Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon

104 reviews

whimsylee's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.75

An incredible and nuanced look at institutional racism, white supremacy, difference/othering,  and being a queer black mother in the USA. Rivers Solomon is an amazing writer. The sci-fi elements of this story perfectly complement the themes and the author’s overall message. I fell in love with so many of these deeply human characters and my heart was ripped out over and over again. I highly recommend this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Violence, Cannibalism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Gore, Hate crime, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Grief, Self harm, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Slavery, Stalking, Medical trauma, Body horror, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Physical abuse, Racism, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, and Abandonment

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, Sexism, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Colonisation, and Terminal illness

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

buhdumbitch's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Physical abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

cerilouisereads's review against another edition

challenging dark tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Racism, Colonisation, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Blood, Violence, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

zombiezami's review

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

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