Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon

75 reviews

katherineshawwrites's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is one of those books that stick with you. It's gritty and bleak, yet fascinating, surprising and powerful. Rivers Solomon doesn't hold back when laying bare the US' dark history of colonisation, corruption, racism and religious oppression, putting these themes at the forefront of this dark speculative story. There is mystery throughout, with the truth being bizarre and yet believable, leading us into a gripping, tragic and somehow hopeful finale.

It isn't an easy read - Vern is definitely a morally grey main character who can be unlikeable at times, but she's also incredibly sympathetic, and you are always rooting for her to finally achieve peace, both with herself and her situation.

All in all, an excellent book, and I will definitely pick up more of Solomon's work.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Death, Religious bigotry, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Racism, Murder, Blood, Lesbophobia, Pregnancy, Violence, Animal death, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Addiction, Colonisation, Medical content, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Gun violence, and Misogyny

artmuseam's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

to start, i have never read anything like this book before. a combination of cult survival, body metamorphosis, and exploring sexuality that somehow weaves together so well to construct a unique take on horror. this book reminded me somewhat of the works of octavia butler; stress was a big factor in what kept me going through the book. i was terrified for the main character, vern, but also terrified of her at certain points. i found elements of myself in her through her tentative exploration of her sexual orientation while also learned about what love is. this was such an exciting and different approach to horror and i thoroughly enjoyed this book! 5/5 stars

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Blood, Body horror, Murder, Stalking, Sexual violence, Death, and Gore

nonidude's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Bullying, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Murder, Gore, Racism, Physical abuse, Self harm, Violence, Animal death, Blood, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief

Minor: Suicide, Homophobia, Suicide attempt, Genocide, Death of parent, Child death, Cultural appropriation, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Cannibalism, and Alcohol

casdelvo's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Gore, Murder, Blood, and Body horror

Moderate: Racism, Animal death, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Lesbophobia, Self harm, Kidnapping, and Sexism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Trafficking, and Addiction

clare072's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Violence, Gore, Chronic illness, and Body horror

Minor: Confinement, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal death, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Colonisation, and Child death

kanj1's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Gore, Child abuse, Violence, Sexism, Racism, Pedophilia, Lesbophobia, Grief, Abandonment, and Misogyny

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Blood, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Confinement

ash_ton's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

i read this for the LGBTQIA+ book club i'm a part of! i don't normally gravitate towards science fiction so it's always nice to be pleasantly surprised. 
i was not expecting the turn the book took. like, at all. wild

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Homophobia, Blood, Stalking, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Sexism, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Cannibalism, Child death, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Medical content, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, and Sexual content

Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Terminal illness, Suicide, Bullying, Cancer, and Cultural appropriation

hel_lothere's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

really really good. impactful and horrific

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Medical content, Gun violence, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Pedophilia, Racism, Blood, Self harm, Rape, Pregnancy, Police brutality, and Physical abuse

mjadeh's review against another edition

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Murder, Violence, Blood, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexism, Stalking, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Gore, and Physical abuse

maksipad's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was incredible. Gruesome in exactly the way it was intended. I will be thinking about Solomon’s commentary on community, queerness, and the violent legacy of whiteness for a long time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Stalking, Racism, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Suicide, Addiction, Child death, Murder, Body horror, Homophobia, Xenophobia, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Self harm, and Slavery