Reviews

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon

Only show reviews with written explanations

starcatcher79's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark 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? No

5.0

ineffablebob's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Rivers Solomon's Sorrowland is not easily categorized. It's sort of a modern fantasy, with the protagonist Vern seeing ghosts and manifesting strange physical abilities and ailments, that later morphs into more of a sci-fi story as some of those effects are explained. Vern is an albino African-American teen who runs away from an all-Black cult compound then gives birth to twin children in the woods and spends years raising them there. That's a whole lot going on in that last sentence and it only describes the first part of the book, lots more happens later on. Cultural concepts show up around every corner: queer relationships, cult dynamics, gender flexibility, communal land use without ownership, racial injustice, misogyny, abuse of government power. As you can tell from that partial list, this is a very culturally progressive book, but I didn't feel like it was preaching on any particular topic - mostly the concepts just show up in a conversation or two along Vern's journey and then she moves on. To me, the book seemed disjointed and overwritten: sometimes strange stuff just happens out of nowhere, other parts where pages are spent describing the details of minor events, the occasional explicit sex scene, and long chunks of Vern being stubborn and refusing offered help. But then, I don't think this book was written for me, and I suspect what seems overwritten to me will speak powerfully to the right audience.

notesurfer's review against another edition

Go to review page

Sorrowland is true to its name. Solomon is a good writer, but the emotional charge of this book is monotonous. It's not quite wallowing, but it is constantly returning to the misery of existence with a kind of dramatic minimalism, flirting with the threshold of boredom. There's a sentence that sums up the tone nicely. It begins: "One bright September evening hot as freshly whipped flesh . . ."

beth_zovko's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

Finally finished. Don't know why this was such a slog for me--the writing was beautiful and the timeline was fast-paced and the story frightening, but Vern was unlikeable and the plot lagged in the middle. The story felt like too much and not enough...

frazilice's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous mysterious reflective 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

4.0

emmacarina's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense

4.25

jess_mango's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Awesome, dark and emotional.

Sorrowland is a story that could ALMOST be true. It is the story of how American society sees Black bodies as less than and something to do with as they want without asking. Vern is an 8-month pregnant teen when she runs away from Cainland, the strict religious commune where she lives. There the residents live closed away from the rest of the world and are given regular dosages of mysterious drugs. Vern has a rebellious spirit and can't take the strange rules anymore, so escapes. She ends up giving birth to her twins in the woods and raises them there through their toddlerhood. Even in the woods, Vern is haunted by visions of others from Cainland. Meanwhile her body is also going through an inexplicable transformation giving her increasing strength.

This is a book was a melding of social commentary, fantasy and horror. In our real history we have seen cases of Black people being used and abused by society and the government. With their lyrical storytelling, Rivers Solomon brings to life a story that casts a strange, fantastical light on what could happen. I loved this book and all it had to say.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!