Reviews tagging 'Dysphoria'

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon

2 reviews

sirthatsacowboy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Stalking, Death, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Homophobia, Medical content, Body horror, Gore, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

laura_tofflemire's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Sorrowland is a science fiction horror novel. I felt unsettled the entire book, which is one thing I look for in a horror novel. It was a bit slower paced and more emotional than I usually read, but overall was well done. 

It was hard to picture the main character as the age she was (started at 15, end of the book was just a couple years later) because so much happened and it felt she was written more as a 20 year old in terms of maturity. However, she went through a lot, so she did have to grow up very quickly (pregnant at 15, escaping a cult, etc). Some of her responses and actions were beyond what you’d expect from a teenager. 

Overall, I do recommend the book if you like sci fi and horror. It’s a very original book from a non binary Black author and makes you think about impacts of institutionalized racism and history of medical experiments on Black people.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, and Body horror

Moderate: Child abuse, Dysphoria, Animal death, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting