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A review by plantybooklover
Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon
challenging
dark
emotional
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
5.0
This book is a challenge. It is beautifully written, complex. It's a total mash up- Sci Fi, Fantasy, Horror.
Overview: Vern escapes a cult known as Cain -Land as a pregnant teen. She births twins in the woods and chooses an extrordinarily difficult path to raise them while avoiding those from the compound who pursue her. Vern develops supernatural powers and features and must work to understand and control them.
This book- though under 400 pages packs a punch to the gut. I was struck by the massive amount of references to both great black literature, and intense black American traumatic events. While I caught a lot of them, I'm sure I missed more.
I would have enjoyed reading this slower, with a group, but... I finished it up for the Trans Right Readathon.
Overview: Vern escapes a cult known as Cain -Land as a pregnant teen. She births twins in the woods and chooses an extrordinarily difficult path to raise them while avoiding those from the compound who pursue her. Vern develops supernatural powers and features and must work to understand and control them.
This book- though under 400 pages packs a punch to the gut. I was struck by the massive amount of references to both great black literature, and intense black American traumatic events. While I caught a lot of them, I'm sure I missed more.
I would have enjoyed reading this slower, with a group, but... I finished it up for the Trans Right Readathon.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Racism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Blood, Sexual violence, and Gore
Minor: Animal death, Drug use, Religious bigotry, Medical content, and Infertility