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A review by mediaevalmuse
Midnight Robber by Nalo Hopkinson
4.0
I read this book as a challenge to myself to read more sci-fi/fantasy that wasn't written by white men. I'm glad I did, because this novel was instantly intriguing to me and was a welcome difference from the hoards of spaceship-like sci fi I have on my bookshelves.
Things I Liked
1. World-building: This story is largely dependent on the world it’s set in, and Hopkinson effectively crafts one that’s full of color and imagination. Both Toussaint and New Half-Way Tree are vividly realized and incorporate elements of folklore, history, and futurism - all without being completely grimdark. My favorite, though, was the world of New Half-Way Tree and the myriad of creatures that lived in it, all enhancing the otherworldliness of the setting and the intensity of the survival narrative in the first part of the book.
2. Douens: By far, my favorite characters were the Douens, the creatures that interact with the humans on New Half-Way Tree. I loved that Tan-Tan was so close with douens like Chichibud, Benta, and Tefa, especially Tefa, whose loyalty was so touching when Tan-Tan was in her darkest moments. Not only do these creatures show off Hopkinson’s incredible skill for world-building, but they also give readers access to a non-human-centered existence that insert peace and comfort in an otherwise chaotic world.
3. Language: This book is largely written in Anglopatwa (Patois or Jamaican Patois), which isn’t so much interesting for it’s “difference” or “novelty” compared to mainstream sci fi, but more so for its ability to immerse the reader in the worlds of the novel. I don’t think the Caribbean roots of the world would be as present to all readers if the language didn’t constantly remind them that this is Caribbean futurism.
4. Folklore: Over the course of the novel, there are breaks in the main narrative where an unnamed narrator tells folktales of Tan-Tan the Robber Queen. Even though readers are reading a story about Tan-Tan, these mini-stories add more fantasy to the novel, which makes the whole book feel much more of a blend of genres than a straightforward science fiction novel.
5.Sensitive Topics: This novel contains rape/incest and abuse. At first, I wasn’t sure if I valued their inclusion in the story, but the more I read, the more I felt satisfied with Hopkinson’s handling of these topics. She doesn’t include them for shock value, and the effects of the abuse last throughout the novel, so they aren’t magically forgotten or pushed aside. I appreciated that, and I think it shows Hopkinson’s incredible sensitivity to these issues and her deliberation when writing about them.
Things I Didn’t Like
1. Organization: As much as I loved the world of Toussaint, I wasn’t wholly invested in the events that went on there and the length of time readers spend reading about them. I was much more invested in the events on New Half-Way Tree, and it seems that Hopkinson by far had more to say and explore with the latter setting. Toussaint may have made a good world to set a plot of its own in, but this book mainly felt like it was about surviving in a new world, so Toussaint didn’t feel like it was needed so much.
2. Plot: Some parts of the plot felt very much like I was reading a novel that was akin to James Cameron’s Avatar. For example, there’s a main tree where all the douens live and there’s conflict (or at least strain) between them and humans. I’m sure it has less to do with Hopkinson’s story and more to do with cliches and the saturation of the market with sci-fi tales about earth-loving creatures and/or survival stories.
Recommendations: You may like this novel if you're interested in sci-fi involving alternate worlds, portals, and fantastical creatures. You may also enjoy this book if you're a fan of folklore and Caribbean futurism or want to read more sci-fi/fantasy by authors of color.
Things I Liked
1. World-building: This story is largely dependent on the world it’s set in, and Hopkinson effectively crafts one that’s full of color and imagination. Both Toussaint and New Half-Way Tree are vividly realized and incorporate elements of folklore, history, and futurism - all without being completely grimdark. My favorite, though, was the world of New Half-Way Tree and the myriad of creatures that lived in it, all enhancing the otherworldliness of the setting and the intensity of the survival narrative in the first part of the book.
2. Douens: By far, my favorite characters were the Douens, the creatures that interact with the humans on New Half-Way Tree. I loved that Tan-Tan was so close with douens like Chichibud, Benta, and Tefa, especially Tefa, whose loyalty was so touching when Tan-Tan was in her darkest moments. Not only do these creatures show off Hopkinson’s incredible skill for world-building, but they also give readers access to a non-human-centered existence that insert peace and comfort in an otherwise chaotic world.
3. Language: This book is largely written in Anglopatwa (Patois or Jamaican Patois), which isn’t so much interesting for it’s “difference” or “novelty” compared to mainstream sci fi, but more so for its ability to immerse the reader in the worlds of the novel. I don’t think the Caribbean roots of the world would be as present to all readers if the language didn’t constantly remind them that this is Caribbean futurism.
4. Folklore: Over the course of the novel, there are breaks in the main narrative where an unnamed narrator tells folktales of Tan-Tan the Robber Queen. Even though readers are reading a story about Tan-Tan, these mini-stories add more fantasy to the novel, which makes the whole book feel much more of a blend of genres than a straightforward science fiction novel.
5.Sensitive Topics: This novel contains rape/incest and abuse. At first, I wasn’t sure if I valued their inclusion in the story, but the more I read, the more I felt satisfied with Hopkinson’s handling of these topics. She doesn’t include them for shock value, and the effects of the abuse last throughout the novel, so they aren’t magically forgotten or pushed aside. I appreciated that, and I think it shows Hopkinson’s incredible sensitivity to these issues and her deliberation when writing about them.
Things I Didn’t Like
1. Organization: As much as I loved the world of Toussaint, I wasn’t wholly invested in the events that went on there and the length of time readers spend reading about them. I was much more invested in the events on New Half-Way Tree, and it seems that Hopkinson by far had more to say and explore with the latter setting. Toussaint may have made a good world to set a plot of its own in, but this book mainly felt like it was about surviving in a new world, so Toussaint didn’t feel like it was needed so much.
2. Plot: Some parts of the plot felt very much like I was reading a novel that was akin to James Cameron’s Avatar. For example, there’s a main tree where all the douens live and there’s conflict (or at least strain) between them and humans. I’m sure it has less to do with Hopkinson’s story and more to do with cliches and the saturation of the market with sci-fi tales about earth-loving creatures and/or survival stories.
Recommendations: You may like this novel if you're interested in sci-fi involving alternate worlds, portals, and fantastical creatures. You may also enjoy this book if you're a fan of folklore and Caribbean futurism or want to read more sci-fi/fantasy by authors of color.