Reviews tagging 'Pedophilia'

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon

36 reviews

sup3r_xn0va_maya's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad 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

3.5

I'm not really sure what to rate this or how to even start this review so I'm just going to ramble a bit I guess. 

This story is about the medical horrors that Black folks have gone through at the hands of the United States government.

The pace was very slow compared to what I normally read so even though I was entertained I still felt the slowness of the book in the middle of it. I listened to the audiobook and I read along with a physical copy of the book so I could stay immersed there were times where we followed the main character but she wasn't really doing much of anything and the slowness of it all and the feeling that I was reading on and on and nothing was happening was driving me mad. 

I think the horror elements of this book were mainly based on body horror and psychological horror, and generational trauma and those worked well within the book. This was a beautifully told story, I love the way the author writes. This story was also really unique so I want to give the author props for that. 

Overall I enjoyed this read, though because of the slowness, I don't see myself reading this again.

I give this a 3.5 out of 5 stars

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Car accident, and Death of parent

danaslitlist's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault

sharene91's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Loved this journey.  I gave 4.75 stars because

I wish there was of Vern figuring out her physical capabilities, and growing as a mother but I’m happy she achieved self-acceptance in other areas. I wanted more for Howling and Feral. They suffered neglect, jealousy, abandonment, cracked ribs and god knows how much psychological trauma at the hands of their mam. I know the book stressed what strong, smart and capable kids they are but they’re still kids. I suppose Vern was just a kid herself and almost every adult in her life failed her in some way. It’s kinda funny that the only good parental figures were childless or child/free

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Racism, Self harm, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content, Suicide, and Stalking

dustghosts's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

4.0

Sorrowland had a little bit of everything that I wanted from the other horror books I read this past October. Visceral and mysterious body horror intertwined with a really compelling and (unfortunately) timeless, unflinching look at the mycelium of systemic racism (colonialism, human experimentation, systemic poverty and the lengths it might drive someone to, religious bigotry, misogyny, homophobia and transphobia and interphobia— etcetera). I think this should be a must-read for people who lean too heavily on “blaming the system” while turning away from personal responsibility for the way that participation in those systems hurts people specifically. Vern is a complicated protagonist with mostly uncomplicated motives— and she compelled me more than anything else about this book. The supernatural “twist” to the story doesn’t soften the issues at hand, but underlines it. At times, it this read a bit too blunt/heavy-handed for me— but by and large this felt like a purposeful narrative choice, so it’s splitting hairs. The horror and the sorrow and the misery of it all is balanced, all the way through, by a thread of tender togetherness that I think will stay with me for a long time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Confinement, Gun violence, Racism, Suicide, Torture, Transphobia, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Murder, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

penofpossibilities's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense

• 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

4.75

GOD i did NOT heed the trigger warnings and I honestly don't even have an excuse like I knew this was a horror novel and still picked it up. don't make my mistake and please be safe. Anyway this BOOK!!!! /pos
absolute fucking masterpiece

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Rape, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, and Cultural appropriation

Minor: Cancer, Infertility, Racial slurs, Suicide, Terminal illness, and Transphobia

graphic: cult

yuyine's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

4.75

Rivers Solomon nous offre à nouveau un roman surprenant, intense et marquant qui questionne de nombreuses thématiques avec force dans une intrigue mêlant SF, thriller, drame et weird fiction. Maternité, transformation psychologique et physique, amour queer, émancipation, rapport à la terre et au passé, oppressions et éducation sont autant de veines qui parcourent un récit puissant et organique qui ne peut pas laisser indifférent.  

Critique complète sur yuyine.be!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, Blood, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Cannibalism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child abuse, Drug use, and Rape

happyhaley's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Racism, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Torture, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy

Minor: Drug abuse

melliedm's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Hate crime, Slavery, Police brutality, Car accident, and Colonisation

careinthelibrary's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.0

I've read The Deep and An Unkindness of Ghosts and this is my new favourite from Rivers Solomon. Fae just keep getting better and better. Sorrowland hits hard. I love Vern and her kids, her relationship with Gogo, it all just feels right. Precisely done.
This book has some of the most meaningful and nuanced queer representation I've ever read. Never once do these characters feel forced or unnatural, they are such complex people who jump off the page and start running for the woods.
Can't wait for their next book, I'm quickly becoming a major fan. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Gun violence, and Terminal illness

Minor: Suicide

Cult indoctrination

parkerluck's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I loved the plot and the characters, especially everything with Vern and her children. The prose was lovely, although occasionally a bit... overbearing?  But once I adjusted to it it was easy to move with. 

I did find the 3rd part to be a little scattered/rushed. Too many side characters introduced that only seemed to exist as a vehicle for the author to pontificate (the hunters/motel women). The ideas weren't bad, but they felt out of place, especially since those themes could have been addressed a little more naturally when Vern was making her way through the world earlier. The denouement action also felt a little tacked on after we had spent so much time immersed in the rest of the story. 

Overall, really good though! I'll definitely be thinking about this book for awhile, and it filled a gap I was looking for. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Homophobia, Racism, Medical trauma, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Transphobia

A lot of warnings on this and it does deal with quite heavy subject matter. There are no graphic descriptions of rape/abuse, as all of this content happens off screen.