Rosewater by Tade Thompson

September 20, 2018

Rosewater is a town on the edge. A community formed around the edges of a mysterious alien biodome, its residents comprise the hopeful, the hungry and the helpless—people eager for a glimpse inside the dome or a taste of its rumored healing powers.

Kaaro is a government agent with a criminal past. He has seen inside the biodome, and doesn’t care to again—but when something begins killing off others like himself, Kaaro must defy his masters to search for an answer, facing his dark history and coming to a realization about a horrifying future.

A strange alien presence has arrived on Earth and set up residence in the middle of Nigeria. In this special location, a town has grown up over a handful of years. Rosewater is a melting pot of different people and different attitudes. It doesn’t matter if you are seeking religious enlightenment, dabbling in some corporate greed, or a vicious drug dealing thug, Rosewater offers opportunity for all.

Kaaro makes for a compelling protagonist. He is not what you would call a traditional hero, quite the reverse in fact. He is a coward, a thief and is disinterested in just about everything except himself. The problem is that Kaaro is supremely skilled when it comes to finding things. The authorities are quite happy to exploit him and use his abilities to further their own ends.

The other character that stands out is Kaaro’s boss, Femi. They constantly snipe at one another, there is a subtle running joke that Kaaro only ever calls Femi by her first name, though she constantly corrects him. That said, you can sense there is a grudging respect there. Femi is privy to far more secrets than Kaaro and you get the distinct impression she is highly skilled at playing the political game. I liked the dynamic between these two. Watching two strong personalities interact is endlessly fascinating. The book covers multiple time periods in Kaaro’s life, more on that in a minute, and we get to see the evolution of the relationship between them both.  

Woven within the strands of the mesmerising, Thompson also manages to find the opportunity to explore different aspects of the human condition. There is social commentary on everything from politics to sexuality. Nigeria in 2066 is a place where tradition and new ideas battle against one another on a daily basis. Technology finds itself at odds with mythology and superstition. This juxtaposition adds an extra layer of context to the story and helps to flesh out Kaaro’ motivations and reactions. I don’t think I was expecting something quite so insightful when I started reading.

I think one of the things I liked most about Rosewater is how the narrative follows Kaaro’s personal timeline. Rather than being entirely linear, different chapters move forward and back through key moments in his life. This approach allows the writer to deftly dance around some of the bigger questions that are asked. Is the alien presence malignant or benign? Where does humanity fit in the universe now that we know we are no longer alone? What is happening elsewhere in the world? We get some but not all of these questions answered. The way these answers are delivered ensures that I’ll most definitely be back for more. I need to know what happens next.

When it comes to science fiction I enjoy anything that is set in the near future.  I think it’s because I find it easier to make some connection with it. In Rosewater we’re reading about events that are taking place only fifty years from now. There is enough familiarity that the setting is easy to accept as real. The writing also has a genuinely evocative air. The sights and sounds of Nigeria feel vibrant and alive.  I’ll admit my exposure to Afrofuturism is, if I’m entirely honest, somewhat lacking, but Rosewater is such a stellar debut I intend to rectify this oversight as soon as I possibly can. Thompson’s confident prose ensures you’ll hang on every word. I loved the characters, loved the setting and was in awe of the premise. I suspect this novel is going to feature somewhere on my annual review of 2018 when I finally write it.

Tade Thompson is on Twitter so I thought I’d be cheeky and ask him what music inspired Rosewater. He very kindly came back to me with the following playlist.

1. Dead Presidents Theme – Danny Elfman

2. I Heard It Through The Grapevine – Marvin Gaye

3. Roses & Revolvers – Janko Nilovic

4. Nobody Speak – DJ Shadow

5. On The Rooftops – Ennio Morricone

6. Top Rankin – Bob Marley

7. One Blood – Junior Reid

In addition to those most excellent choices, I’ll add my own. I listened to Juju Music by King Sunny Adé while reading the novel and it felt like a perfect fit.

Rosewater is published by Orbit and is available now. I highly recommend checking it out. Book two in The Wormwood Trilogy, The Rosewater Insurrection, is set to follow. I cannot wait to read it.  

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