Reviews

Rosewater by Tade Thompson

mdegge's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Aliens, psychics, mystery, broken timeline! Tough to rate... Definitely dark. The plot and world building are good. I am excited to see where the series goes with these dynamics. I wish there were a more likeable character in the story, but the main character is kind of neutral. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, and Sexual content

vermilionred's review

4.0

Got kind of bogged down in the middle, but I do think it was worth it. It delivered what I wanted.

tishywishy's review

3.0

Honestly, not sure what to give this book. It's intriguing and all the alien aspects are truly unique but I couldn't full digest the story. I felt thrown all over the place and didn't know who was a friend or foe of the protagonist. Speaking of the lead, it wasn't easy to feel connected with him for the journey. Not going to continue the series.

katakarin's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

perfectsham's review

3.75

Loved the narrator of the audiobook, loved the setting in Nigeria and the fully immersive world, but something about this book just didn't do it for me. Maybe it's the fact that the main character sexualises every woman in the book. Like, doesn't matter where in the world sci fi comes from, horny men seem to be a mandatory and exhausting part of all of them. I haven't bothered with the sequels because the main character isn't anyone I want to spend any more time with.

lyndseygemm's review

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

3.5

marsem's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

slimyfan's review

challenging dark funny mysterious medium-paced

3.5

Incredible world building, really beautiful imagery. A noir novel in sci fi, Afro-futurist form! Amazing. I struggled to tell whether the protagonist was a mysoginist or whether the writing of women was intended to reflect the noir genre - either way I feel like different choices could have been made. Also I just get frustrated with any book that sets itself up immediately for a sequel in a way that leaves you unsatisfied with the one you've got.

But DAMN. the mushrooms. I loved the concept. 

superhawk610's review

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

mrmysteryfox's review against another edition

4.0

Enjoyable alien sci-fi based in Nigeria. Some shared idea with books such as the neuromancer; the concept of the xenomorph reminds me of cyberspace. Will read the rest of the trilogy.