Reviews

"The ones who broke the world should not be entrusted with its repair."

Sordidez by E.G. Conde is a story I won't easily forget. It's unsettling because it's set in a dystopian world, but the reality is that if you're Puerto Rican or Indigenous the themes hit close to home. The world Conde created is not so far away from the truth and the story is a reminder of the harsh realities of colonialism, the dangerous impact of capitalism on climate and political movements. The story also gives a multi-layered view of what activism and resistance movements look like and how different motivations shape the methods towards reparations, independence and sovereignty.

What this story does best is imagine a world that is more inclusive, one that moves forward but always references the past in order to enact change, and sows seeds of hope that lie with the people who are willing to do the work. Conde uses language as a powerful tool to empower, not only Indigenous peoples but also anyone who has been relegated to the outskirts of society. Conde gives you Taino and Maya culture and language and connects Puerto Rico to the history of the Yucatan. He writes a world that uses sign language and normalizes deaf people and he also gives you a trans leader who is a journalist and working towards making the world more inclusive. He highlights how Indigenous people need to be at the forefront of socio-political affairs, especially when it comes to climate disaster. The ones who have been the oppressors cannot be trusted to wield their power and undo all the harm they continue to cause. Conde also shows how returning to ancestral knowledge and ways is the key to reconnecting to community and reclaiming the land.

Although this was a very short novella, the blending of genres and introduction to memorable characters make for a captivating read. Conde's narrative style of revealing things slowly keep you glued to the pages and make it hard to walk away from the story. The anticipation of how the stories of the survivors connect keep you in suspense.

Conde's revelatory and reflective prose stay with you even after the last sentence and his message of hope is a wake up call and reminder that it is ordinary people that are capable of doing extraordinary things. Staying rooted to our culture and using our ancestral gifts is the key to reinventing the world and undoing some of the damage that had been done to us. There is power in uniting with other Indigenous peoples and learning their history. It is only through this sharing of knowledge that new ideas for political uprisings can come about. If you love stories that are powerful and deep and cause you to challenge the ways that you think about the world, then this one will be a hit for you. Thank you to @stelliformpress for the gifted copy

Content Warnings

arielmarkenjack's review

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adventurous inspiring reflective 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

5.0

The #sfnovellaofthemonth for July 2023 is Sordidez by E. G. Condé, forthcoming in August 2023 from Stelliform Press.

I cannot resist a book that manages the trick of being both beautiful and daring. E. G. Condé’s Taínofuturist novella Sordidez is a splendid example of what that trick can look like, and how inspiring it can be to read. At once a devastating look at the effects of climate catastrophe, colonial and civil oppression, and other disastrous influences on exploited and underserved countries and communities and a wildly inventive narrative of the endless potential of resourceful peoples who refuse to be wiped out (for more on this refusal, check out my recent interview with Condé in Interzone Digital), Sordidez is a startlingly ambitious and deceptively small book that covers so much ground it ends up feeling like something boundless and vast.

In Sordidez, E. G. Condé pulls together multiple narrative threads and perspectives to showcase such a wealth of ideas that the novella’s streamlined coherence seems improbable. It’s a testament to the author’s skill that, overall, this novella works. And not just works, but shines. If you enjoy reading beautifully written, delightfully original, and fiercely hopeful science fiction that not only holds but resolutely creates space for peoples and ideas all too often marginalized to the point of near extinction, I highly recommend giving Sordidez a go.

joreadsbooks's review

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dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

4.0

Read an eARC from the publisher
Content Warnings: natural disaster, colonialism, assimilation, racism, transphobia, character death, PTSD, violence

Vero is a journalist struggling to fit in with his community in a near-future Puerto Rico. A hurricane appropriately named for Theodore Roosevelt hits the island, and he endeavors to go to the mainland in the Yucatan to petition for aid, only to be met with more disaster on the mainland. Revolution, healing, and attempts at understanding all come together in this vignette-like narrative depicting how struggles both political and natural don’t necessarily exist independent of each other.

The imagery in this one is as beautiful as it is brutal. Condé captures how hard it is to navigate a land one once thought familiar, and the heartbreak that comes with seeing it fall to ruin. It sets up a great melancholic setting for the struggles between Vero and his community and those beyond it. There is a sense of savvy that comes in this depiction of post-disaster, where there are multiple political forces at play, and uncertainty who maintains the veneer of control. Having so many languages present among such a relatively small cast works incredibly for immersion, but also adds to the tension of miscommunication and misunderstanding. Add in the context that removing mental memories does not change how the body recollects trauma, and there is so much at play here with regards to contemplating how to survive a disaster and move on as a united front.

This novella presents no easy answers regarding how to reclaim one’s land, heritage, and community in the face of several disasters. It’s hopeful in the way that hope takes work and perseverance, especially in contexts where truth and history hurt more than the trauma at hand.

trishtalksbooks's review

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challenging dark hopeful mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

wchereads's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective

3.75

Reading this book has been such an interesting experience. And that's just it - this was less like a story with a clear plot and protagonist, and more like an experience. The writing was poetic and atmospheric, and despite my inability to understand Spanish or any indigenous languages featured in the book (the glossary was a huge help, though!), and my inability to tell sci-fi made-up words and "actual" words apart, I enjoyed it. I felt immersed in the Taínofuturistic world and found myself caring deeply about the people's struggles and awed by their strength, patience, wisdom and resilience.

"A plant like this one will survive my harvesting, just as it might survive droughts or flooding or fires or diseases. Even after all that it still finds a way to bloom. Not by forgetting what it has been through, but by building on it."

Sometime ago I went to a queer indigenous bookshop and got a sticker that said "decolonize yourself." Later I asked some friends what they think the phrase means because I realized I couldn't really put my understanding into words. I still have trouble articulating it, but this is one book I would point to as an example of decolonization - not only is that what the story is about, reading it has also felt like an act of "declonizing myself", or changing my brain chemistry, if you will. I would absolutely love to read more indigenous sci-fi stories.

littlebookterror's review

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adventurous challenging emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.25

How do I even begin this review? How am I supposed to talk about everything that is in this novella without spoiling it all before it's even out or without just saying "please go pre-order this and then read it ASAP" (though I do encourage y'all to do just that! It will be worth your time).

Taínofuturism is what the author calls this particular brand of ecological science fiction and it's an apt descriptor. He created a Puerto Rico that has suffered under the influences of other global powers, has been decimated by climate change and yet, a place of resistance and hope and perseverance.
The story follows Vero, a trans man who is searching for a way to help his community and escape their oppressors but it's also a story about people who have done terrible things and still lost a war, about finding the line between justice and revenge, a story about gods and revolutionaries infused with Indigeneity.

The novella gripped me in its unashamed battling of ideas and concepts of how life would be in a human-created climate crisis and how to reconnect with your roots and the growing pains of change. For all that this tackles some heavy themes, its general atmosphere is more invigorating than sad. There is simply so much life - in these characters, their surroundings and their story - that shows how important reclaiming land and language and culture can be.
On that note, this novel takes multilingualism to a whole new level! It is mainly written in English but with various forms of communication including ASL, dead and common tongues and a glossary, there a five different languages represented.

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