Overview

In The Record Keeper, Agnes Gomillion sets her story in a future shaped by war, control and uneasy peace. After World War III, society is rebuilt under strict systems that decide who belongs and who does not. Arika Cobane is close to earning a place among the elite, but when she meets someone who questions the truth behind this ordered world, everything she believes begins to shift.

Writing & Voice

We found the writing clear and direct, with a strong sense of tension beneath the surface. Gomillion explains the world without slowing the story, letting emotional moments speak for themselves. The voice stays close to Arika, making her doubts and discoveries feel immediate and personal.

Characters

Arika is ambitious, capable and deeply conflicted. She benefits from the system while slowly realising who it harms. The people around her, including teachers, rebels and figures from the past, challenge her view of loyalty and success. We felt her struggle was believable and central to the story.

Themes

This novel explores power, memory and who gets to shape history. It asks what peace means when it is built on silence and control. Race, technology and identity are woven into the world rather than added on, making the questions feel urgent and grounded.

What Worked

• Strong concept: a controlled future viewed through an Afrofuturist lens.
• Focused perspective: Arika’s internal conflict drives the story.
• Series potential: the world feels ready to expand in later books.

Minor Quibbles

• The pacing shifts as the story moves from personal to political stakes.
• Some background elements are introduced lightly and saved for future instalments.

Final Thoughts

We found The Record Keeper thoughtful, tense and quietly powerful. Agnes Gomillion opens her series with a story that asks hard questions about history, control and choice, and leaves us keen to see where Arika’s journey goes next.

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.1 / 5)