Redemption in Indigo
#4813.87 of 664 ranked universes · full ranking
Books 1 book Status Complete 2010 Reading commitment Low Karen Lord Last reviewed 2026-08-13
Overview
A Barbadian author's 2010 debut novel reworking a Senegalese folk tale. Paama, a put-upon cook who has just left her gluttonous husband, is entrusted with the world-shaping Chaos Stick by a djombi (spirit) who has just lost it in a wager -- and must learn to master its power while evading the spirit's furious former owner.
Fairy-tale retelling · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (1 work) counts toward ranking
Redemption in Indigo (novel) Karen Lord
| Work | Year | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Redemption in Indigo | 2010 | core | 3.87 (2,392 ratings) |
A Barbadian author's debut novel reworking a Senegalese folk tale, in which a put-upon cook, Paama, is given the world-shaping Chaos Stick by a defeated djombi (spirit) and must learn to master it while being pursued by its former owner. Standalone; registered as a single-work universe (LOTR-analogy convention). Karen Lord's other novels (The Best of All Possible Worlds, The Galaxy Game, Unravelling, The Blue, Beautiful World) are social science fiction in different settings, not part of this universe.
Quick answers
- How many books are in Redemption in Indigo? Redemption in Indigo's Core Canon is 1 book.
- Is Redemption in Indigo finished? Complete (2010).
- How much reading does Redemption in Indigo take? Low reading commitment (estimated from 1 Core Canon book).
- How is Redemption in Indigo ranked? #481 of 664 ranked universes on this site, based on 2,392 reader ratings across 1 Core Canon book. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #481?
Ranked #481 of 664 ranked universes.
- Average reader rating of 3.87 across 1 core book.
- A smaller readership (2,392 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- Less than 0.01 behind #480, The Broken Sword (a finer tie-break level decides the order).
- Below the top-10 average of 4.45.
- A single standalone novel: ranked on that one book alone.
Why explore this universe?
Rated · 1 book · Complete · 2k ratings · Ranks #481 overall
Good choice if you want a quick, low-commitment fairy-tale retelling fantasy universe that's already finished, so there's no wait for the next book.
Reading order
A single Core Canon work: no sequencing question to resolve.
Awards (verified)
- Mythopoeic Award (Adult Literature), 2011: won: Redemption in Indigo; Confirmed directly via mythsoc.org's own 2011 awards page: "Karen Lord, Redemption in Indigo (Small Beer Press)" is marked as the category winner.
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Suggestions computed from what Redemption in Indigo and each of these worlds have in common on record (subgenre, audience, shape, reading commitment and score), not a documented narrative connection.
- Uprooted Fairy-tale retelling · Complete · Low commitment · 4.02
- Hemlock & Silver Fairy-tale retelling / Dark fantasy · Complete · Low commitment · 4.01
- The Adventures of Mary Darling Fairy-tale retelling · Complete · Low commitment · 3.97
- Deerskin Fairy-tale retelling / Dark fantasy · Complete · Low commitment · 3.94
Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 3.87 across 2,392 ratings on 1 Core Canon book. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: Redemption in Indigo admitted as a single-work universe accepted 2026-08-13
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
- Wikipedia: Karen Lord Tier 2
Last reviewed: 2026-08-13
Rule: Single-work universe: one standalone 2010 novel, registered per this canon's LOTR-analogy convention. The author's other novels are social science fiction in unrelated settings and are out of scope.