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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This novel tells the story of Vern, a teenager in a "Black is Beautiful" commune that has morphed into a controlling cult. The story opens with her running away from the compound, heavily pregnant, at age 15. She survives in the woods outside, stalked by a "fiend" who tries to scare her back to the compound. Vern grows stronger and stronger and finds her body changing as the "hauntings" she experienced back in the compound only get more intense.
This is the second book by Solomon I've read, and I'm convinced I'll read anything they choose to put out. I adored this.
This is the second book by Solomon I've read, and I'm convinced I'll read anything they choose to put out. I adored this.
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I’m not sure what to think about this book. It definitely pulls off the creepy/scary vibe that it seems to be going for. And I appreciated that it took on larger themes about the black experience in America and how America is literally killing black peoples. That was all very different and something I hadn’t seen before.
But the actual plot of this is kind of a mess. It jumps all over the place and becomes a bit too hard to follow. And Vern isn’t a very likable character. I get why she was that way. But I needed her to be a bit more likable. A hard book to read and enjoy. Really had hoped to like this more.
But the actual plot of this is kind of a mess. It jumps all over the place and becomes a bit too hard to follow. And Vern isn’t a very likable character. I get why she was that way. But I needed her to be a bit more likable. A hard book to read and enjoy. Really had hoped to like this more.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Didn't stick the landing for me, and there are parts where the plot drags out and other parts where it's rushed and thin, but over all it was really excellent and I enjoyed reading it so much. They truly wrote their ass off here and now I am even more impatient to read their newer one I'm on the list for at the library. Really beautiful, really Black and I needed that. *Very* Octavia Butler, IMO, with a dash of Toni, even, and both of those must be intentional-- don't take that as a criticism or as me saying it's derivative, it's not, but it just sort of *feels* like those.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Colonisation
Moderate: Addiction, Gore, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail
I don’t even know how to put to words this book.
Dark fantasy components, ghosts, cults, sapphic love, and great fight scenes. This book has a culmination of all these little pieces that fit together so well, along with a main character who is flawed and fierce.
This book was so good in so many ways and I loved the ride the author took me on. I felt feels I didn’t know I had.
Fantastic.
Dark fantasy components, ghosts, cults, sapphic love, and great fight scenes. This book has a culmination of all these little pieces that fit together so well, along with a main character who is flawed and fierce.
This book was so good in so many ways and I loved the ride the author took me on. I felt feels I didn’t know I had.
Fantastic.
Yoooooooo.
This book blew my mind.
CW for body horror (big time).
Stunning.
This book blew my mind.
CW for body horror (big time).
Stunning.
Sorrowland begins with fifteen-year-old cult runaway Vern giving birth to twins alone in the woods, hunted by 'the fiend' and its wolfish companion. Naming them Howling and Feral, they and Vern survive for some years in the woods, until circumstances force her to venture out into society and discover the 'humanity' awaiting her there.
I don't know what to say about Sorrowland except that you have to read it to believe it. The language is beautiful, and I was consumed by Vern's strength, resilience and desperate need to protect her children. This has some real horror and sci-fi elements, although all in all I'd probably consider it a 'literary' novel. Without giving away any spoilers, something is happening to Vern that means she sees ghosts or memories, and I found the extended metaphors so powerful. In one, a plantation owner cuts out her tongue as she's trying to learn how to read, and there are incredibly moving and powerful images like that throughout the whole book, emphasising Vern's strength and her will to survive.
I also found the WLW/queer rep in this book incredibly touching, the exploration of identities and how this is done. Vern says something about not wanting to know words and terms, because as soon as she knows them she has to accept someone has considered them 'bad' or 'wrong', whereas if she can just be, she will be fine. This is probably one of those 'not for everyone' books, maybe a 'Marmite' read, but I thought it was incredible.
I don't know what to say about Sorrowland except that you have to read it to believe it. The language is beautiful, and I was consumed by Vern's strength, resilience and desperate need to protect her children. This has some real horror and sci-fi elements, although all in all I'd probably consider it a 'literary' novel. Without giving away any spoilers, something is happening to Vern that means she sees ghosts or memories, and I found the extended metaphors so powerful. In one, a plantation owner cuts out her tongue as she's trying to learn how to read, and there are incredibly moving and powerful images like that throughout the whole book, emphasising Vern's strength and her will to survive.
I also found the WLW/queer rep in this book incredibly touching, the exploration of identities and how this is done. Vern says something about not wanting to know words and terms, because as soon as she knows them she has to accept someone has considered them 'bad' or 'wrong', whereas if she can just be, she will be fine. This is probably one of those 'not for everyone' books, maybe a 'Marmite' read, but I thought it was incredible.
Our main character, Vern, runs away from a religious extremist compound, gives birth in the woods that would become her and her children’s home, and fights to stay free while her body begins to literally change in unimaginable (and scary?) ways. It’s in conversation with race, queerness, family/motherhood, trauma, freedom (in America), and the ability to just keep going.
I read and loved The Deep by Rivers Solomon, so I was excited to check this one out. I was definitely pleased with this decision. This was such a wild story and I was really invested in it because of the protagonist. She was complicated, loves fiercely but doesn’t know the answer to everything, wants to be left alone but knows thats not how things shake down in the end. I loved the characters, thought the sci-fi bits were fascinating, the plot kept me hooked, and I was in it the whole way through.
Now I’m hoping that I can get to Soloman’s most recent release soon!
I read and loved The Deep by Rivers Solomon, so I was excited to check this one out. I was definitely pleased with this decision. This was such a wild story and I was really invested in it because of the protagonist. She was complicated, loves fiercely but doesn’t know the answer to everything, wants to be left alone but knows thats not how things shake down in the end. I loved the characters, thought the sci-fi bits were fascinating, the plot kept me hooked, and I was in it the whole way through.
Now I’m hoping that I can get to Soloman’s most recent release soon!
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:
N/A