Science Fiction: The Rosewater Insurrection by Tade Thompson

I am excited to post about the second installment of Tade Thompson's The Wormwood Trilogy. The events of The Rosewater Insurrection come immediately after Rosewater, and once again catch up with Kaaro, though more from a distance this time, as other characters are beginning to play an even bigger role in the strange happenings in his world, as well as in the larger climate of the makeshift city.

The Situation: Kaaro may be more or less done working with the government, but his girlfriend Aminat is not. She does not particularly love what she does, or reporting to her icy boss Femi, but she must keep in mind what they are doing for her brother. For him, she will stick with her job, even as it gets harder to do and more dangerous. While the alien dome offers the people of Rosewater protection, it also presents a massive eventual threat to all of humanity. Aminat may not like Femi, but she continues to carry out her orders, especially since she clearly knows more about the situation than she lets on. Unfortunately, things get incredibly complicated when Jacques, the mayor of Rosewater, decides to add to an already stressful situation by declaring the town's independence from Nigeria. And then there is Alyssa, a woman who wakes up one morning with no memory of the husband she woke up next to, or the small child that comes bounding into her room shortly after. She cannot remember anything about her previously life. In fact, she is pretty sure she is not even human.

The Problem: Jacques' decision to claim independence for Rosewater could not have come at a worse time. The Nigerian government was already upset with the city, and now they have a reason to declare all out war. And the alien dome that would normally protect the city now appears to be sick, and a new otherworldly enemy appears to be the reason. If the citizens of Rosewater are not being attacked by federal forces, then they must fend off the newest alien threat, while also still attempting to strategize against the first one, especially now that they know its long-term plan of eventual domination over Earth. Everyone has their own agenda, even with the ultimate goal of saving humankind needing to be the first priority. It would be bad enough if it was the human race against one powerful alien enemy. Now there are two alien enemies, plus the Nigerian government, and the human forces of Rosewater will need to work together if the city - the planet - is to survive. 

Genre, Themes, History: This is a science fiction novel and the second of The Wormwood Trilogy. Unlike Rosewater, this one does not primarily stick with one character's point of view. And while Kaaro is still around, there is much more focus on Aminat as she still works for the agency he abandoned. With Aminat providing one thread to the story, Jacques provides another view as Rosewater's fairly ineffective and somewhat clueless mayor. It appears that almost every move he makes is a wrong one, and despite his best efforts, he cannot catch a break, and ultimately brings destruction and harm to the city he has promised to serve. Then there is Eric, another sensitive like Kaaro, though not nearly as strong. As an agent for the government, Eric follows orders and does not show any alliance except to his superiors. And he really wishes he could keep closer tabs on Kaaro. And then there is Alyssa, a woman who cannot remember her own past, but it becomes clear that she plays an important role in Rosewater's future. There is not only one insurrection to keep up with, but a few. Sure, there is the political one of Rosewater attempting independence from Nigeria, but it also seems like the dome has its own enemy, and both fights will be messy.

My Verdict: My goodness there is a lot going on here. And like any good second book in a trilogy, there are questions that still need answering, and it is clear that some of the characters still have surprises waiting for us. Everyone is keeping something from everyone else, even those closest to them. Information is almost as good as money (almost), and allegiances are bought and sold using bribery and blackmail. In other words, war is messy. And war with a superior alien species is both messy and confusing. How do you fight something that almost always, no matter what, has the upper hand, and you have nothing to offer it? At worst, the narrative was confusing, mostly because of the jumping around between different view points and the amount of different groups in play. But at best, this was an adventure you would never want any part of, but would love to watch from very far away. Creative creatures, well-rounded characters, and a space battle on earth? Yes, please.

Favorite Moment: When Aminat slaps Femi across the face. So satisfying. Seriously, she is the worst...unless we somehow find out in the third book that she is the best.

Favorite Character: With Rosewater, I did not hesitate in saying that I did not trust Aminat. Now, she is my favorite character, though I find her attachment to Kaaro to be both ridiculous and annoying. 

Recommended Reading: Star of the North by D.B. John is not science fiction, but it has just as much action and is also filled with incredible characters that all have their own part to play in the overall political adventure.