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zosiablue's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Ah man the story is so cool and inventive - aliens invade via some mycological ideaspace & there's now a secret police force full of psychics who use the ideaspace to read minds & kick ass, in Nigeria. The US hasn't been heard from in 45 years! But the main character is so sexist and obnoxious and uncharming that it's almost unbearable to read. The author is clear that the MC isn't necessarily likable and is way flawed, but it just didn't land and ruined the story for me. I won't keep reading the trilogy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Colonisation, Misogyny, War, and Police brutality
lilacs_book_bower's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I struggled on the rating for this one. It has a non-linear structure, as we flash back and forth in the main protagonist Kaaro's life. I really liked that and how it slowly let the mystery and the world building unfold. I liked the setting in Nigeria, the city of Rosewater, the mysterious alien dome, and Kaaro's and the other sensitive's powers to see into people's minds. There are a lot of interesting plot threads at play here, Kaaro's powers, the xenosphere, Aminat's brother, the dome itself... However, Kaaro is not a likable character (tbf, everyone in the book, even Kaaro, seems to know this, but personally for me, I find that more challenging in a book); he is obsessed with sex and objectifies nearly every woman and wants to have sex with them. Kaaro's relationship with Aminat feels insta-lovey, and why would she even like him? The revelation that someone is killing the sensitives doesn't happen until halfway through the book, and I felt that is should have come sooner to amp up the urgency of the story. Lastly, I might be alone in this going by other reviews, but I thought the end was a let down, even knowing that this is a trilogy. I was surprised that was all there was to the book's climax; I was surprised the book was over, as it felt very abrupt. I was expecting more. Overall though, I really did enjoy the book and would recommend it. I hope to read the sequels.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Confinement, Cursing, Medical content, Miscarriage, Murder, Sexual harassment, Blood, Addiction, Colonisation, Pregnancy, Violence, Gore, and Misogyny
maricasement's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I have conflicted feelings about this book. I went into it knowing only what was written on the blurb and was really excited for the story. The story is told in first person and as the main character (Kaaro) was introduced I got even more excited because I thought they were an interesting, if a bit misogynistic, female character. Alas, Kaaro turned out to be an arrogant and irritating misogynistic male character. My dislike for him was increased by being immersed in his inner thoughts and his obliviousness to his faults. However, I do understand why the author made the choice to use the first person perspective as it becomes more relevant and important in setting the scene as the book progresses.
Because of my dislike for Kaaro, the first half of the book dragged. There was a lot being set up at the start as well, and this meant that the book took a while to grip me. Once the book revealed an awareness of Kaaro's faults and the mystery started to take shape, I started enjoying the book a bit more. Don't get me wrong, Kaaro is still a character I dislike, but the other (female) characters, the plot and the world building now have me hooked.
I will probably read the next in the series, as it seems to be told from a different character's perspective and I would love to learn more about the world Tade Thompson has crafted.
Because of my dislike for Kaaro, the first half of the book dragged. There was a lot being set up at the start as well, and this meant that the book took a while to grip me. Once the book revealed an awareness of Kaaro's faults and the mystery started to take shape, I started enjoying the book a bit more. Don't get me wrong, Kaaro is still a character I dislike, but the other (female) characters, the plot and the world building now have me hooked.
I will probably read the next in the series, as it seems to be told from a different character's perspective and I would love to learn more about the world Tade Thompson has crafted.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Terminal illness, Blood, Body horror, Murder, Excrement, Gore, Kidnapping, Body shaming, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and Misogyny
Moderate: Miscarriage, War, Vomit, and Emotional abuse
albernikolauras's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Rosewater is a book following a town centered around an alien presence and the main character Kaaro as he looks into the reason people with powers like him are dying. It's a fast-paced sci fi that throws you into the action and jumps around in the timeline to help you figure out the history of Rosewater.
This book is not for everyone. Kaaro is a misogynistic coward and an opportunistic criminal, and you are stuck with him for the majority of the book. I ended up having a near affection for him despite this - he's probably the most likable unlikeable character. But his issues are never left unconfronted, Aminat is amazing, and the plot kept me interested the entire time. It's jam packed with government conflicts, underhanded trickery, an oddly cute romance, and some squishy alien science.
This was a re-read to prep me for reading the rest of the books.
This book is not for everyone. Kaaro is a misogynistic coward and an opportunistic criminal, and you are stuck with him for the majority of the book. I ended up having a near affection for him despite this - he's probably the most likable unlikeable character. But his issues are never left unconfronted, Aminat is amazing, and the plot kept me interested the entire time. It's jam packed with government conflicts, underhanded trickery, an oddly cute romance, and some squishy alien science.
This was a re-read to prep me for reading the rest of the books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Body horror, and Violence
Moderate: Misogyny and War
racheljane96's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Concept, 5 stars. Execution, 2 stars.
I absolutely blew through this book, but by the second half I think what was keeping me going was more momentum and hope it would all tie together at the end. Spoiler: it did not.
The world-building and concept behind this book was highly engaging and interesting, and uncovering it all and Kaaro's backstory in the first half of the book was excellent.
However, by the second half, as all the plot threads started to unravel and tangle and the protagonist remained unreadable; I was just hoping for some sense.
Ultimately, there was far too much going on in this book. The narrative jumping over time worked in the beginning but just made me so lost and confused as to the direction of the story and what I was supposed to be understanding from any of it by the end.
What I later realised was supposed to be a big reveal fell flat as I had no sense of build up with the random plot threads and jumping around, and no real rounding off of the story.
The array of characters were believable in the setting, but still felt a bit 2D, potentially because Kaaro is apparently a sociopath and probably the most purposelessly misogynistic character I've ever had the displeasure of reading. It feels like the end is supposed to redeem him as a character as he chooses the woman over this alternative future, but the relationship feels false, shallow, and frankly unbelievable at every turn.
Possibly 3 stars is too generous based on the above, with only the novel speculative elements keeping it up. I will not be reading the following books.
I absolutely blew through this book, but by the second half I think what was keeping me going was more momentum and hope it would all tie together at the end. Spoiler: it did not.
The world-building and concept behind this book was highly engaging and interesting, and uncovering it all and Kaaro's backstory in the first half of the book was excellent.
However, by the second half, as all the plot threads started to unravel and tangle and the protagonist remained unreadable; I was just hoping for some sense.
Ultimately, there was far too much going on in this book. The narrative jumping over time worked in the beginning but just made me so lost and confused as to the direction of the story and what I was supposed to be understanding from any of it by the end.
What I later realised was supposed to be a big reveal fell flat as I had no sense of build up with the random plot threads and jumping around, and no real rounding off of the story.
The array of characters were believable in the setting, but still felt a bit 2D, potentially because Kaaro is apparently a sociopath and probably the most purposelessly misogynistic character I've ever had the displeasure of reading. It feels like the end is supposed to redeem him as a character as he chooses the woman over this alternative future, but the relationship feels false, shallow, and frankly unbelievable at every turn.
Possibly 3 stars is too generous based on the above, with only the novel speculative elements keeping it up. I will not be reading the following books.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny
goosegrimm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Rosewater is an interesting book. I'm not quite sure its my cup of tea however. I very much enjoyed Thompson's voice and his attention to detail in the setting. His prose is beautiful and really draws you in. However, the narrative is very disjointed and while that serves the overall story quite well, I had difficulty following even with the chapter headings. My suspension of disbelief was also occasionally broken both by the timeline changes and some of the plot points. Overall if you would like a genuinely fascinating sci-fi world to explore, this is a great fit. Just be warned that it can occasionally be difficult to follow despite how beautifully written it is. I am excited to read further works both in the Wormwood trilogy and by Thompson.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Body horror, Sexual content, Violence, and Gore
Moderate: Chronic illness, Colonisation, Torture, Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping
Minor: Classism, Homophobia, Medical content, Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
saffista's review against another edition
Rampant misogyny, gratuitous violence, lack of worldbuilding and character development for the female characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexual violence, and Violence
sarah984's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This is a really unique alien invasion story set in Nigeria in the 2060s, in a city that has built up around an alien biodome that mysteriously heals the sick once per year. The alien has also released a sort of spore into the atmosphere that allows some people to access special abilities like mind reading. The main character is a psychic who (mostly unwillingly) works for the government. His perspective is awful because he's an immature misogynist, but the story itself and the nature of colonization that it exposes are interesting.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Body horror, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Medical content, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Ableism, Cannibalism, Cancer, Drug abuse, and Slavery
kylieqrada's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I'm waffling between a 3.5 and a 4 ⭐s on this one. It is a fascinating and wholly original start to a sci-fi series set in Nigeria and following a biological alien lifeform that changes the makeup of Earth itself???? And then there's like people with telepathic powers???? And spy stuff???? And government conspiracies???? And I loved it???? The writing style was definitely different, it took a bit for me to get used to it. Also our MC is not the most likeable of bros. But overall, I enjoyed this immensely and will be continuing the series and reading more from Tade Thompson.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Torture, and Violence
saestrah's review against another edition
i got as far as finishing chapter three. i found the narration bland with a heavy dose of eye-rolling misogyny when it comes to describing women
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny and Sexual content