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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
"Sex-phone my girlfriend while looking two gay ghost dudes making out" wasn't really on my bingo list but you know what, good for you book, you deserve it
(Rivers Solomon the person you are I will never know what to expect coming from you)
(Rivers Solomon the person you are I will never know what to expect coming from you)
The book jacket aptly describes Rivers Solomon's Sorrowland as "a genre-bending work of gothic fiction." There are elements of fantasy, horror and romance that permeate this novel, but I would probably mostly consider this a work of queer fiction. By this I mean it is a work which attempts to pave its own particularly path through the genre defined categories of fiction, paying little heed to conventions and tradition. This approach owes much to previous queer and feminist authors, such as Ursula Le Guin who is referenced within Sorrowland. The graduation speech which Solomon quotes from explains a bit of what I think is the intent behind this novel> and other books of its ilk.
"This is a man’s world, so it talks a man’s language. The words are all words of power. You’ve come a long way, baby, but no way is long enough. You can’t even get there by selling yourself out: because there is theirs, not yours. Maybe we’ve had enough words of power and talk about the battle of life. Maybe we need some words of weakness." A Left-Handed Commencement Address
I understand this quote, and the remainder of Le Guin's address, as a call for writers to detach themselves from the male dominated traditions of genre literature and to forge new stories and new languages to explore those voices which have traditionally been marginalized. And in that light I found Sorrowland to be a rousing success. The story follows Vern, who has just given birth to twins, and who is being tormented by a mysterious fiend while hiding out in the woods. Vern is certainly queer, but her exactly identity is purposefully left unnamed. "Without a name for it," explains Vern, "it's just something I am." (238) This was one of the more challenging aspects of this novel, the intentional decision by Solomon to avoid any solid sexual designations. Gender is presented in this novel as a fluid concept, and Sorrowland reveals the limitations of our current language in writing about such concepts. I was surprised with how unsettled I felt not knowing the biological sex of the characters in this novel, which are explicitly left vague.
Also Vern is a particularly unconventional protagonist. She is an illiterate teenage mother, an albino African American, a runaway from a Black Nationalist cult, and a sexually active lesbian. In many ways she is a typical subject of compassion and pity, but rarely are characters like hers portrayed as so strong. Vern's strength comes from a mysterious transformation in her body, which results in truly horrifying metamorphosis. But by crafting this novel towards the horror genre Solomon is in fact flipping the genre on its head. Vern is not a monster of her own making, but even without her transformation by societies standards she is still an aberration. In that way she is a monster created by a society which degrades her for her queerness, for her lifestyle, and for her heritage.
To conclude, Rivers Solomon's Sorrowland is a fascinating work of genre defying fiction, and is hopefully a indication of things to come. What was started by authors like Ursula Le Guin is today being continued by Rivers Solomon, by reorienting her writing away from traditional tropes and conventions, away from the light but to "the dark that nourishes, where human beings grow human souls."
dark
emotional
mysterious
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:
Yes
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I've had this book in my TBR for awhile, but I dusted it off for Blackathon. Rivers Solomon is a complicated writer, and their characters are complicated - Vern is independent, wilful and stubborn. She runs away from a cult she's lived all her life and gives birth to twins in the forest, and keeps on going. I struggled with the beginning of the book because I had no idea where the story was going or what was even happening, but the narrative clears after few chapters.
The story is - lack of a better word - haunting -both literally and figuratively . Vern struggles between trauma and love, independence and trust. She's real and flawed, she has layers and layers on her, and she tries her best to keep her little family alive. Especially in the beginning the reader can't really tell when she's imagining things or not, what is mythology from her cult and what is real. Then about half-way through the book it goes X-Files and the very unexpected fungus element takes it to somewhere completely different.
For the entire time I really didn't know where the story was taking me. What a ride. Rivers Solomon is firmly on my "must read" list.
Read for
Blackathon | Team Hatshepsut
A book of any genre by a Trans Black diasporic author
The Deep by Rivers Solomon
Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callander
A Black girl protagonist who is not afraid to be loud, confrontational, or to take up space.
Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
Delicious Monsters by Giselle Sambury
Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor
A book of any genre with an impressive, creative architecture or set largely in one building
The World We Make by N. K. Jemisin
A book with lavishly wealthy characters or explores class
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennet
House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson
The story is - lack of a better word - haunting -
For the entire time I really didn't know where the story was taking me. What a ride. Rivers Solomon is firmly on my "must read" list.
Read for
Blackathon | Team Hatshepsut
A book of any genre by a Trans Black diasporic author
The Deep by Rivers Solomon
Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callander
A Black girl protagonist who is not afraid to be loud, confrontational, or to take up space.
Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
Delicious Monsters by Giselle Sambury
Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor
A book of any genre with an impressive, creative architecture or set largely in one building
The World We Make by N. K. Jemisin
A book with lavishly wealthy characters or explores class
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennet
House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson
Throughout the novel I found myself not really enjoying this and couldn’t really figure out why. At first I thought it was the writing but then I realized it’s the lack of plot. It’s more character driven with some changes happen to our main character but that wasn’t really enough for me.
This kind of science fiction.. I’m not a fan of - it kind of makes me squeamish so that’s more of a personal preference thing on my end. I also feel like it could be categorized as fantasy and maybe a little bit of horror? I appreciate the multiple topics discussed such as race, sexuality, religion, misogyny, and more but I feel like it was a lot to tackle at once without any resolution. I like what Solomon did and I think the genre bending and uniqueness is great but this just sadly did not work for me. It was a big struggle to get through and I don’t think I will remember this one. I actually deeply considered not to finish it but forced myself to keep going. I was going to rate it 2 stars but I realized I didn’t like it at all.
Thank you very much to Netgalley and to the publisher for an advanced copy even though I read this a month after publication date lol
This kind of science fiction.. I’m not a fan of - it kind of makes me squeamish so that’s more of a personal preference thing on my end. I also feel like it could be categorized as fantasy and maybe a little bit of horror? I appreciate the multiple topics discussed such as race, sexuality, religion, misogyny, and more but I feel like it was a lot to tackle at once without any resolution. I like what Solomon did and I think the genre bending and uniqueness is great but this just sadly did not work for me. It was a big struggle to get through and I don’t think I will remember this one. I actually deeply considered not to finish it but forced myself to keep going. I was going to rate it 2 stars but I realized I didn’t like it at all.
Thank you very much to Netgalley and to the publisher for an advanced copy even though I read this a month after publication date lol
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Sexual content, Blood
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Racism, Violence, Murder, Pregnancy
Where do I even begin? This book is phenomenal—it made me question so many things in life and, more importantly, made me feel seen. I’m so in love with it. Having been raised by Black women like Vern, reading a story where someone like her takes center stage and is unapologetically badass filled me with gratitude. I know I sound dramatic, but I can’t help it—Sorrowland is a masterpiece.
The writing is stunningly poetic, weaving beauty into even the harshest realities. Vern is such a richly complex character—she can be harsh at times, but she’s undeniably real, and that’s what makes her unforgettable. She’s fierce, vulnerable, and unrelenting in her pursuit of freedom and truth. This story touched that deep, innate desire I have for wanting freedom not just for myself but for others as well. Following Vern’s journey felt like a privilege.
I listened to the audiobook, and oh my god, the narrator deserves every ounce of praise. Their performance brought the story to life in a way that exceeded all my expectations. They didn’t just read the book—they embodied it. I plan to buy a physical copy because there are so many lines I need to highlight and revisit.
This is a book I’ll come back to again and again. It’s powerful, thought-provoking, and deeply moving—a story that will stay with me forever. I can’t wait to explore more from Rivers Solomon, as they’ve truly earned a place among my favorite authors.
The writing is stunningly poetic, weaving beauty into even the harshest realities. Vern is such a richly complex character—she can be harsh at times, but she’s undeniably real, and that’s what makes her unforgettable. She’s fierce, vulnerable, and unrelenting in her pursuit of freedom and truth. This story touched that deep, innate desire I have for wanting freedom not just for myself but for others as well. Following Vern’s journey felt like a privilege.
I listened to the audiobook, and oh my god, the narrator deserves every ounce of praise. Their performance brought the story to life in a way that exceeded all my expectations. They didn’t just read the book—they embodied it. I plan to buy a physical copy because there are so many lines I need to highlight and revisit.
This is a book I’ll come back to again and again. It’s powerful, thought-provoking, and deeply moving—a story that will stay with me forever. I can’t wait to explore more from Rivers Solomon, as they’ve truly earned a place among my favorite authors.
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:
Yes
Sorrowland was fierce, brutal, and quite honestly very unsettling at times. Solomon’s writing in this was so intentional, every single word had purpose and nothing was added in as fluffy. The are discussions on racism, religion, community, and sexuality. I appreciated how Solomon did not hold back on her critics. There were a lot of parallels drawn between this work of fiction and how America has not really learned from our past. Sorrowland felt genre bending; it was a perfect mix of horror, fantasy, and science fiction. I think the overall pacing was great, except the end felt a little abrupt. I really enjoyed this one.
adventurous
dark
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
Really good in the sense that a huge amount was conveyed while rarely feeling like too much info to process. Once the action picked up it lost me a bit; I infinitely prefer inward thoughtfulness and agony to large-scale men-with-guns sequences. Very worthwhile, everyone can get something from this