Science Fiction: The Rosewater Redemption by Tade Thompson

It was just earlier this year that I covered the first two books in Tade Thompson's The Wormwood Trilogy, and now, seven months later, I have had the opportunity to read the third and final book, The Rosewater Redemption. Readers have the chance to find out what happens to Kaaro, Aminat, Femi, and of course, the alien species that has come to call the city of Rosewater home.

The Situation: After the insurrection, the city of Rosewater has become an even more chaotic place than it was before. Even though humans can be healed at a much quicker pace, chaos reigns, destruction and crime are constant, and not everyone is okay with the alien presence, which now calls itself Koriko. As real motives are uncovered, alliances seem to shift hourly, and no one is safe. Even the mayor's own household is not in agreement, as Jack Jacques is holding strong to the deal he made with the aliens, while his wife is openly challenging what they are doing. Some are convinced that Koriko, and by extension Wormwood, must be stopped, while others worship her as a god. The only thing that is clear is that something is coming, something big. And while Kaaro continues to declare that he is retired, he certainly still has a place in the conflict, as his skills are far too valuable for him to sit on the sidelines.

The Problem: The presence of an alien species is not the only issue Rosewater has to contend with. It also seems that Nigeria is not too keen on allowing Rosewater to be independent for long. The president enlists the help of one of Rosewater's best, but like everyone in the story, their alliance is questionable. Deals that were made in the past mean nothing, and those that appear to be on the same side may not actually be. Even Aminat, who works for the mayor on paper, is not sure what side she is really on, and what the repercussions of her current work, or the deal with the aliens, could be. As the city continues to unravel, and the already thin semblance of peace falls apart, the aliens' true intentions are revealed. Rosewater will need every resource it has to survive what is coming. Unfortunately, those resources do not get along, cannot agree, and may not even be powerful enough.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a science fiction book that closes out The Wormwood Trilogy, which began with Rosewater in 2016. What began as a city that sprung up around an seemingly benevolent alien presence, has become a nightmarish landscape full of chaos and crime. Fortunately, those that get hurt are instantly healed, and those that die are almost instantly brought back to life by Koriko. Naturally, the people of Rosewater are split on how they feel about their loved ones being brought back to life, especially if that means a completely different species inhabits the body. If this were the first book, the reader would almost exclusively be following Kaaro and how he is handling all of this. In the second book there was more focus on Aminat, Kaaro's lover. Now the mythical, though very real Oyin Da, or 'Bicycle Girl,' tells the story, though she insists she is the wrong person to do so. From her, the reader learns from the beginning that Rosewater is no more, and then the story jumps from person to person, group to group, as we learn how everything ended.

My Verdict: This is a hell of a way to end an already intense but fun experience. The story up to this point was already a crazy ride; this third entry becomes something else entirely. There are spots where things got confusing, especially as it could be hard to keep track of who is supposed to be aligned with who, and why they aren't aligned with someone else, or why they betrayed this other person who they were aligned with...it can be a lot to follow. But ultimately, Thompson brings it all together to the explosive conclusion. Oyin Da may protest having to be the one to tell the story, but she is the one that saw it all. Plus, having her tell the story gives a better picture of who she is. Questions from the previous books are answered, relationships are tested, and motives become clear, all to the backdrop of the fun but ugly mess that is the city of Rosewater. 

Favorite Moment: When handwritten notebooks with important information are presented, with the defense that at least they cannot be hacked. 

Favorite Character: I never thought I would say this, but Bad Fish ends up being my favorite. He may be trouble, but he is also smart and useful. 

Recommended Reading: I am going back to the recommendation I made with the first book, which is the Binti series by Nnedi Okorafor.