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Record Keeper #1
The Record Keeper
The Record Keeper is a visceral and thrilling near-future dystopia examining past and present race relations.
After World War III, Earth is in ruins, and the final armies have come to a reluctant truce. Everyone must obey the law—in every way—or risk shattering the fragile peace and endangering the entire human race.
Although Arika Cobane is a member of the race whose backbreaking labor provides food for the remnants of humanity, she is destined to become a member of the Kongo elite. After ten grueling years of training, she is on the threshold of taking her place of privilege far from the fields. But everything changes when a new student arrives. Hosea Khan spews dangerous words of treason: What does peace matter if innocent lives are lost to maintain it?
As Arika is exposed to new beliefs, she realizes that the laws she has dedicated herself to uphold are the root of her people's misery. If Arika is to liberate her people, she must unearth her fierce heart and discover the true meaning of freedom: finding the courage to live—or die—without fear.
After World War III, Earth is in ruins, and the final armies have come to a reluctant truce. Everyone must obey the law—in every way—or risk shattering the fragile peace and endangering the entire human race.
Although Arika Cobane is a member of the race whose backbreaking labor provides food for the remnants of humanity, she is destined to become a member of the Kongo elite. After ten grueling years of training, she is on the threshold of taking her place of privilege far from the fields. But everything changes when a new student arrives. Hosea Khan spews dangerous words of treason: What does peace matter if innocent lives are lost to maintain it?
As Arika is exposed to new beliefs, she realizes that the laws she has dedicated herself to uphold are the root of her people's misery. If Arika is to liberate her people, she must unearth her fierce heart and discover the true meaning of freedom: finding the courage to live—or die—without fear.
464 pages, Paperback
First published June 18, 2018
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2124 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
March 15, 2020
An unusual and complicated book, requiring some time and thought to process and understand.
I was a bit confused at first, because there is so much left unsaid that you just have to glean from actions and events, from conversations, and from the inner monologue of the main character, Arika. At times it felt like listening to a conversation between two people from a country wholly foreign to me, making it a challenge to put everything in context.
I wasn't sure how I felt about the book for much of the time I was reading it, but by the end I was fully engaged with the story. It creeps from dry to horrifying before you really notice what's happening.
The book ends on the high note of a clear turning point in the narrative arc and most questions are left unanswered. That means you should go into this book expecting to continue with the upcoming sequel if you want to know how everything plays out.
I was a bit confused at first, because there is so much left unsaid that you just have to glean from actions and events, from conversations, and from the inner monologue of the main character, Arika. At times it felt like listening to a conversation between two people from a country wholly foreign to me, making it a challenge to put everything in context.
I wasn't sure how I felt about the book for much of the time I was reading it, but by the end I was fully engaged with the story. It creeps from dry to horrifying before you really notice what's happening.
The book ends on the high note of a clear turning point in the narrative arc and most questions are left unanswered. That means you should go into this book expecting to continue with the upcoming sequel if you want to know how everything plays out.
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June 14, 2019The Record Keeper grips you from the first page, sucking you into a deftly crafted dystopian future where liberation is barely even a dream. This moving story of a young woman's struggle against mental and physical bondage, tells an important new-old tale and challenges us to begin the fight for freedom in our community and in ourselves. It's the start of a much larger story, and one well worth reading.
March 19, 2020
There was something so compelling about this story, even though I often felt like I had missed critical parts of a conversation while I was reading. It's a post-apocalyptic world, and Agnes Gomillion's protagonist is one of several young people training to become Record Keepers in Kongo, the country/territory in part of America that was responsible for producing the food for the last remaining people on the planet.
Arika starts the story proud and exuberant and strong as a baby, and by the time we rejoin her in her teens, she's been abused and subject to a gruelling amount of study. She's not prone to confiding in or leaning on her other Record Keepers-in-training, and is used and abused by one of the teachers, Jones, an English, who has plans of her own in what is a mysterious but clearly racially charged, violent and strange situation in the Kongo.
I kept finding myself asking the author to make things a little clearer, but as Arika is our viewpoint into this world and she has a very limited understanding of the political and other matters of what's happening in Kongo, and Kongo's relationship with the rest of the habitable world, I kept thinking that things would eventually be revealed. And some is by the end, but the book ended with much still left unknown. I liked what I did read here, so I'm awaiting the next installment.
Arika starts the story proud and exuberant and strong as a baby, and by the time we rejoin her in her teens, she's been abused and subject to a gruelling amount of study. She's not prone to confiding in or leaning on her other Record Keepers-in-training, and is used and abused by one of the teachers, Jones, an English, who has plans of her own in what is a mysterious but clearly racially charged, violent and strange situation in the Kongo.
I kept finding myself asking the author to make things a little clearer, but as Arika is our viewpoint into this world and she has a very limited understanding of the political and other matters of what's happening in Kongo, and Kongo's relationship with the rest of the habitable world, I kept thinking that things would eventually be revealed. And some is by the end, but the book ended with much still left unknown. I liked what I did read here, so I'm awaiting the next installment.
August 12, 2020
The Record Keeper follows Arika Cobane who lives in an area in the post World War III Earth called Kongo. She's been training for 10 years to become a record keeper and keep the history records of her people. She's nearing the end of her schooling and hoping to become a Senator of the Assembly. This post-apocalyptic world consists of the remains of what is formerly America split into three distinct territories with The English in the north; The Clayskin in the central area; and The Kongo in the south. Each faction has an Assembly of elected Senators to guide them following the rules laid out in an agreement called the Niagara Compromise.
Arika experiences heavy trauma as a child upon entering the school that breaks her rebellious spirit. To counteract said trauma she becomes the model student inciting the doctrines to the point where she actually starts convincing herself that the doctrines are valid. Through this story we see her awakening as she finally looks beyond her privilege and realizes the suffering her people are facing. She gains an understanding of how the Niagara Compromise freely lists all of the darker skinned Kongo's supposed weaknesses but lists very few for the white skinned English. She also knew the school textbooks censored history but she did not truly understand to the extent.
The Record Keeper is a solid dystopian tale full of twists and strong but not overly complex world building that will have you craving for more. And since a second book is releasing next year I'm curious to see how things continue.
View full review on my blog
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
Arika experiences heavy trauma as a child upon entering the school that breaks her rebellious spirit. To counteract said trauma she becomes the model student inciting the doctrines to the point where she actually starts convincing herself that the doctrines are valid. Through this story we see her awakening as she finally looks beyond her privilege and realizes the suffering her people are facing. She gains an understanding of how the Niagara Compromise freely lists all of the darker skinned Kongo's supposed weaknesses but lists very few for the white skinned English. She also knew the school textbooks censored history but she did not truly understand to the extent.
The Record Keeper is a solid dystopian tale full of twists and strong but not overly complex world building that will have you craving for more. And since a second book is releasing next year I'm curious to see how things continue.
View full review on my blog
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
June 19, 2019
If you would like to hear my non-spoilery thoughts on Record the Keeper, read on;
First Thoughts ✨
————————
I found the first chapter very confusing, as I do with must dystopian books. It showed our main character Arika as a child, and how brave and strong she was. She was ready to fight for what she believed in. Then, we jump to her being ‘thought a lesson’ - this is where my mind was like ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ this book was closely to linked to it where it was a horrible world they lived in, but it focused on a completely different aspect of life. Here the workers are repressed and the people in the book are trying to stop that.
Writing ✍🏻
———————
Agnes’ writing is so beautiful. I haven’t read such wonderful, well thought out writing in a while. It was way different than the easy to read, breezy YA Fantasy writing. This was beautifully dense and unforgettable!
Characters 👧
———————
The characters for me weren’t the best. I’m a very character driven person and I felt like this book, though it put emphasis on the struggles of the characters, they felt very similar to me. I think, the characters weren’t at all the focus of the novel (except Arika) they felt very the same to me. I loved Arika and how strong she became. Her character ARC was done very well.
Final Thoughts 💭
————————
I gave this book 3.5 stars after all as this has been my favorite Sci-Fi esc novel I’ve ever read. This genre of dystopia really just isn’t for me. If you love dystopians and you’re looking for a brutal and dark read, this one is for you!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
First Thoughts ✨
————————
I found the first chapter very confusing, as I do with must dystopian books. It showed our main character Arika as a child, and how brave and strong she was. She was ready to fight for what she believed in. Then, we jump to her being ‘thought a lesson’ - this is where my mind was like ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ this book was closely to linked to it where it was a horrible world they lived in, but it focused on a completely different aspect of life. Here the workers are repressed and the people in the book are trying to stop that.
Writing ✍🏻
———————
Agnes’ writing is so beautiful. I haven’t read such wonderful, well thought out writing in a while. It was way different than the easy to read, breezy YA Fantasy writing. This was beautifully dense and unforgettable!
Characters 👧
———————
The characters for me weren’t the best. I’m a very character driven person and I felt like this book, though it put emphasis on the struggles of the characters, they felt very similar to me. I think, the characters weren’t at all the focus of the novel (except Arika) they felt very the same to me. I loved Arika and how strong she became. Her character ARC was done very well.
Final Thoughts 💭
————————
I gave this book 3.5 stars after all as this has been my favorite Sci-Fi esc novel I’ve ever read. This genre of dystopia really just isn’t for me. If you love dystopians and you’re looking for a brutal and dark read, this one is for you!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
December 27, 2020
Arika is a very dynamic protagonist. She used to be very rebellious and became a toady after Teacher Jones crushed her spirit. A lot of the book is about whether or not she will return to being rebellious. Topics this book brought up - what does it take to be a revolutionary, the role of school and revised histories in upholding the status quo, the importance of memory to identity, creating family in a disruptive violent environment, the usefulness of divide and conquer.
June 20, 2022
Agnes Gomillion’s The Record Keeper is a post-apocalyptic ambiguous dystopia, in the mould of Octavia Butler. World War III has decimated earth, leaving only a strip of land in the former United States and Canada fit for human habitation. This land has been divided into three segments, where three sets of people reside: the Kongo, the English, and the Northrise. Labour is divided strictly according to the terms of a document called the Niagara Compromise, according to which the Kongo peoples’ obligation is to farm the land and produce food (the Kongos are themselves hierarchically divided into farmers/labourers and “record keepers” (a broad stand-in for the intellectual class)).
However, brewing rebellion and an unexpected plague threatens to unravel the Niagara Compromise, which has so far been kept in place through a combination of consent and extreme violence. The story follows the adventures of Arika Cobane, a record-keeper-in-training, who goes from obedient student to something else entirely, as she begins to learn - and question - more about the history of her people, and of the Niagara Compromise.
The Record Keeper has many of the familiar themes of the sub-genre (rigid post-apocalypse hierarchies, scrambled memories, violent suppression of dissent, rebellion); it is not, however, a derivative work, and is well worth a read. This is also the first book of a series, and it will be interesting to see how Gomillion carrie the story forward (disclosure: I am reading Book 2 for an Interzone review); in particular, Book 1 ends on a rapid - almost rushed - note, leaving a significant part of the slack to be taken up in the sequel; consequently, it is perhaps one of those books that can be best assessed in light of succeeding volumes.
However, brewing rebellion and an unexpected plague threatens to unravel the Niagara Compromise, which has so far been kept in place through a combination of consent and extreme violence. The story follows the adventures of Arika Cobane, a record-keeper-in-training, who goes from obedient student to something else entirely, as she begins to learn - and question - more about the history of her people, and of the Niagara Compromise.
The Record Keeper has many of the familiar themes of the sub-genre (rigid post-apocalypse hierarchies, scrambled memories, violent suppression of dissent, rebellion); it is not, however, a derivative work, and is well worth a read. This is also the first book of a series, and it will be interesting to see how Gomillion carrie the story forward (disclosure: I am reading Book 2 for an Interzone review); in particular, Book 1 ends on a rapid - almost rushed - note, leaving a significant part of the slack to be taken up in the sequel; consequently, it is perhaps one of those books that can be best assessed in light of succeeding volumes.
September 16, 2019
Solid debut novel! So many beautiful, hard, complicated themes woven through the text that painfully mirror past and present America. The story left some story lines open which may just be the reality of life or maybe a sequel? (I need to know more about William.)
This author is brilliant and her passion for justice shines through on each page. She's not afraid to expose the complexities of racial injustice....if anything that exposure brings freedom to both the characters and the reader. Where do we find ourselves within it's pages?
This author is brilliant and her passion for justice shines through on each page. She's not afraid to expose the complexities of racial injustice....if anything that exposure brings freedom to both the characters and the reader. Where do we find ourselves within it's pages?
July 30, 2019
This book is not for everyone. It's gritty and raw, it made me uncomfortable, and it made my heart hurt. This is a book of our times, and of what could end up being our future.
"You don't belong to that skin. You got to look up."
"...we must remember to be miserable. We must make a terrible fuss."
The world as we know it is gone. Humanity has pretty much destroyed itself, and in an effort to survive, the remaining armies formed a truce. The rules and laws of this new world are explicit and to be followed "for the greater good." Everything is supposed to be for this greater good, including "separate but equal" factions. There are sciences backing up the many weaknesses of the people and why they need to be controlled.
Arika is a First Brother and Record Keeper, chosen to make decisions for her Second Brothers, and then record their stories before they pass away. We are thrust into Arika's world and view from page one, a view which undergoes several changes over time as she begins to realize perhaps her school teachings are wrong. Her fear and struggles with her inner demons are so relatable, and while there were times I found myself disliking her, it was only because I saw parts of myself I don't like. Through this story, we see this internal fight as Arika tries to do what she feels is right, not just for the greater good, but for the good of her people. With a new war looming, Arika has to defeat her own demons in order to help free her people.
Many times, a scifi/dystopian novel feels very fantastical and while fun, not very real. The Record Keeper knocks you flat on your face with situations that are very real and very possible. It's scary, and I stated at the beginning of this review, left me feeling very uncomfortable.
"You don't belong to that skin. You got to look up."
"...we must remember to be miserable. We must make a terrible fuss."
The world as we know it is gone. Humanity has pretty much destroyed itself, and in an effort to survive, the remaining armies formed a truce. The rules and laws of this new world are explicit and to be followed "for the greater good." Everything is supposed to be for this greater good, including "separate but equal" factions. There are sciences backing up the many weaknesses of the people and why they need to be controlled.
Arika is a First Brother and Record Keeper, chosen to make decisions for her Second Brothers, and then record their stories before they pass away. We are thrust into Arika's world and view from page one, a view which undergoes several changes over time as she begins to realize perhaps her school teachings are wrong. Her fear and struggles with her inner demons are so relatable, and while there were times I found myself disliking her, it was only because I saw parts of myself I don't like. Through this story, we see this internal fight as Arika tries to do what she feels is right, not just for the greater good, but for the good of her people. With a new war looming, Arika has to defeat her own demons in order to help free her people.
Many times, a scifi/dystopian novel feels very fantastical and while fun, not very real. The Record Keeper knocks you flat on your face with situations that are very real and very possible. It's scary, and I stated at the beginning of this review, left me feeling very uncomfortable.
June 20, 2019
The Record Keeper is Agnes Gomillion's debut novel. I don't usually read sci-fi as it's a genre that daunts me as i'm not really into science and struggle with scientific words but this book was extremely easy to read, i found it a quick and easyish read and didn't get put off by the wording or plot.
I loved the concept. I was entranced from the first page. Arika’s world is crafted to be real and stark. The books main plot is around racism and it's very frank and dark. The people in power are white and English. The workers are from the Kongo and they are not treated with any respect or kindness. Arika the main character is the kind of person who follows rules after her childhood when she tried to stand up for herself she was locked away to starve so she now tries to stay out of trouble and wait for things to change. However she is strong and brave and becomes a voice for the people. Every person in this story has a role to play and if it's not followed they threaten the world they live in.
I enjoyed this book because it's completely different to anything i'd ever read usually, i usually stick to straight forward fantasy or contemporary romance books and this was a breath of fresh air for me. I loved the main character Arika and watching her character develop over time.
I loved the concept. I was entranced from the first page. Arika’s world is crafted to be real and stark. The books main plot is around racism and it's very frank and dark. The people in power are white and English. The workers are from the Kongo and they are not treated with any respect or kindness. Arika the main character is the kind of person who follows rules after her childhood when she tried to stand up for herself she was locked away to starve so she now tries to stay out of trouble and wait for things to change. However she is strong and brave and becomes a voice for the people. Every person in this story has a role to play and if it's not followed they threaten the world they live in.
I enjoyed this book because it's completely different to anything i'd ever read usually, i usually stick to straight forward fantasy or contemporary romance books and this was a breath of fresh air for me. I loved the main character Arika and watching her character develop over time.
July 1, 2021
I felt just kind of blah about this book. It doesn’t seem particularly memorable. I would have liked more details about the end of normal life and start of the Kongo, Clayskin, and English population groups. How did those particular groups come about and why did each end up with their place in society? The separation felt artificial to me.
September 26, 2019
...
is this a series??
because it needs to be
is this a series??
because it needs to be
July 25, 2025
I wasn't sure about this one, there wasn't enough world building & somethings left me scratching my head but after the 50% mark I was so attached to the characters.... I still can't believe what happened to my favourite character😒 this book explore racism & how generational racism can impact the new leaders of our world, it was pretty profound in a very obscure way
January 21, 2020
High school drama is not what I think of for dystopia. A good chunk of the story is Catholic school of hell, so-and-so said this, and I have to study/not betray my friends. Want a healthy dose of teenage angst? You got it.
Gomillion doesn't let it be the entire story (thank the universe), yet I was struggling to feel empathy for Arika's world. Many characters have shades of pettiness, deception, and ruthlessness. The ones who don't are shoved to the side and/or have something horrible happen to them. Oh, dystopia! I suppose. Yet it edges on the emotional disconnect for me. A terrible scene happens and I feel empty about it. Shame when certain turns are meant to be moving.
I enjoyed how the narrative hurls us into its unforgiving world. The class divide and its set of rules were interesting. Yuck to slavery and racism though. I was wondering how much else is in decay that didn't go mentioned. Spirituality perhaps?
Perhaps it's due to Arika's limited scope, but I would have enjoyed further discussions about what else exists in the world not just America. Instead, any character talk about the lore boils down to breaking up an element of Arika's programming. Break down to make free, yeah. Becomes repetitive when her lack of self-awareness kicks in again. It's realistic and believable, sure, yet somewhat vexing when her thoughts went back to the school again.
Nice debut, Gomillion. By the end I was wondering where the story will go from there. And considering the gripes I had at the start, that was an impressive feat.
Gomillion doesn't let it be the entire story (thank the universe), yet I was struggling to feel empathy for Arika's world. Many characters have shades of pettiness, deception, and ruthlessness. The ones who don't are shoved to the side and/or have something horrible happen to them. Oh, dystopia! I suppose. Yet it edges on the emotional disconnect for me. A terrible scene happens and I feel empty about it. Shame when certain turns are meant to be moving.
I enjoyed how the narrative hurls us into its unforgiving world. The class divide and its set of rules were interesting. Yuck to slavery and racism though. I was wondering how much else is in decay that didn't go mentioned. Spirituality perhaps?
Perhaps it's due to Arika's limited scope, but I would have enjoyed further discussions about what else exists in the world not just America. Instead, any character talk about the lore boils down to breaking up an element of Arika's programming. Break down to make free, yeah. Becomes repetitive when her lack of self-awareness kicks in again. It's realistic and believable, sure, yet somewhat vexing when her thoughts went back to the school again.
Nice debut, Gomillion. By the end I was wondering where the story will go from there. And considering the gripes I had at the start, that was an impressive feat.
July 12, 2019
I would like to thank Titan Books who provided me with an ARC copy of this book for my honest review. All reviews and opinions discussed here are my own.
I did struggle with this book in all honesty. I found that there was quite a lack of world building and were just thrown in and told to make sense of what was going on. If I don't understand the world or the way it is built I really struggle to enjoy the book. I just couldn't quite find my feet with this world and at times it left me very confused and I had to skip back and forth every now and again.
One of the main reasons I rated this book a two is the characters. I am extremely character driven and if I don't connect with the characters in the book I can't connect with the story. I wasn't particularly gripped by any character or their arc during the book, and often I was just confused about their motivations. I did find myself very frustrated with Arika throughout and at times he just became slightly annoying. She was so focused on her own aims that I felt she was just a bit lost in the wind at times.
There's no denying that Gomillion is a beautiful writer and really thought out the plot. There are some really important themes explored throughout this book and I would recommend it to people even though I didn't really connect with it.
I did struggle with this book in all honesty. I found that there was quite a lack of world building and were just thrown in and told to make sense of what was going on. If I don't understand the world or the way it is built I really struggle to enjoy the book. I just couldn't quite find my feet with this world and at times it left me very confused and I had to skip back and forth every now and again.
One of the main reasons I rated this book a two is the characters. I am extremely character driven and if I don't connect with the characters in the book I can't connect with the story. I wasn't particularly gripped by any character or their arc during the book, and often I was just confused about their motivations. I did find myself very frustrated with Arika throughout and at times he just became slightly annoying. She was so focused on her own aims that I felt she was just a bit lost in the wind at times.
There's no denying that Gomillion is a beautiful writer and really thought out the plot. There are some really important themes explored throughout this book and I would recommend it to people even though I didn't really connect with it.
August 28, 2024
**some vague spoilers concerning character development**
I really like the story concept of a dystopian future built on American racist oppression (the way A Handmaid’s Tale is based on Christian/American misogyny), but I had a LOT of trouble liking the main character. Despite overwhelming evidence and exposure to the oppression of the ruling system, she was still seriously considering her own small-minded personal goals over the good of the oppressed in the last quarter of the book. This would be like Neo in the Matrix saying in the last 30 minutes of the movie: “I don’t know guys, maybe we should just go back into our pods…I think maybe I can still get that promotion in my cubicle matrix job.”
It was also hard to reconcile the dueling tones of: a life-and-death struggle within an oppressive system and the seemingly-trivial-by-comparison social interactions of the high school students with their cliques and nail-painting parties. Who cares if the protagonist doesn’t open the pink perfumed invitations to the party? Who cares if the popular girls don’t like her? Her people are suffering and dying, and as a reader it was agonizing waiting for the protagonist to wake up and do something.
The prose was good, I just have trouble with characters I’m supposed to identify with that act so frustratingly.
I really like the story concept of a dystopian future built on American racist oppression (the way A Handmaid’s Tale is based on Christian/American misogyny), but I had a LOT of trouble liking the main character. Despite overwhelming evidence and exposure to the oppression of the ruling system, she was still seriously considering her own small-minded personal goals over the good of the oppressed in the last quarter of the book. This would be like Neo in the Matrix saying in the last 30 minutes of the movie: “I don’t know guys, maybe we should just go back into our pods…I think maybe I can still get that promotion in my cubicle matrix job.”
It was also hard to reconcile the dueling tones of: a life-and-death struggle within an oppressive system and the seemingly-trivial-by-comparison social interactions of the high school students with their cliques and nail-painting parties. Who cares if the protagonist doesn’t open the pink perfumed invitations to the party? Who cares if the popular girls don’t like her? Her people are suffering and dying, and as a reader it was agonizing waiting for the protagonist to wake up and do something.
The prose was good, I just have trouble with characters I’m supposed to identify with that act so frustratingly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2024
This could have been a great book, but it just isn't in my opinion. I didn't feel attached or invested in any of the characters at all. I almost didn't finish it, but did in hopes that it became the level of book I hoped and thought it would be, but sadly, it did not.
June 22, 2019
After World War III, the Earth is a different place. It has been ravaged by the hi-tech weapons the warring factions used against each other and very little habitable land remains. The rival armies were forced into a reluctant truce, before the planet was completely destroyed and an agreement called The Niagra Compromise was drawn up to offer a way for the survivors to move forward.
The World now consists of a portion of what was formerly America and is split into three territories - The White English in the north; The Brown Clayskin in the central area; and The Dark Kongo in the south - with an Assembly of elected Senators to guide them. The Compromise laid down strict rules about the role to be played by each territory, and the social status of the people that live within them.
According to recorded history, the people of Kongo volunteered to become the "bread basket" of the new world, at the time of The Compromise. Only land in the south was deemed suitable for cultivation, and only then with much hard labour, so the people of Kongo became land workers for the greater good.
The people of Kongo are split int two orders - The First Brother and The Second Brother. The First Brother are of lighter skin and considered more intelligent and are educated - it is their role to rule the The Second Brother and ensure crop quotas are reached, for the greater good. The Second Brother are of darker skin, considered of low intellect and undertake the hard labour required to feed the peoples of the new America.
The brutal work forced upon of The Second Brother means they live very hard lives. To help them accept their lot in the greater scheme, each worker is offered a pill every few years which wipes most of their memories - this is called The Rebirth and is considered a natural part of life for The Second Brother.
Arika Cobane, is born into the Kongo House Cobane. She is a First Brother and is selected to become a Record Keeper - one of the prized few who record the history of The Kongo. Her years of training as a Record Keeper offer her the chance to become one of the elite - a Senator of The Assembly - a prize almost within her grasp now she is valedictorian and nearing the end of her schooling.
But then, a new student arrives at The School House - one who causes Arika to question all she has been taught about The Compromise and the sacrifices that have been made in the name of peace. She realises that the laws she has been brought up to follow are the cause of misery for her own people. Furthermore, a deadly fever has arrived in Kongo, killing workers at a alarming rate, and rebellion is stirring among The Second Brother.
Arika must reawaken the fight she used to feel within her own fierce heart - before the fight was beaten out of her by the vicious and hateful Headmistress Jones. She must choose a side in the war to come, discover the true meaning of freedom and learn to live without fear. Is Arika the promised "One"?
Wow, this story completely blew my mind! It took me a while to piece together the scattered parts of my brain before I could sit down to write this review! This is a compliment to the skilled story-telling Agnes Gomillion has wrought in this debut novel.
This is a sophisticated and complex story, which will appeal to a much wider audience than the Young Adult market is is aimed at. It strikes me that this is a kind of cross-over story, in a way. This is a finely drawn dystopian world, reminiscent of the cruelties and rigid social structures of the ilk of Margaret Attwood, but it also promises the excitement and rebellion offered by Stephanie Collins in The Hunger Games books. Believe me, I have read a lot of dystopia over the years, and this is not easy to achieve.
Arika makes an interesting heroine, but she is not without fault and at times, you will find yourself begging her not to do something she is misguidedly bent on doing - of course, she doesn't listen and does it anyway! She is stubborn and sure that she does not need the help of others to get what she wants, but she learns better and you will be with her, egging her on, throughout her journey.
I have read that Agnes Gomillion loves the idea of "roots" in a story and this novel certainly has that.
Its origins lie in the Slave Trade days, but setting the book in a dystopian near future, gives it a freshness that carries it above an ordinary slave story.
Yes, the arrogance of a race that considers itself superior to the workers it has consigned to do its dirty work, not only by law, but by false science, comes across strongly in Gomillion's writing - drawing on its historical roots. However, by setting the story in the future, this has given her the freedom to introduce additional horrific elements - such as The Rebirth inflicted upon The Second Brother. Details like this will make you sick to the stomach and ache for rebellion.
I hate to give away spoliers, so I won't be doing that here, but be assured that the ending of this book - the first in this new Record Keeper series - is stirring to the soul. I cannot wait to read more of the adventures of Arika and discover the future waiting to be written for the people of Kongo.
The World now consists of a portion of what was formerly America and is split into three territories - The White English in the north; The Brown Clayskin in the central area; and The Dark Kongo in the south - with an Assembly of elected Senators to guide them. The Compromise laid down strict rules about the role to be played by each territory, and the social status of the people that live within them.
According to recorded history, the people of Kongo volunteered to become the "bread basket" of the new world, at the time of The Compromise. Only land in the south was deemed suitable for cultivation, and only then with much hard labour, so the people of Kongo became land workers for the greater good.
The people of Kongo are split int two orders - The First Brother and The Second Brother. The First Brother are of lighter skin and considered more intelligent and are educated - it is their role to rule the The Second Brother and ensure crop quotas are reached, for the greater good. The Second Brother are of darker skin, considered of low intellect and undertake the hard labour required to feed the peoples of the new America.
The brutal work forced upon of The Second Brother means they live very hard lives. To help them accept their lot in the greater scheme, each worker is offered a pill every few years which wipes most of their memories - this is called The Rebirth and is considered a natural part of life for The Second Brother.
Arika Cobane, is born into the Kongo House Cobane. She is a First Brother and is selected to become a Record Keeper - one of the prized few who record the history of The Kongo. Her years of training as a Record Keeper offer her the chance to become one of the elite - a Senator of The Assembly - a prize almost within her grasp now she is valedictorian and nearing the end of her schooling.
But then, a new student arrives at The School House - one who causes Arika to question all she has been taught about The Compromise and the sacrifices that have been made in the name of peace. She realises that the laws she has been brought up to follow are the cause of misery for her own people. Furthermore, a deadly fever has arrived in Kongo, killing workers at a alarming rate, and rebellion is stirring among The Second Brother.
Arika must reawaken the fight she used to feel within her own fierce heart - before the fight was beaten out of her by the vicious and hateful Headmistress Jones. She must choose a side in the war to come, discover the true meaning of freedom and learn to live without fear. Is Arika the promised "One"?
Wow, this story completely blew my mind! It took me a while to piece together the scattered parts of my brain before I could sit down to write this review! This is a compliment to the skilled story-telling Agnes Gomillion has wrought in this debut novel.
This is a sophisticated and complex story, which will appeal to a much wider audience than the Young Adult market is is aimed at. It strikes me that this is a kind of cross-over story, in a way. This is a finely drawn dystopian world, reminiscent of the cruelties and rigid social structures of the ilk of Margaret Attwood, but it also promises the excitement and rebellion offered by Stephanie Collins in The Hunger Games books. Believe me, I have read a lot of dystopia over the years, and this is not easy to achieve.
Arika makes an interesting heroine, but she is not without fault and at times, you will find yourself begging her not to do something she is misguidedly bent on doing - of course, she doesn't listen and does it anyway! She is stubborn and sure that she does not need the help of others to get what she wants, but she learns better and you will be with her, egging her on, throughout her journey.
I have read that Agnes Gomillion loves the idea of "roots" in a story and this novel certainly has that.
Its origins lie in the Slave Trade days, but setting the book in a dystopian near future, gives it a freshness that carries it above an ordinary slave story.
Yes, the arrogance of a race that considers itself superior to the workers it has consigned to do its dirty work, not only by law, but by false science, comes across strongly in Gomillion's writing - drawing on its historical roots. However, by setting the story in the future, this has given her the freedom to introduce additional horrific elements - such as The Rebirth inflicted upon The Second Brother. Details like this will make you sick to the stomach and ache for rebellion.
I hate to give away spoliers, so I won't be doing that here, but be assured that the ending of this book - the first in this new Record Keeper series - is stirring to the soul. I cannot wait to read more of the adventures of Arika and discover the future waiting to be written for the people of Kongo.
July 7, 2019
Right from the outset, I could tell that this book was going to be a fierce call-to-arms. The narrative voice of protagonist Arika is SO STRONG. The whole book basically reads like a rallying cry, as Arika discovers that what she has always believed is not necessarily right and goes on to make a powerful stand for the rights of herself and others.
There is a LOT going on in this book. I don't know if it's a standalone or the beginning of a series; honestly, I could make a case for either. But I was very impressed with how much the author managed to pack in to these 464 pages. The theme of racism is explored via various avenues, remaining solidly at the core of the novel no matter what direction it takes.
I will say that I found the world-building slightly lacking. The book dives straight into the action and the political machinations at the beginning therefore took a lot of concentration to get my head around. I would have liked to have known more about how the world came to be the way it is in this novel; nothing is ever really explained and I felt like some of its potential wasn't fully explored. Again, maybe that's coming in a future book but I don't know.
Despite the slightly patchy world-building, I found this to be an extremely compelling book. It was impossible to not root for Arika on her journey and many scenes were very hard-hitting. This is a read that will stay with me for a long time.
Overall, I'd recommend this one cautiously if you like your dystopian reads on the more challenging side.
There is a LOT going on in this book. I don't know if it's a standalone or the beginning of a series; honestly, I could make a case for either. But I was very impressed with how much the author managed to pack in to these 464 pages. The theme of racism is explored via various avenues, remaining solidly at the core of the novel no matter what direction it takes.
I will say that I found the world-building slightly lacking. The book dives straight into the action and the political machinations at the beginning therefore took a lot of concentration to get my head around. I would have liked to have known more about how the world came to be the way it is in this novel; nothing is ever really explained and I felt like some of its potential wasn't fully explored. Again, maybe that's coming in a future book but I don't know.
Despite the slightly patchy world-building, I found this to be an extremely compelling book. It was impossible to not root for Arika on her journey and many scenes were very hard-hitting. This is a read that will stay with me for a long time.
Overall, I'd recommend this one cautiously if you like your dystopian reads on the more challenging side.
November 18, 2020
Dystopian post-World War III world building was well done. Likeable and hateable characters. The book may make you feel the feels.
September 27, 2022
No doubt that this is a masterpiece in many ways. But it doesn’t leave me wanting to read the next in the series.
June 25, 2023
nope. sorry. do not recommend.
again MY opinion read at your own risk...
Personally it was a waste of my day.
again MY opinion read at your own risk...
Personally it was a waste of my day.
June 25, 2019
Honestly, a 3.5 but 4 for sheer potential.
In a post-apocalyptic world, the only surviving habitable land is a slice of the east coast of what was once North America. After years of bitter fighting along racial lines, the three surviving superpowers -- the white English, the Asian Clayskin and the black Kongo -- sign a treaty known as the Niagara compromise, which gives the three races separate but equal rights. Well, "equal" because we all know what that really means. The English are tasked with researching agricultural advances, while the Clayskin serve as merchants and tradesman. The Kongo themselves form the bulk of the agricultural labor, though stratify themselves further with the ranks of First Brother and Second Brother, along the lines of physical characteristics. The First Brothers include Record Keepers like our heroine, Arika of House Cobane, who live lives of relative privilege. They're supposed to look after and champion their field hand brethren, the Second Brothers, but -- at the risk of repeating myself -- we all know how that works.
Arika studies at the Schoolhouse run by the sadistic Englishwoman Jones (she has a first name but I couldn't be arsed to look for it because she is the poster girl for white feminism and, obviously, sucks.) Arika's overweening ambition is to graduate as valedictorian so she can become a Senator, thereby escaping the arbitrary racial rules of the nation and securing herself an unassailable position from where she can truly advocate for her race, First and Second Brothers alike. She clings to logic and order without realizing that both have been framed for her by a society that wants to keep her docile and conforming. When a new student comes to the Schoolhouse and jeopardizes her standing, she begins to realize that there's more to the world than she'd accounted for, inspiring the spirit that Jones had tried to break so long ago to unbend itself anew.
Okay, first let's talk about this novel's few but unignorable flaws. First, it is desperately underwritten. This is Agnes Gomillion's first book, and she will look back on it in the future with a wince, not because it's bad (it's actually really good) but because she'll know where she should have done better, taking more time to elaborate on plot points and interior lives and emotions instead of rushing from one cool idea to another. I absolutely understand the excitement to get this rich, vivid world out of one's brain and on to the page, but there are a ton of what feel like missed moments that should have been dwelled upon instead of quickly presented then moved away from. This could easily have been a book twice its size that I would still have devoured with glee.
The second comes at the end of the book, and involves torturing an unconscious person. Yes, that person absolutely sucks, and yes, I believe that revenge isn't necessarily evil or unwarranted, but come on. I don't go for the honor card often, but it's not heroic to inflict pain for the sake of inflicting pain, and it's cowardly to do that when the other person can't fight back at all.
Anyway, those aside, this is a fascinating dystopian take on the rule of divide and conquer perpetrated historically by white Europeans and perpetuated by their minority subjects upon their own bodies. It's got excellent historical chops as well as sci-fi bonafides: I loved the idea of the Helix and the fangirl references to Frederick Douglass. I'm very interested in seeing where Ms Gomillion goes with this next, as I'm intrigued by the whole Obi Solomon thing as well as by the forces that seemingly lie coiled in Arika's breast. Sequel please, and soon!
In a post-apocalyptic world, the only surviving habitable land is a slice of the east coast of what was once North America. After years of bitter fighting along racial lines, the three surviving superpowers -- the white English, the Asian Clayskin and the black Kongo -- sign a treaty known as the Niagara compromise, which gives the three races separate but equal rights. Well, "equal" because we all know what that really means. The English are tasked with researching agricultural advances, while the Clayskin serve as merchants and tradesman. The Kongo themselves form the bulk of the agricultural labor, though stratify themselves further with the ranks of First Brother and Second Brother, along the lines of physical characteristics. The First Brothers include Record Keepers like our heroine, Arika of House Cobane, who live lives of relative privilege. They're supposed to look after and champion their field hand brethren, the Second Brothers, but -- at the risk of repeating myself -- we all know how that works.
Arika studies at the Schoolhouse run by the sadistic Englishwoman Jones (she has a first name but I couldn't be arsed to look for it because she is the poster girl for white feminism and, obviously, sucks.) Arika's overweening ambition is to graduate as valedictorian so she can become a Senator, thereby escaping the arbitrary racial rules of the nation and securing herself an unassailable position from where she can truly advocate for her race, First and Second Brothers alike. She clings to logic and order without realizing that both have been framed for her by a society that wants to keep her docile and conforming. When a new student comes to the Schoolhouse and jeopardizes her standing, she begins to realize that there's more to the world than she'd accounted for, inspiring the spirit that Jones had tried to break so long ago to unbend itself anew.
Okay, first let's talk about this novel's few but unignorable flaws. First, it is desperately underwritten. This is Agnes Gomillion's first book, and she will look back on it in the future with a wince, not because it's bad (it's actually really good) but because she'll know where she should have done better, taking more time to elaborate on plot points and interior lives and emotions instead of rushing from one cool idea to another. I absolutely understand the excitement to get this rich, vivid world out of one's brain and on to the page, but there are a ton of what feel like missed moments that should have been dwelled upon instead of quickly presented then moved away from. This could easily have been a book twice its size that I would still have devoured with glee.
The second comes at the end of the book, and involves torturing an unconscious person. Yes, that person absolutely sucks, and yes, I believe that revenge isn't necessarily evil or unwarranted, but come on. I don't go for the honor card often, but it's not heroic to inflict pain for the sake of inflicting pain, and it's cowardly to do that when the other person can't fight back at all.
Anyway, those aside, this is a fascinating dystopian take on the rule of divide and conquer perpetrated historically by white Europeans and perpetuated by their minority subjects upon their own bodies. It's got excellent historical chops as well as sci-fi bonafides: I loved the idea of the Helix and the fangirl references to Frederick Douglass. I'm very interested in seeing where Ms Gomillion goes with this next, as I'm intrigued by the whole Obi Solomon thing as well as by the forces that seemingly lie coiled in Arika's breast. Sequel please, and soon!
June 24, 2019
Well that was an intense read. Fantasy, politics and real-world issues blended together in a very powerful way. This author has a lot to say and boy did she say it well!
Arika is an amazing protagonist, that first chapter blew me away. Absolutely heartbreaking and moving. This book has so many layers. I loved the supporting characters and how they challenged Arika. Her character arc throughout the book is fantastic. She’s such a complex person and I really admired her strength and resilience.
It’s a fair size book at just over 400 pages but honestly the story felt too short. I wanted more. I’m assuming there will be a second book and I’m super excited to read it. Outstanding.
Thanks to Titan Books for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Arika is an amazing protagonist, that first chapter blew me away. Absolutely heartbreaking and moving. This book has so many layers. I loved the supporting characters and how they challenged Arika. Her character arc throughout the book is fantastic. She’s such a complex person and I really admired her strength and resilience.
It’s a fair size book at just over 400 pages but honestly the story felt too short. I wanted more. I’m assuming there will be a second book and I’m super excited to read it. Outstanding.
Thanks to Titan Books for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 14, 2020
Finished this book in the interest of an honest review. The epigram invokes the American literary tradition of the slave narrative, and though the frame for the book is post-apocalyptic America, the allegory of race and slavery is familiar. Maybe to the point of cliche, with a caste structure driven by greedy enablers, splitting the Black workforce into field and house.
Our heroine Arika falls on the house side of that split. After the awful traumas of her youth, she's about to graduate from school and take her place in the power structure. But as The Record Keeper progresses, Arika learns the awful truths behind that structure. Her defining characteristic appears to be bland naivete, Arika's so book-smart that she's blind to politics and the brewing war below the surface.
A couple chapters really sing, the ones about personal stories, where the Record Keeper is truly keeping truth alive. Many other chapters approach the point of unreadability, either due to implausible plot holes or Arika's utter credulousness. There are a couple points where the story is stopped by other characters' wordy explainers. And the plot never finds a groove, veering wildly from liberation narrative to high-school drama to martial-arts bildungsroman to post-apocalyptic power game.
There are some redeeming qualities here, and I don't want to downplay the importance of work with a central Black heroine. But the plot borders on awful and this story seems to spend more time reinforcing cliches than transcending them. Recommended only for uncritical YA readers, with an appetite for post-apocalyptic liberation stories, who elevate vibe over scene. One-star review narrowly missed.
Our heroine Arika falls on the house side of that split. After the awful traumas of her youth, she's about to graduate from school and take her place in the power structure. But as The Record Keeper progresses, Arika learns the awful truths behind that structure. Her defining characteristic appears to be bland naivete, Arika's so book-smart that she's blind to politics and the brewing war below the surface.
A couple chapters really sing, the ones about personal stories, where the Record Keeper is truly keeping truth alive. Many other chapters approach the point of unreadability, either due to implausible plot holes or Arika's utter credulousness. There are a couple points where the story is stopped by other characters' wordy explainers. And the plot never finds a groove, veering wildly from liberation narrative to high-school drama to martial-arts bildungsroman to post-apocalyptic power game.
There are some redeeming qualities here, and I don't want to downplay the importance of work with a central Black heroine. But the plot borders on awful and this story seems to spend more time reinforcing cliches than transcending them. Recommended only for uncritical YA readers, with an appetite for post-apocalyptic liberation stories, who elevate vibe over scene. One-star review narrowly missed.
July 21, 2024
The protagonist of Agnes Gomillion’s The Record Keeper, Arika Cobane, prides herself on her knowledge of the Compromise and the laws of a post-World War III world. She’s in the running to be valedictorian at the brutal school that is training her to be a Record Keeper, with her eyes on the prize of becoming a senator for the Kongo—a dark-skinned people who have mostly been relegated to slavery. She has been told all her life that Record Keepers are a step above the rest of the Kongo people. Arika has been told a lot of things, to be honest. It’s only now that she’s about to take her Final Exam that she finally has the blinders pulled off her head to see how much of what she’s been told are manipulative, racist lies...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type.
June 27, 2019
It’s a very rare thing that I DNF a book.
Unfortunately I was unable to finish this one.
I thought it sounded like such an interesting read and that it would be something I’d enjoy but I just really struggled with it.
It was very slow paced and even though I got through nearly half of it, it still felt as if nothing of note had really happened.
I tried so hard to read it, hoping that it would get better and I’d get drawn in a bit later but after almost 200 pages it wasn’t any more gripping than at the beginning.
I can see why a lot of people will enjoy it and I feel that the themes throughout are still as relevant now as they have always been but this book just want for me at all.
Thank you Titan Books for kindly sending me a copy to review.
Unfortunately I was unable to finish this one.
I thought it sounded like such an interesting read and that it would be something I’d enjoy but I just really struggled with it.
It was very slow paced and even though I got through nearly half of it, it still felt as if nothing of note had really happened.
I tried so hard to read it, hoping that it would get better and I’d get drawn in a bit later but after almost 200 pages it wasn’t any more gripping than at the beginning.
I can see why a lot of people will enjoy it and I feel that the themes throughout are still as relevant now as they have always been but this book just want for me at all.
Thank you Titan Books for kindly sending me a copy to review.
November 25, 2020
Only finished it because I don't not finish books... If you're not enjoying it at the start then it doesn't improve, trust me! Had to put this down multiple times. Confusing and very difficult to empathise with any character. Doesn't quite seem to know what story it's telling and jumps all over the place. Very worthy themes not done justice.
June 26, 2019
I really found this a impressive yet uncomfortable read about how slavery and colonialism make people accept things
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
August 27, 2023
Rep: Black cast
CWs: violence, abuse, torture
CWs: violence, abuse, torture
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