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laguerrelewis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
tina94's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Chronic illness, Gore, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, Blood, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, and Colonisation
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Mental illness, Rape, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, and Pregnancy
Minor: Child abuse
kylieqrada's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
rorikae's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
The story follows Vern, who has escaped life on a compound and retreated to the woods. Vern has recently given birth to twins and is trying desperately to protect her children while dealing with the sudden and mysterious changes that her body is going through. As she seeks out more information on what is happening to her, she begins to learn the truth behind the compound upon which she was raised and its impact on her.
In 'Sorrowland,' Solomon explores the deep history of how the United States steals and tortures Black people through a fabulist lens. It is a horror story but the horrors themselves are not the fabulist elements but the real and lived experience of too many Black people in America.
Vern is a complicated character but she is so human. We get to see her flaws and also her strengths painted next to one another. She is a deeply caring mother but she is also reeling from the trauma that she endured growing up. As she leaves the compound and creates connections with new people, she is able to grow and begin to deal with what has been done to her.
Though the arc of the story does not cover a long amount of time, it explores a lot of what Vern has gone through, including reflections on familial trauma, the homophobia she has experienced, and her own growth and personal exploration.
I recommend this to anyone and everyone. I think it would be well paired with a nonfiction title that explores the history of the United States' experimentation on Black people as further reading. Rivers Solomon continues to be a defining voice in speculative fiction and I will definitely be picking up whatever they write next.
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, and Colonisation
Minor: Cancer
yoda32's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Blood, Police brutality, Medical trauma, and Death of parent