mixtercharlie'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: Chronic illness, Ableism, Confinement, Death, Rape, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Torture, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Animal death, Child death, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Death of parent, Genocide, Blood, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Body horror, Religious bigotry, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Grief, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, and Self harm
sup3r_xn0va_maya'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
3.5
Spoiler
This story is about the medical horrors that Black folks have gone through at the hands of the United States government.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
Graphic: Self harm, Stalking, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Chronic illness, Rape, Emotional abuse, Grief, Police brutality, Body horror, Car accident, Gore, Sexual content, Child death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Animal death, Child abuse, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, and Religious bigotry
dustghosts'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: Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Torture, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Body horror, Child death, Child abuse, Lesbophobia, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment, Confinement, Murder, Torture, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Racism, Addiction, Cancer, Cannibalism, Car accident, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Transphobia, Gun violence, and Suicide
melliedm'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
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Murder, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Cannibalism, Medical content, Self harm, Body horror, Cursing, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Slavery, Child abuse, Colonisation, Police brutality, Confinement, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, and Hate crime
odrib'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
3.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racism, Suicide, Torture, Colonisation, Medical trauma, and Violence
Moderate: Addiction and Alcoholism
Minor: Car accident
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: Blood, Body horror, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Cancer
lauraglovestoread'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
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Racism, Blood, Body horror, Violence, Gun violence, Police brutality, Gore, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Stalking, Gaslighting, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Rape, and Torture
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Transphobia, Homophobia, Car accident, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Alcoholism, Ableism, Bullying, Cancer, and Racial slurs
opinionsofawolf'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Medical trauma, Violence, and Racism
Moderate: Car accident, Sexual content, and Murder