween reading list. I flew through his very readable horror novella “The Murders of Molly Southbourne” this week.
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Ah, this will be good read for October. Not exactly horror, but very weird!
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Huh, sounds interesting and, in some ways, similar to Lagoon.
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Interesting! I haven’t read Lagoon, but I might have to take a second look.
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I really liked it. It was weird, but I like weird so ymmv, lol. 🙂
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I loved everything about this book! The weirdness, the characters, it just all worked, but then, I can usually take big doses of weird😁
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Yes, I loved your review! It was what made me look into this one 🙂
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I wonder if this has been edited at all for this edition. I have an old copy…
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That’s a good question – one that I would like to know too, to satisfy my curiosity.
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Great review. I don’t think it sounds like a book for me but I’m glad weird worked for you this time around.
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It’s so rare whenever a “weird” book works for me – whenever it happens, it’s cause to celebrate 🙂
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it’s funy the feel of the cover is really 70s so when I saw it’s finally 2066, it was really not that lol
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Haha, I’ve never thought of the cover like that!
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Weird, well that can go two ways for me, cool weird, and what on earth is this contusing weird 🙂
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I think it was a bit of both, to be honest 🙂 The good thing is was that the weirdness did not permeate the actual story itself, I was able to follow along pretty well.
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Your review points to a book that is not an easy read, not as in being difficult to understand, but because it requires patience and commitment from its readers, but on the other hand it also looks like a rewarding story. In other words, a great challenge!
And how could I resist it? 😉
Thanks for sharing!
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Exactly! You put it better than I could ever have! 🙂
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I really want to read this – in fact I have a copy – and, I’m feeling brave. It needs to bump up the list.
Lynn 😀
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Go, Lynn, go! You should definitely give it a try 🙂
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I really need to reread Rosewater, I remember liking it, but i don’t remember much of the details.
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I don’t really blame you, there were some really bizarre details! 🙂
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