Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon

21 reviews

careinthelibrary's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

I've read The Deep and An Unkindness of Ghosts and this is my new favourite from Rivers Solomon. Fae just keep getting better and better. Sorrowland hits hard. I love Vern and her kids, her relationship with Gogo, it all just feels right. Precisely done.
This book has some of the most meaningful and nuanced queer representation I've ever read. Never once do these characters feel forced or unnatural, they are such complex people who jump off the page and start running for the woods.
Can't wait for their next book, I'm quickly becoming a major fan. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Gun violence, and Terminal illness

Minor: Suicide

Cult indoctrination

uranaishi's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Infertility, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Transphobia, and Mass/school shootings

skudiklier's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.75

I don't really like horror, so I was really hesitant going into this book, and only read it for a book club. But I'm glad I did; though it was definitely dark and at times upsetting, it was also really good. I was fascinated by what was happening, and some of the twists really got me. This is the second book I've read by this author and I definitely think I'll look into their other work. 

Also, vague spoilers for the ending, but

I was pleasantly surprised by how happy the ending was.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Hate crime, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Cannibalism, and Colonisation

Minor: Racial slurs and Suicide

susanknights's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Colonisation

laguerrelewis's review

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

This book is beautiful. It is not an easy read. It gets rough, and dirty, and depressing, but it is ultimately beautiful. Rivers Solomon seems keenly aware of this, and they do a masterful job weaving this story. If you think you’re ready for it, please do yourself the hard kindness of reading this story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault

odrib's review

challenging dark sad slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction and Alcoholism

Minor: Car accident

kylieqrada's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

EXCUSE ME, WHAT?!?!? Rivers Solomon is truly one of the best authors in the game, as is evidenced by the fact that I picked up this book, a horror novel, just because it is by them. I was not disappointed in any way shape or form, however I do have a lot of feelings and I do not know how to process them. The only reason I am giving this four stars is because I am basing my rating on pure enjoyment (there was one sex scene that involved acts that were triggering for me personally), but please know that the writing and literary value absolutely deserves five stars. I am Rivers Solomon trash, and I am not worthy. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

planreadrepeat's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

This is not a happy book. It's gothic horror with inspirations from and brushes of actual atrocities perpetuated by the US Government/Military. As Rivers Solomon states in the note "I hope that even as Sorrowland delves into the pain these colonial states have wrought, one might see the joy, triumph, and humor of those who resist, resist, resist." There is a lot of darkness.  But there is also a lot of joy. Definitely worth the read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

storieswithbee's review

challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

2.5

Genre: adult fiction, paranormal, horror, LGBT, Sci-Fi, Gothic, Speculative fiction, dark fiction

Age range: 18+

Overall: 2.5/5

Characters: 4/5 

Plot: 2/5

Writing and Setting: 4/5

Content warning: *sex scenes, adult language, racism, violence, gore, sexual abuse, religious cults, forced institutionalisation, self-harm, plus many many more.

The gist of my review:  

This book... my god. I don’t know how we went from a girl fighting the cult and government that imprisoned her to becoming a super human due to a fungus that had morphed with her body, but it happened. And if I’m being honest, I’m disappointed that it did happen. 

This book has a very extensive list of trigger warning so please be cautious when considering reading this book. 

In my opinion, this book would have been perfect if it stayed on the same path it initially started on. We have a cast of strong and diverse characters from different cultures and sexual orientations, the representation is phenomenal, but the Science Fiction element totally encompassed the initial storyline and swept it off into a very strange and often confronting direction. 

I think there is definitely an audience for this book, however, I can understand why people stop reading it at the 20% mark. This is clearly displayed by the polarising ratings and reviews. 

All together, the writing is very challenging, the characters individually are astounding,  but there wasn’t any content warning provided at the start of the book so readers are entering into some very pressing and troubling scenes blind. In addition, as I mentioned, the book took on a very strange direction when I don’t believe it needed to. My review will be very polarising considering I have given the book a rather low rating, but I think the best way I can describe it is that the book is quite literally unforgettable, but for both good and bad reasons. 

Characters: 4/5

There are a few distinct characters in this book but I’m only going to talk about the ones that are most prominent. When I mention race, it’s because it very important to the plot of the book, I apologise in advance if I offended anyone.

Vern:

Vern is a very unique main character. To begin with, she is a albino black young women who has grown up in a very oppressive black person’s cult. She rebels against just about every rule and social construct, not only while in the cult, but also after she escapes. 

Throughout the story we discover that she is bisexual and she is open to exploring her sexuality and seeking out her own pleasure. She has offhanded sex with a fair few people (and... beings), and develops a deep relationship with two women. 

In addition, Vern is a teen mother to twins, however her parenting isn’t socially conventional considering she raises her children in the wilderness when leaving the cult. Her children, Howling and Feral, are products of her free spirited nature, and their behaviours are often reflections of the previous traits and actions we’ve seen from Vern throughout the book.

The way that Vern was written was phenomenal. In short, the only way I can accurately describe her is that she reminds me of a fierce Lioness. She is an incredibly diverse women who is a marvel both due to what happens to her throughout the book, but also just plainly as a character. I haven’t come across a character written in this way in all my years of reading and I found her totally fascinating. I think it will be a long time before I forget Vern.

Gogo:

Gogo is a character we’re introduced to after that 20% mark in the book and I’m thankful that I read further to be introduced to her. 

Gogo is a strong, opinionated and incredibly intelligent lesbian black women. She knows what she wants and she battles tooth and nail to achieve her goals. Gogo has a medical degree and is the person the local community look towards when they can’t go seek conventional medical treatments due to stigma and costs. 

Gogo is one of the two intimate relationships that Vern experiences throughout the book. In comparison to all of Vern other sexual partners, the partnership with Gogo comes across as one that shares a very deep understanding and passion for one another. Gogo provides Vern with a sense of solace, especially when Vern’s body and mind take on a supernatural turn. The two are very compatible and they reflect on each other incredibly well. 

Plot: 2/5

I’ve mentioned it a few times now, but I really detested the supernatural/ paranormal / science fiction element to Vern’s story. I think the book could have been a very fascinating read if it had gone down the path of fighting the cult and the government as a ‘human’. Obviously this would have changed a large proportion of the story but (not trying to give away spoilers so I’m being purposefully vague), but an exoskeleton...? Spurs...? Mind control...? Really...? *rolls eyes* It was just too much. 

Writing and Setting: 4/5

The writing is in 3rd person, which normally I don’t enjoy as much as first person, but with Solomon’s writing style, it was a really fascinating way to digest this story. The writing itself was incredibly complex and it requires the reader to be very engaged at all times. 

The settings throughout the book are very unique in a multitude of different ways. In each different location, which was beautifully written, we see different levels and new developments in Vern, her ‘condition’, and her family.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Alcoholism, Biphobia, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Acephobia/Arophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Grief, and Gaslighting

ceilidhwilliams's review

challenging dark informative sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, and Murder