Redemption in Indigo

Dec 31, 2011 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. What a lukewarm cup of "meh." After all of the stellar reviews, I just knew this was going to be ah-may-zing, but, alas, it's basically a fable. Ever since Paulo Coelho's New Agey-craptastic The Alchemist, me + fables = nervous twitch. Because I start to develop a Community's Jeff Winger like aversion to the feeling that someone's trying to teach me something--and I never learn anything! This didn't really turn out to be as didactic as The Alchemist because it seemed more focused on the storytel...more What a lukewarm cup of "meh." After all of the stellar reviews, I just knew this was going to be ah-may-zing, but, alas, it's basically a fable. Ever since Paulo Coelho's New Agey-craptastic The Alchemist, me + fables = nervous twitch. Because I start to develop a Community's Jeff Winger like aversion to the feeling that someone's trying to teach me something--and I never learn anything! This didn't really turn out to be as didactic as The Alchemist because it seemed more focused on the storytelling than on the lesson, but just waiting for that other moral-of-the-story shoe to fall was mentally exhausting.

The basic premise of the story is that the deity known as Chance has become hardened toward mankind. Over the years, he has watched as men have squandered second chances and made a mockery or waste of the gift that is life. For this reason, the other gods no longer trust him with the Chaos Stick, the instrument of chance to nudge events toward a certain probability. The Chaos Stick is stolen from Chance and given to a woman named Paama who has proven herself to be kind, patient, and impervious to the suggestions of the minor Trickster deities who sometimes inhabit the bodies of insects and stir up mischief whenever possible. When Chance discovers Paama has his power, he sets about trying to get it back.

The story was marginally entertaining and it was at least a quick read, but even at that the plot seemed to drag on. This is not necessarily a criticism of Lord as the book does what it's intended to do: mimic the narrative style of a traditional storyteller who is in no hurry to get to the end of the story and is even eager to follow parallel narratives to their endings before bringing the main story to a close. I suppose this storytelling style had a certain charm when villagers gathered around the campfire each night to listen to the newest installment of the tale (it's not like there was tv to watch or books to read, so I guess sitting in the dark and listening to an old man ramble on was the cat's pajamas after a long day of running from lions and whatnot). However, this meandering quality did not translate well into written form for me as I expected it to be more cohesive and more to the point. The plot itself was like a dog chasing rabbits in the middle of a hunt, and the characters were fairly uninteresting and one-dimensional (except for Paama, and even she was bland). Again, all of this is as it should be for a fable. What I've really learned from this reading experience is that fables and I need to break up and maybe see other people. Don't look at me like that, fables--it's not me, it's you.(less)

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Aug 05, 2010 Craig Laurance rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A charming retold Sengalese folktale, very lighthearted and magical. A whiff of Tutula, a sprinkle of Okri, a dash of LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE, told in a witty, wise storytellers voice. Tricksters and magic and morality tales abound in this colorful story.

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Jan 24, 2013 John rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: hugo-awards-2012

Reading this marks my exit from reading long overdue loans and my entrance of the Hugo Awards’ voter packet: this is the first thing I have read for the Campbell award. It’s a fairly short novel (half the length of Of Blood and Honey, the other novel in that category), but I found myself getting thoroughly drawn into the story and the world that was being described; I definitely recommend giving it a read.

It has an interesting narrative which started out somewhat jarringly but soon morphed into...more Reading this marks my exit from reading long overdue loans and my entrance of the Hugo Awards’ voter packet: this is the first thing I have read for the Campbell award. It’s a fairly short novel (half the length of Of Blood and Honey, the other novel in that category), but I found myself getting thoroughly drawn into the story and the world that was being described; I definitely recommend giving it a read.

It has an interesting narrative which started out somewhat jarringly but soon morphed into one of the reasons I got so hooked. We follow the story of Paama, starting with the tale of her husband Ansige, who is a rather tragic fellow who has been ruined by his gluttony. She leaves him and he travels to her village in order to try to get her back, which takes up the first chunk of the novel. This didn’t really initially grab me, and indeed it wasn’t until he was essentially out of the picture that interesting things began to happen.

(view spoiler)

I hope the other Campbell nominees are as well-paced and enjoyable as this was!(less)

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Oct 25, 2012 David Hebblethwaite rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Redemption in Indigo is Karen Lord’s interpretation/extension of a Senegalese folktale. We begin with the gluttonous Ansige tracking down his wife Paama, who had left him; after being tricked and humiliated three times by djombi (spirit creatures, ‘gods’), Ansige takes his leave. That’s where the traditional folktale ends. Lord then continues Paama’s story by having a djombi present her with the Chaos Stick, an artefact which can manipulate the small possibilities of chaos – and Paama uses it wi...more Redemption in Indigo is Karen Lord’s interpretation/extension of a Senegalese folktale. We begin with the gluttonous Ansige tracking down his wife Paama, who had left him; after being tricked and humiliated three times by djombi (spirit creatures, ‘gods’), Ansige takes his leave. That’s where the traditional folktale ends. Lord then continues Paama’s story by having a djombi present her with the Chaos Stick, an artefact which can manipulate the small possibilities of chaos – and Paama uses it with some skill. But the Chaos Stick was stolen from another djombi, the indigo lord, who rather wants it back; he takes Paama on a journey to show her the dangers of the chaos stick – but ends up learning lessons of his own as well.

Lord’s novel is written as though being spoken aloud by a storyteller, and this unknown narrator frequently interjects to address the reader directly; as here, when a djombi (in the form of a spider) makes itself known to human characters for the first time:

I know your complaint already. You are saying, how do two grown men begin to see talking spiders after only three glasses of spice spirit? My answer to that is twofold. First, you have no idea how strong spice spirit is made in that region. Second, you have no idea how talking animals operate. Do you think they would have survived long if they regularly made themselves known? For that matter, do you think an arachnid with mouthparts is capable of articulating the phrase “I am a pawnbroker” in any known human language? Think! These creatures do not truly talk, nor are they truly animals, but they do encounter human folk, and when they do, they carefully take with them all memory of the meeting. (pp. 20-1)

I just love this: it says to readers that they must accept the book on its own terms, must take the time to appreciate how it works. This kind of interjection would normally derail a novel completely, but it’s integral to the project of Redemption in Indigo; and, once you get into the rhythm of the book, I think it’s nigh-on impossible not to be carried along.

Redemption in Indigo balances traditional roots with what feels a very contemporary take on the folktale form.For one thing, Lord includes modern details – antacid chews, buses – in a setting that nevertheless seems timeless; it doesn’t feel forced or strange that she has done this – it’s just that the specific temporal markers are largely irrelevant. Redemption in Indigo also feels contemporary because it has underpinnings in quantum physics. That’s the level on which the Chaos Stick works, and the indigo lord is keen to show Paama that tiny changes can have far-reaching – and sometimes unintended – consequences. It’s an archetypal ‘character learns better’ scenario, but placed in a scientific framework.

So the plot of Lord’s novel is all about choices and having multiple options; but this theme is embedded even deeper in the text. The narrator is at pains to point out that this story has a moral, but rather less eager be specific what that moral is. The tale is left open, in terms of what we are to think about it (‘I have no way of knowing which of these characters will most capture your attention and sympathy,’ pp. 265-6) and its ending (‘Do I have more stories to tell? There are always more stories,’ p. 266) – but even that isn’t left to stand, as the epilogue brings a more novelistic conclusion. As in quantum theory, multiple possibilities exist within the text, yet to collapse into something definitive.

Redemption in Indigo is a novel of contradictions: written yet spoken; defiantly ragged but carefully controlled; a book that swears to your face it’s didactic whilst telling you to nothing but make up your own mind. It embraces yet subverts the folktale form by giving its comic beginning a certain dramatic weight by the end, and turning its characters (both human and djombi) into rounded individuals who can learn from and teach each other in equal measure. And it’s enormous fun to read; heartily recommended.

You can also hear me discussing Redemption in Indigo in this episode of The Readers podcast.(less)

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Aug 20, 2012 Miss rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wow, that is a whole lot of delightful packed into 188 pages! :D I loved the narrative voice in this, it sounded like a really intelligent storyteller who clearly found bits of the story as funny as I did. Listen to her here:

Then there are those who utterly, utterly fear the dreaded Moral of the Story. They consider it an affront to their sensibilities and a painful presumption on the part of the storyteller. They are put off by the idea that a story might have anything useful to say and, as a r

...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Jim rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Lord mentions that chapters two through four are loosely based on a Senegalese folk tale, and the entire book has that same feel. From the very first page, Lord creates the illusion not of turning the pages, but of sitting back and listening to a master storyteller, one who has no compunctions about addressing the audience directly. It’s a voice that works perfectly for Paama’s story.

I loved this book, and to be honest, I’m having a hard time figuring out what to say about it, beyond the fact th...more

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May 23, 2012 Charles Dee Mitchell rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-lit

I am inclined to quote extensively from Lord's novel in this review. Her opening paragraph establishes a voice that will do a great sorting out of her potential readers.

A rival of mine once complained that my stories begin awkwardly and end untidily. I am willing to admit to many faults, but I will not burden my conscious with that one. All my tales are true, drawn from life, and a life story is not a tidy thing. It is a half-tamed horse that you seize on the run and ride with knees and teeth cl

...more I am inclined to quote extensively from Lord's novel in this review. Her opening paragraph establishes a voice that will do a great sorting out of her potential readers.

A rival of mine once complained that my stories begin awkwardly and end untidily. I am willing to admit to many faults, but I will not burden my conscious with that one. All my tales are true, drawn from life, and a life story is not a tidy thing. It is a half-tamed horse that you seize on the run and ride with knees and teeth clenched, and then you regretfully slip off as gently and safely as you can, always wondering if you could have gone a few metres more.

Thus I seize this tale, starting with a hot afternoon in the town or Erria...

Her narrator speaks to the reader with the omniscience and wit of Henry Fielding translated into the imagery and diction of a oral teller of folk tales. And notice that the complaint has come from a "rival" and not a "friend." The narrator who is willing to jump onto a half-trained horse does not hesitate to defend her position, and she states absolutely that all her tales are drawn from life before embarking on a story that will involve talking spiders, tricksters, psychic communication, and djombi, undying beings that mess constantly, for good or ill, in the concerns of humans.

That first talking spider could be the next challenge for many readers. I am no fan of full blown magic realism, novels hundreds of pages long with butterflies flocking from a character's ears or tropical snowfalls following the death of someone's great grandmother. (I think I concocted both those incidents on the spot here.) But Lord's short novel stays true to the spirit of folk tales where spider's absolutely hang out in bars and contract with shady characters for less than reputable services. Where a band of dissident djombi pass the Chaos Stick onto Paama, Lord's heroine who is a runaway wife, excellent cook, and brave but never foolishly so.

Lord lives in Barbados, but she bases the early scenes of her novel on a Sengalese folk tale, and the geography throughout the book is more African than Caribbean in scale. Paama has left her absurd, gluttonous husband Asinge and returned to her parents house. After two years Ansige follows her, craving her cooking which is the only thing that comes close to satisfying his abnormal appetite. When most of his servants, disgusted by his childish and distasteful habits, abandon him, he unfortunately enlists the aid of a trickster who will see to it that all his behavior in his wife's family's village will humiliate him and shame him back to his home.

This preamble is a way of certain djombi to study Paama's behavior and decide that she is in fact worthy of maintaining the Chaos Stick they have stolen from the indigo lord who has controlled it for -- well, it's hard to say for how long when dealing with eternal beings who also time travel. The indigo lord, disguised as a traveling merchant, finds Paama and her family and at the end of an elaborate dinner carries her into his world, which is her world minus the boundaries of space and time. The indigo lord is a magnificent creation. He is arrogant and seductive, apparently unfazed by the fate of lovers in plague-stricken city and dryly witty about a marauding army destroyed by a flood after an unprovoked attack on a innocent city. Surveying the carnage, he says, "I might have gotten a little carried away." He is angered and hurt that the Chaos Stick, his reason for existing, has been taken from him. I am not clear on how irresponsibly he might have wielded it but he is clearly devastated and also outraged that he cannot simply snatch it back. Getting it back will entail negotiations with Paama, who is neither a fool nor a coward. There are lessons to be learned on both sides, and the narrator states at one point that she is opposed to those who think stories should not have morals.

This is a story about the responsible use of power even given the overwhelming influence of chance of human life -- a big theme that fits neatly within this 200 page tale as it ever could in a political novel several times the length. While Lord's characters, both undying and human, learn to question every aspect of their realities, she is confidently riding her half-trained horse, never losing the track of her story while keeping an eye on her readers. In one scene a character talks to a village storyteller about his profession. His answer could be Lord once again stating her goals and narrative technique.

"I am a storyteller. I travel to collect stories, and I return to tell the stories of one place to the people of another. That is the important part of the trade. You must never tell people their own stories. They have no interest in them, or they think they can tell them better themselves. Give them a stranger's life, and they are content."

(less)

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May 15, 2012 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: around-the-world, location-senegal, read2012

Lord is a Caribbean author who weaves a Senegalese folk tale into a somewhat modern retelling. Not having read the original folktale, I'm not sure where one leaves off and another begins, but the story of Paama ("she could cook") and her foolish glutton husband was an easy and entertaining read.

All of these quotations are food related, a placeholder for when I bake something Senegalese.

"[Paama] could cook. An inadequate statement. Anyone can cook, but the true talent belongs to those who are cap...more Lord is a Caribbean author who weaves a Senegalese folk tale into a somewhat modern retelling. Not having read the original folktale, I'm not sure where one leaves off and another begins, but the story of Paama ("she could cook") and her foolish glutton husband was an easy and entertaining read.

All of these quotations are food related, a placeholder for when I bake something Senegalese.

"[Paama] could cook. An inadequate statement. Anyone can cook, but the true talent belongs to those who are capable of gently ensnaring with their delicacies, winning compliance with the mere suggestion that there might not be any goodies for a caller who persisted in prying. Life... could be sweet when there was a savoury stew gently bubbling on the stove, rice with a hint of jasmine steaming in the pot, and honey cakes browning in the oven. It almost cured Semwe's stoically silent worry, Tasi's guilty fretting, and Neila's bitter sighs."

At one point, she decides to make millet dumplings and grinds the millet as she sings this call-and-response song:
"Beat him down, beat him down
then we can hold his wake
Maize for porridge, barley for beer
Millet for dumpling and cake...."

"I have heard tales of how magnificently she can cook. I could relate for you a description of a morsel of her honey-almond cake, a delicacy which is light enough to melt on the tip of the tongue and yet it lingers on the palate with its subtle flavours long into the dream-filled reaches of the night. I could sing the praises, secondhand, alas, of her traveller's soup, a concoction of smoothly blended and balanced vegetables and herbs guaranteed to put heart and strength back into the bones of the weariest voyager.... I have just this moment recalled a certain jar that sits in her kitchen, filled with dried fruit steeping in spice spirit, red wine, cinnamon, and nutmeg, patiently awaiting that day months or even years hence when it will be baked into a festival cake that will turn the head of the most seasonal toper."(less)

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Mar 31, 2012 Jeff Chappell rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone interested in African folklore, non-conventional fantasy

Well, I've been neglecting Good Reads, but no time like the present to make amends. Especially since I can't take Facebook anymore.

Anyway, in short, this is an excellent novel -- incredible if you consider the fact that it's the author's debut novel. It's a welcome change of pace from the glut of gritty sword and sorcery fantasy that the market is glutted with right now (thank you Mr. Martin). My only real criticism of Lord's work -- heh -- is that her narrator becomes too much of a character i...more

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Mar 24, 2012 Stephanie Saulter rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, mythology

It's hard to sustain the cadences and colloquialisms of a traditionally told fairy tale for the length of a novel, harder still to make it accessible - indeed comfortable and charming - for the modern reader, and hardest of all if the language and culture from which the story is extracted are foreign to most of its likely audience. And yet, with Redemption in Indigo, Karen Lord has done just that. A Barbadian writer building her story from a Senegalese folk tale, the Caribbean and African rhythm...more

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Dec 21, 2011 Fellshot rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-strangenesses

I love small conventions because I always end up with new additions to my list of things I really want to read. This was one of the books I picked up as a direct result.

Redemption in Indigo is about a woman named Paama who hasn't had a particularly pleasant few years. A few of the djombi (big and little spirits of varying disposition) decide to entrust a very special item to her. Another one of the djombi, the Indigo Lord, wants it back.

I really loved the style of prose. The narrator's occasiona...more

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Apr 18, 2011 Ranting Dragon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: michael

http://www.rantingdragon.com/redempti...

Redemption in Indigo is the debut novel from Barbadian writer Karen Lord (I did have to Google how to refer to someone from Barbados). It has won several literary awards that are unfamiliar to me, including the Crawford Award for best fantasy novel by a new writer. Redemption in Indigo was also chosen as one of Amazon’s Top 10 science fiction and fantasy books of 2010 and has been nominated for the Locus Award.

I feel woefully unqualified to review this boo...more

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Apr 30, 2013 Ellen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, read-2013, reviewed

LONG ASIDE: What's the difference between a "fairy tale" and a "folktale"? (And where does "myth" fit into that?) A fairy tale obviously needn't include actual fairies (is there a single Disney movie with fairies?). I have a sneaking suspicion that we (by which I mean English speakers of European descent) tend to classify as "fairy tales" stories that reflect our own cultural background and as "folktales" those that seem exotic to us. I am therefore deliberately using the term "fairy tale" in th...more

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Jan 05, 2013 Robert rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fairy-tale-myth

I don't know whether Karen Lord has read any Gaiman. What I do know is that it feels like she has written one.

Redemption in Indigo is a fairy tale with its own mythology. It reads not like an ornate, pretty, romantic-era literary fairy tale, but a traditional orally told fairy tale that just happens to be quite long. The start and finish allude to this oral tradition.

At any rate. This is the story of a young woman who's run away from her gluttonous husband, and who is given a strange gift by ete...more I don't know whether Karen Lord has read any Gaiman. What I do know is that it feels like she has written one.

Redemption in Indigo is a fairy tale with its own mythology. It reads not like an ornate, pretty, romantic-era literary fairy tale, but a traditional orally told fairy tale that just happens to be quite long. The start and finish allude to this oral tradition.

At any rate. This is the story of a young woman who's run away from her gluttonous husband, and who is given a strange gift by eternal beings - a chaos stick. The chaos stick has been taken from another eternal being, as punishment for his behaviour, and he wants it back.

The tale is told with great pace (like all oral narratives), with charaters sketched in such vivid and economical ways that they manage to own the stage when they're on it, and moments and scenes that could belong in any folk tale. The setting appears to be Africa, but the era is cheerfully uncertain, giving the tale a certain timelessness.

Comparisons with Neil Gaiman's work were occasionally on my mind for a number of reasons. One was the Trickster - the spider, Nancy, the same trickster God that appeared in American Gods and Anansi Boys, who is not a stock character in Western mythology and whom not many readers might know about. The other reason is the shadowy eternal beings that are having duties and a conflict and that, in so many ways, are a bit like the Endless from the Sandman series. So the story feels a little bit like what would happen if you squeeze Sandman through American Gods and Anansi Boys and filter it via Stardust (Neil Gaiman's fairy tale for adults): beautiful, sweet, with depth and richness and a real sense of stories and myths. If Karen Lord has not read any Neil Gaiman works, she has somehow managed to distil his lighter essence into a short novel through sheer magic. (Redemption in Indigo is not as dark as some of Gaiman's stories get).

I'd never heard of this novel or author before, but I am an instant fan. It's an absolute delight and I'd recommend it to anyone.(less)

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Oct 15, 2011 Annie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I love novels that are based on fairy tales, but it's rare to see one inspired by African folk legends. This really is a fantastic example of how to write a fairy tale for grown-ups. It's in the style of the Anansi stories I read as a kid, but the main character is a heroine with grown-up problems. She's a practical woman who is on the run after being tricked into a disastrous marriage to a man made idiotic by his hunger. Life becomes even more complicated when she is given a cooking implement t...more

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Aug 19, 2010 Eris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: lovers of the fable and the folktale

This unassuming volume will tickle your brain and pull you back compulsively even though you may believe you know what is going to happen next. Paama is an honest woman of infuriating integrity, strong yet almost invisible in her simplicity. She seeks not fame nor fortune, and when given the opportunity to give a lesson to those who are unkind she seems to choose kindness to her detriment.

This retelling of a folktale weaves a rich tapestry of archetypes, most of which immediately familiar to an...more

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Jan 10, 2011 Zen Cho rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: written-by-poc, sff

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 10, 2012 Nils rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Eigentlich ist es nur eine kleine Geschichte: Von der Bauerntochter Paama, die vor ihrem verfressenen Gatten flieht, der sie und alle um ihn herum tyrannisiert. Paama flieht in das Haus ihrer Eltern, doch er folgt ihr, um sie zurück zu holen. Dann ist da jedoch ein seltsamer Stab, in dessen Besitz Paama gelangt ist und der "das Unwahrscheinliche wahrscheinlich macht". So hilft der Stab Paama ohne ihr Wissen und sie kann ihren Mann nicht nur abschütteln, sondern demütigt ihn vor dem gesamten Ort....more Eigentlich ist es nur eine kleine Geschichte: Von der Bauerntochter Paama, die vor ihrem verfressenen Gatten flieht, der sie und alle um ihn herum tyrannisiert. Paama flieht in das Haus ihrer Eltern, doch er folgt ihr, um sie zurück zu holen. Dann ist da jedoch ein seltsamer Stab, in dessen Besitz Paama gelangt ist und der "das Unwahrscheinliche wahrscheinlich macht". So hilft der Stab Paama ohne ihr Wissen und sie kann ihren Mann nicht nur abschütteln, sondern demütigt ihn vor dem gesamten Ort. Kurz darauf tritt ein weiterer Mann in Paamas Leben. Diesmal jedoch kein verfressener Tyrann, sondern ein Unsterblicher Djombi, dessen Macht in dem Stab konzentriert ist, den Paama bekommen hat. Er nimmt die Gestalt eines wohlhabenden Händlers an, um an den Stab zu kommen, scheitert mit diesem Plan jedoch. Er entführt Paama mit seinen mystischen Kräften auf eine Reise durch Raum und Zeit und bringt ihr dabei das Wesen der Menschen näher und die Rolle, die auch kleine Entscheidungen und Zufälle im Lauf der Welt spielen können.

Ein äußerst interessantes Buch, das Karen Lord hier vorgelegt hat und mit dem sie nicht umsonst eine Preisnominierung nach anderen abgesahnt hat: Angefangen von der heutzutage eher ungewöhnlichen Erzählform, bei der ein auktorialer Erzähler die Geschichte dem Leser in Schriftform so erzählt, wie er sie einem kleinen Publikum in trauter Runde präsentieren würde und dabei selbst as Figur eine Form gewinnt, über die zahlreichen mystischen Einsprengsel, die Lord anscheinend aus der Mythologie ihrer eigenen Heimat, der Karibik, entnimmt bis hin zu frappierenden Ähnlichkeiten zu den orientalischen Geschichten aus tausend und einer Nacht. Mit einer guten Prise lateinamerikanischem magischem Realismus und einer bemerkenswert unscharfen Bestimmung des technischen Entwicklungsstandes der Welt wird "Redemption in Indigo" endgültig zu einem absoluten Highlight der phantastischen Literatur der letzten Jahre, das es jedoch leider wohl nie in eine deutsche Übersetzung schaffen wird.(less)

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Feb 17, 2012 Nancy O'Toole rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-club, fantasy

Paama has grown tired of her husband Asigne’s gluttonous nature and selfish attitude, leading her to seek asylum at her parent’s home. Then Asigne arrives in town and plunges her life into chaos. Eventually, Paama manages to rid herself from him for good, but not without attracting the attention of the mischievous djombi, who see her as a perfect wielder for The Chaos Stick. Only the Chaos Stick’s former owner is not happy with this, and will do anything to get it back.

I have read plenty of nove...more Paama has grown tired of her husband Asigne’s gluttonous nature and selfish attitude, leading her to seek asylum at her parent’s home. Then Asigne arrives in town and plunges her life into chaos. Eventually, Paama manages to rid herself from him for good, but not without attracting the attention of the mischievous djombi, who see her as a perfect wielder for The Chaos Stick. Only the Chaos Stick’s former owner is not happy with this, and will do anything to get it back.

I have read plenty of novels that draw their inspiration from folk tales or fairy tales, but never one quite like Redemption in Indigo. This is due to the fact that the story was inspired by Senegalese folklore, a topic I am admittedly quite ignorant of. As a result, reading Redemption in Indigo was an informative experience on top of being a pleasurable one, as I was able to learn a little bit about the culture of another part of the world. The first thing that grabbed me about Redemption in Indigo is it’s use of an omniscient narrator. The lively voice chosen here is reminiscent of a storyteller, a decision that I find really suits folklore inspired tales, which often find their roots in oral tradition. The tone of the book mostly lighthearted, despite some dark moments, and is filled with satisfying humor. I often found myself smiling or laughing aloud, especially in the early chapters which focused on the problems that Asigne kept on creating for himself. The pace moves along quite briskly, making it a relatively quick read. There is also a lot more story than you’d expect to find in a novel of less than 200 pages.

Paama is a very clever, well drawn heroine. I found her reactions to many of the events in the novel to be very realistic. When something happens that is frightening, she reacts appropriately in fear. Interesting, I did not find these moments of weakness to weaken her as a character at all. Beyond Paama, Redemption in Indigo has it’s fair share of interesting and tough female characters, which I always enjoy. I also liked how she chose to develop the villains of the piece. Asigne, for example, is able to illicit both laughter for his silly actions, as well as sympathy. My one complaint about the book is that I wanted to view the setting a little more. Because of the quick natured writing, we don’t get to linger on the world around our characters very often. As a result, I struggled to visualize it at times.

Redemption in Indigo is a short and satisfying novel starring a likable heroine. I enjoyed the humorous tone of the novel, as well as getting to learn more about the folklore of a culture that I am not familiar with. I look forward to reading other books by Karen Lord in the future.(less)

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Apr 10, 2012 Beth Cato rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: in, 2012, fairy-tale, tale, africa

This isn't my usual sort of fantasy novel, but when it was selected by my book club, I decided it was a chance to broaden my horizons. It proved to be a smooth and fast read. The tone of the book is completely conversational, like I'm sitting at the storyteller's feet as they tell the tale. I have read Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys, and that already introduced me to the basics of the trickster mythology in Africa. Redemption in Indigo goes deeper, but after the first few pages, I never felt like I w...more

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Jan 14, 2013 Ale rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: amazing-female-heroines, contemporary-author, fantasy, female-author, magical-realism, caribbean-authors, women-of-genre-fiction-challenge

Oh, I do love modern fables. There's always something refreshing about different takes on the same stories that, to me, form part of the collective unconscious. Karen Lord takes a tale of redemption that, to some extent, we are all familiar with, and turns it into an enchanting story about resilience and the power of the human spirit. I found it, by turns, funny, sad, and absolutely exhilarating. For a first novel, it's certainly a very strong effort and there are only minor quibbles with the ov...more Oh, I do love modern fables. There's always something refreshing about different takes on the same stories that, to me, form part of the collective unconscious. Karen Lord takes a tale of redemption that, to some extent, we are all familiar with, and turns it into an enchanting story about resilience and the power of the human spirit. I found it, by turns, funny, sad, and absolutely exhilarating. For a first novel, it's certainly a very strong effort and there are only minor quibbles with the overall thing that keep it from a full five star rating for me.

"Redemption in Indigo" is the story of Paama, the wife of the gluttonous, foolish Ansige, who one day leaves him and returns to her village of Makhenda. Her husband tracks her down and attempts to try and convince her to return, only to blunder his way into trouble, leaving Paama to deal with the consequences (mostly shame). This leads to her acquiring the Chaos Stick from the djombi, or undying ones, and the quest of one such spirit to retrieve all this power for his own gain. What follows is a wonderfully spun web of redemption, understanding and love through the mythical savannah.

There are two main aspects I adored about this book: Paama herself and the way Lord weaves in Senegalese folk tales and myths into the narration. Paama feels like the most rounded, complete character in the novel. She undergoes a transformation (as does the djombi), but she maintains the core of what makes her, well, her. Throughout the novel, there are hints of her spirit and determination, all of which is firmly put on display in the climax. I laughed along with her, I felt for her during her struggles, and I wondered, as she does, whether choices are really as simple as we make them out to be.

The second aspect, of mythology and folk tales, was reminiscent of Gaiman's work, particularly Anansi Boys and American Gods. While I found the latter insufferable and meandering, the former was decent, and the glimpses of Anansi, the Trickster spider god, were absolutely amazing. So it came as a great joy to see him cast in Lord's novel, in a semi-prominent role. There are references to the Fates as well, in the form of the Sisters, and again, Lord's effortless writing really makes them shine, and more importantly, makes them completely hers in creation and depth.

Ultimately, what really sort of kills it for me is the epilogue, weirdly enough. Throughout the novel, the reader feels as if they are listening to a travelling poet spin the tale of Paama and the Chaos Stick. At points the fourth wall is broken, but it is done in such a smooth fashion, that it doesn't intrude too much on the rest of the story. The epilogue really disappoints me, not because of the saccharine happy ending (which is well established in the final chapter), but because I feel it adds next to nothing to the story. Overall, a superb nove, would have preferred a more ambiguous note at the end (particularly when it comes to the djombi). (less)

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Jan 20, 2012 Mark Webb rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Redemption in Indigoby Karen Lord is a fable, complete with narration by an all knowing story teller. The story is based on African mythology and tells the story of Paama, an escapee of an unhappy marriage who returns to her parent's village. Her talents as a chef are prodigious and her husband, an incorrigible glutton and a general all round fool, follows her to try and compel her return.

At the same time all this is happening, the spirits of this world (the djombi or undying ones) have stripped...more Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord is a fable, complete with narration by an all knowing story teller. The story is based on African mythology and tells the story of Paama, an escapee of an unhappy marriage who returns to her parent's village. Her talents as a chef are prodigious and her husband, an incorrigible glutton and a general all round fool, follows her to try and compel her return.

At the same time all this is happening, the spirits of this world (the djombi or undying ones) have stripped one of their more powerful brethren of the power of chaos, and gifted that power to Paama. The main thread of the story chronicles the effort of the spirit to recover his power from Paama and Paama's reaction to having the power of chaos at her command.

The style of the novel was interesting and it was a quick read, with the story moving along at a good pace. The writing is lovely, but I must admit I didn't feel a great degree of connection with any of the characters, so I found myself admiring the book at an intellectual level, but not really caring about the outcome.

I don't know anything about African folklore, so I found the exploration of the world of the djombi fascinating. The complex interactions between the various spirits that was hinted at through the book were tantalising, and I would have been very interested in hearing more about that side of the world.

I get the sense that there might have been more layers of meaning in the novel than I am giving it credit for. Certainly there was a strong sense of characters, both human and djombi, learning lessons, rehabilitating and reconciling. To be honest I'm not a huge fan of being beaten over the head with morality - fortunately the lessons were weaved into the story with enough skill that I wasn't completely thrown out of the narrative. Still, the story was driven more by an exploration of characters than a strong plot. This tendency, combined with my lack of emotional connection with the characters, was enough to dampen my enthusiasm for the novel.

I read this novel as a result of it being the subject of one of my favourite podcasts, The Writer and the Critic, this month (January 2012).

I also reviewed this book on my website.
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Apr 02, 2012 Biblibio rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fairy-tales, fantasy, 21st-century

An original, entertaining, amusing and all-around well-told fantasy story, Redemption in Indigo is a wonderful book for anyone looking for new and unfamiliar fantasy stories. Karen Lord reverts to a gently nostalgic storytelling style, with an all-knowing narrator and several characters who seem more comfortable in a fairy-tale-esque world than in a straight-up fantasy.

Redemption in Indigo is well-written within the constraints of its style, and plotted in such a way that the reader does not los...more

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Jun 17, 2010 Sarah Keliher rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bigger-on-the-inside-than-out, lit, read2010, sfthatdoesntsuck, small-beer-press, sf-fantasy-general, bestof2010

This book gives you exactly the same feeling of enchantment you get from listening to a really great storyteller, which is a very hard thing to capture in print. It's got all the right pauses and asides, the right amounts of humor and suspense and romance and intrigue, and an uplifting but uncheesy moral. Absolutely magical.

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Mar 16, 2012 Burgandy Ice rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Um... wow? This book is unique. The flavor is exotic. To read this book felt like climbing out of my culture and into the mind of another one, where I felt immediately comfortable, which is just... wow!

The hero in this book is not Paama, although she is the central figure. For me, the person I felt attached to, even suddenly best friends with, is the narrator. The narrator takes monumental things, like what and who djombi's are, for commonplace, while skillfully explaining them so that I feel li...more Um... wow? This book is unique. The flavor is exotic. To read this book felt like climbing out of my culture and into the mind of another one, where I felt immediately comfortable, which is just... wow!

The hero in this book is not Paama, although she is the central figure. For me, the person I felt attached to, even suddenly best friends with, is the narrator. The narrator takes monumental things, like what and who djombi's are, for commonplace, while skillfully explaining them so that I feel like I knew what they were all along, too. Which feel like genius to read - both exotic and comforting at the same time. Which feels both weird and ok... at the same time. (Which is just... what?!)

And then, the narrator is funny. There are these hints of opinion regarding the actions taken through-out the story, constantly flavoring the story and my opinion of the players. I am not disgusted with Paama's gluttonous husband, rather I feel sorry for him because Paama does and the narrator respects Paama. Although the dreadful former owner of the chaos stick is extremely powerful, I'm not frightened of him because ultimately the narrator isn't, knowing that Patience will come along and be more powerful, still. I don't know what's coming, but the narrator obvoiusly does. By the end I feel like I would travel large distances for the privilege of hearing this narrator share another story!!

Crazy!
Now for some SPOILER fun!!

This story takes place when traveling with horses and donkeys is fashionable, and what Paama's husband is unable to do, Chance does, riding into the small village in state, setting up his fancy moveable home. A part that really cracked me up was how the poet fell in love with the girl he was helping to woo for the powerful lord, uh, Chance. But then this Poet was really someone I knew by reputation, only I had heard his story differently.

I had?! I knew that?!
"...but I am hearing some rumblings from my audience. You are distressed that I have spoiled the moving and romantic tale of how Love's Laureate courted his beautiful wife? You complain that I have turned it into a cobbled pastiche of happenstance, expediency, and the capricious tricks of the djombi? I bleed for your injured sentiments, but to dress the tale in vestments of saga and chivalry was never my intent. A sober reading of history will teach you that both lesser and greater persons have been treated more roughly by fate. Be content. If it was only a djombi's vanity and aversion to human company that caused Alton to become a merchant prince for one night, if it was fear of discovery and capture that made that djombi flee, thus settling a lordly mantle on Alton for all time, how does that come to be my fault? I am only the one who tells the story."
Oh. Well. Alright then. My bad.

See what I mean?!

I would never guess that I'd love a book so much that is narrated. You know? But I love this book. Every character has depth and strengths and flaws. This book is jamb-packed with emotion. For me, it's the sort of book that I can't read quickly, making the 200 page count very deceptive. Every other paragraph, I'm pausing, staring out the window, chuckling over something or wondering if I'm going to burst into tears or just plain thinking.

Like, is Patience really that powerful?! Huh.

My Rating: 5 - Love It!!

I will probably reread this book. It will haunt me forever, tickling my memory with experiences and histories I know from somewhere.(less)

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Mar 01, 2012 Shara (Calico Reaction) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The premise: ganked from BN.com: Karen Lord’s debut novel, which won the prestigious Frank Collymore Literary Prize in Barbados, is an intricately woven tale of adventure, magic, and the power of the human spirit.

Paama’s husband is a fool and a glutton. Bad enough that he followed her to her parents’ home in the village of Makende, now he’s disgraced himself by murdering livestock and stealing corn. When Paama leaves him for good, she attracts the attention of the undying ones -- the djombi -- w...more The premise: ganked from BN.com: Karen Lord’s debut novel, which won the prestigious Frank Collymore Literary Prize in Barbados, is an intricately woven tale of adventure, magic, and the power of the human spirit.

Paama’s husband is a fool and a glutton. Bad enough that he followed her to her parents’ home in the village of Makende, now he’s disgraced himself by murdering livestock and stealing corn. When Paama leaves him for good, she attracts the attention of the undying ones -- the djombi -- who present her with a gift: the Chaos Stick, which allows her to manipulate the subtle forces of the world. Unfortunately, a wrathful djombi with indigo skin believes this power should be his and his alone.

Bursting with humor and rich in fantastic detail, Redemption in Indigo is a clever, contemporary fairy tale that introduces readers to a dynamic new voice in Caribbean literature. Lord’s world of spider tricksters and indigo immortals, inspired in part by a Senegalese folk tale, will feel instantly familiar -- but Paama’s adventures are fresh, surprising, and utterly original.

My Rating: Excellent

This is one of those books I can see myself re-reading in the future. It's short and sweet, but with a whole lot packed into its pages. While I finished it quickly, Redemption in Indigo had a lot of depth and constantly surprised me with its characters and story decisions. Other authors would've taken a more convention route, but not Karen Lord, resulting in yet another utterly enjoyable read for my book club. Well, utterly enjoyable for me. We'll see how all of you book-clubbers liked it, but I will say if you've haven't had the opportunity to read this book, you're certainly missing out. Also, reading this book will make you hungry. That is all. :)

Spoilers, yay or nay?: Yay. It's a book club selection, which means spoilers are a go. If you haven't yet read the book, please do NOT read the full review, as it spoils the end. However, if you've read the book, feel free to join in on the discussion! As always, comments and discussion are most welcome!

REVIEW: Karen Lord's REDEMPTION IN INDIGO

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Jan 20, 2013 Yasaman rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A short yet entirely satisfying folk/fairy tale inspired by a Senegalese folk tale, plus little bits of scifi, and featuring a charming and funny narrative voice. Redemption in Indigo is ultimately a small story, about Paama, a woman who has escaped her gluttonous husband's house and who is given a gift by the undying ones called the djombi, and who have their own agendas. There's no world-saving, no grand quest. Just Paama learning about power and duty and compassion, and teaching the same to t...more

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Apr 09, 2012 C.D. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Paama, a talented cook, spends much of the beginning of Redemption in Indigo trying to get rid of her terrible husband. Unfortunately (or fortunately) for her, the Djombi – powerful, undying spirits – decide that her ability to deal with difficult circumstances means she's the perfect person to hold the chaos stick, a magical artifact with the power to control (you guessed it) chaos.

The Djombi don’t bother asking what she thinks about being the new owner of a powerfully destructive device. They...more Paama, a talented cook, spends much of the beginning of Redemption in Indigo trying to get rid of her terrible husband. Unfortunately (or fortunately) for her, the Djombi – powerful, undying spirits – decide that her ability to deal with difficult circumstances means she's the perfect person to hold the chaos stick, a magical artifact with the power to control (you guessed it) chaos.

The Djombi don’t bother asking what she thinks about being the new owner of a powerfully destructive device. They also don’t bother to let her know that the real owner of the chaos stick, a renegade Djombi with a hatred of humanity and a penchant for comic books, is on his way to take the stick back.

Whoops.

This, in a nutshell, is the setup of Karen Lord’s debut fantasy novel, Redemption in Indigo. It’s an unusual fantasy novel. It isn’t set in a european (or eurocenteric) landscape; instead, it takes place somewhere in Africa. The magic may be magic, but it might also be science – we get a dose of chaos theory along with the wand-waving. The hero is not a young boy, but a middle-aged woman. Her talents aren’t swordplay and sarcasm - instead, she specializes in cooking, cleverness and civility, with a side serving of compassion. Paama treats everyone with her particular brand of tough-love civility, be they her husband, the deadly Djombi stalking her, or the giant spider popping up around her town.

It’s also an unusual novel because of the narrative structure. The plot hues closely to the curves of the characters lives and thoughts rather than follow the strict linearity of conflict, climax and denouement. Several reviewers have said the book is like traditional storytelling. I would tend to agree, with some important reservations: I know absolutely nothing about storytelling culture in either Barbados, where Karen Lord grew up, or Senegal, where the folk tale that inspired Redemption in Indigo originated. So it seems a bit silly of me to claim Lord is writing like a storyteller, since I don’t even know what that means. I agree, however, that there are definite elements of the (universal) storyteller in the narrative – the call and response, the meandering, the opinionated narrator (I LOVE THE NARRATOR SO MUCH). Moreover, I think it’s important to note that even if Karen Lord is following a storytelling structure, she’s doing so in innovative, radical ways – she’s reworking a genre rather than just playing into it. Reading Redemption in Indigo isn’t “just like” listening to a story.

I personally am a huge fan of this sort of work. I like novels that rework genre conventions, I like novels that foil my expectations, I like novels that play around with narrative structure, that have unusual heroes, that take place in non-eurocentric cultures. So it came as no surprise to me that I loved Redemption in Indigo.

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Aug 27, 2011 Gerri Leen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: will-look-for-this-author-again

Oh, wow. It's easy to see why this book is up for a World Fantasy Award. It's different and charming, meandering around points but giving you more than enough information that when you circle back, you know why you got that seemingly irrelevant story. It's folksy, and ethnic in a way that's not done to death. The characters are memorable, the smiles many. It's just...delightful. And I don't want to ruin it for anyone by giving too much away.

One criticism. And for me, it's the difference between...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Sharon added it · review of another edition

Shelves: guilt-free-book-club

Fables and novels are two very different genres. Fables tend to describe people by a single characteristic, making everyone a caricature, inviting the hearer to laugh at their recognizable foibles. Novels describe people in more depth and show progression in their character. Novels offer change and resolution.

Combining these two genres is not a simple matter, but Lord does it masterfully. The playfulness of fable is here, with its short summary of human character and its invitation to laugh at t...more

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