Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon

14 reviews

autumnalis's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective tense medium-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Self harm, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Sexual violence, Gun violence, Animal death, Colonisation, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual content, Child death, and Violence

zombiezami's review against another edition

5.0

This was mesmerizing. The characters and the narrative were so amazing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Murder, Animal death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, Body horror, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Death, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Stalking, Suicide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Gun violence, Homophobia, Torture, Self harm, Sexism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Sexual harassment

Minor: Colonisation, Racial slurs, and Slavery

Intersexism

bruisedtigers's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I enjoyed this a lot! This developed really well for 3/4 of the story, but the conclusion felt sadly rushed in comparison, which is a shame because it flows so well beforehand. 

Some dialogue with side/supporting characters is very heavy-handed for making a statement, which is all very well, but feels unbalanced compared to the more eloquent writing of similar issues in other sections of the book. Unfortunately, it sticks out in an odd way. 

The character work is great and I always admire well-written child characters in fiction. So much of this gets under the skin and lurks in an eerie way. Unique with its horror elements and very haunting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Homophobia, Hate crime, Violence, Mass/school shootings, Kidnapping, Grief, Body horror, Racism, Stalking, Adult/minor relationship, Torture, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Slavery, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, Racial slurs, and Police brutality

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

mixtercharlie's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-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 is a wonderful book that I would encourage everyone to read in small parts. It deserves to be enjoyed slowly. There is violence but the violence is paramount to the story, even when it’s visceral and upsetting. A book I could read again and again and always take away something new. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Ableism, Confinement, Death, Rape, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Torture, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Animal death, Child death, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Death of parent, Genocide, Blood, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Body horror, Religious bigotry, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Grief, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, and Self harm

dazzle_spider_reader_1212's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Self harm, Blood, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Gore, Sexual content, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Murder, Child death, Physical abuse, Chronic illness, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Cannibalism, Gun violence, Cursing, Confinement, and Domestic abuse

penofpossibilities's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense

• 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

GOD i did NOT heed the trigger warnings and I honestly don't even have an excuse like I knew this was a horror novel and still picked it up. don't make my mistake and please be safe. Anyway this BOOK!!!! /pos
absolute fucking masterpiece

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Ableism, Alcohol, Cannibalism, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Cursing, Child abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Confinement, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Lesbophobia, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Homophobia, Sexual content, Slavery, Mass/school shootings, Pregnancy, Self harm, Stalking, and Torture

Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Cultural appropriation, Vomit, Trafficking, Rape, Excrement, and Medical content

Minor: Suicide, Racial slurs, Transphobia, Infertility, Terminal illness, and Cancer

graphic: cult

starrysteph's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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

4.75

Sorrowland is a dark, haunting reflection on American history and the country’s repeated abuse of Black bodies.

We follow Vern, a pregnant teenager who has fled the religious compound where she was raised and her abusive husband who leads the cult. She gives birth to twins in the forest, intending to raise them far away from the influence of society. But Vern is infected, and she begins to morph into something far beyond her understanding; a violent and powerful rebirth. 

The writing has a beautiful, chilling, lyrical quality. Solomon writes with a righteous rage – the plot is unapologetic and damning. So many elements are explored: rebellion and government manipulation and experimentation using Black and indigenous bodies and queer acceptance and love.

It’s dark and weird and often difficult to press on. I sometimes felt a little lost, but was always entranced. I think you as a reader simply have to embrace the surrealism and surrender to the flow of the story. And the descriptions of Vern’s transformation and that body horror element … absolutely riveting.

The reflections on gender and sexuality were particularly poignant and engaging. 

The story was so complex and deep that I’m already looking forward to a reread - and to letting this one sink in even more.

CW: death, murder, body horror, child death, animal death, violence, self harm, gun violence, psychosis, hallucinations, drowning, racism, sexual assault, pedophilia, medical experimentation, religious bigotry, homophobia, emotional abuse, physical abuse, torture, sexual content

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, Racism, Religious bigotry, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Torture, Sexual content, Animal death, Death, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Child death, Body horror, Violence, Self harm, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, and Pedophilia

lolajh's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

Creepy and interesting and heartbreaking and wonderful. The main character Vern is a Black, albino intersex lesbian who has twins at a young age and survives and raises them in the forest. She’s escaped from a cult her family were sucked into whilst being stalked and experiencing hallucinations and numerous body changes. She eventually leaves with her kids to find her childhood friend who had also escaped from the cult before she had. While searching for her friend Vern meets Gojo, a black trans fem non binary lesbian (I never see non binary trans fem rep so loved to see this!) who she does romance on the side whilst dealing with her body changes and the sickness it brings with it. The worldbuilding and character building in this is beautiful, and criticises real-world issues through fantasy and science fiction themes. I love this book and definitely recommend it :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Racism, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Child death, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Transphobia, Murder, Trafficking, Violence, War, Stalking, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Misogyny

laguerrelewis's review against another edition

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

Minor: Sexual assault and Rape