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wchereads's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
Listened to the newly released audiobook and followed along with my hard copy. The performance in the audiobook is PHENOMENAL and being able to hear how some of the phrases are pronounced is very nice too. And I am so glad I used this opportunity (the release of the audiobook) to reread the book because I feel like I am able to appreciate it so much more, comparing to when I read it the first time. It exposes the violent consequences of greedy imperialism and colonialism with brutal honesty. But most of all, I love how it is unapologetically decolonial and celebrates indigenous cultures beautifully. I do think it would've benefited from having more spaces to set up the world and flesh out some of Vero's chapters more. I would absolutely love for this to become a full-length fiction, and I cannot wait to read whatever E. G. Condé writes next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Cursing, Genocide, and Transphobia
abookwormspov's review
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
slow-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
3.75
This book is conceptually amazing, and I wanted to enjoy it overall more than I did. I found the story a bit hard to follow, especially in keeping the timeline straight and understanding the sci-fi elements, and I found the narration to be a bit inconsistent in style between the different character point of views. But did I really like that it was from multiple points of view even though I wasn’t expecting that; I particularly enjoyed Margarita’s chapters! Ultimately, I think that this just suffers in that it shouldn't have been a novella. It excels in concept and writing style, but there is too much story and not enough pages! I really do look forward to reading more of the authors work in the future though!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and War
bookishmillennial's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
This is a Taínofuturistic speculative/dystopian fiction story about colonized Puerto Rico, which has now been colonized by China. The novella shares multiple perspectives of folks who are navigating the aftermath of genocide, but continue to rebuild community and choose to take care of each other amidst their grief, loss, and anger.
I am not from Puerto Rico, nor have I ever been there, but I often asked myself as I read this, 'Is this even fiction?' and that's how you know an author has succeeded in writing speculative/science fiction, because the world they've created is not far from the current state of the world. The themes of reclaiming land and joining resistance groups to rise up against colonization are painted so powerfully, and I really enjoyed Conde's writing. I do think it could have benefited from being novel-length, but it still packs a punch as a novella!
I loved the inclusion of sign language, having a Deaf character, and the array of identities included in this story. I will absolutely read more from Conde in the future, and I would love more novellas or stories from this world too!
This is a Taínofuturistic speculative/dystopian fiction story about colonized Puerto Rico, which has now been colonized by China. The novella shares multiple perspectives of folks who are navigating the aftermath of genocide, but continue to rebuild community and choose to take care of each other amidst their grief, loss, and anger.
I am not from Puerto Rico, nor have I ever been there, but I often asked myself as I read this, 'Is this even fiction?' and that's how you know an author has succeeded in writing speculative/science fiction, because the world they've created is not far from the current state of the world. The themes of reclaiming land and joining resistance groups to rise up against colonization are painted so powerfully, and I really enjoyed Conde's writing. I do think it could have benefited from being novel-length, but it still packs a punch as a novella!
I loved the inclusion of sign language, having a Deaf character, and the array of identities included in this story. I will absolutely read more from Conde in the future, and I would love more novellas or stories from this world too!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Colonisation
Moderate: Death, Genocide, Transphobia, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War
almostqualified's review against another edition
challenging
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Colonisation
Moderate: Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Minor: Transphobia
bookdragon217's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
"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
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
Graphic: Colonisation
Moderate: War
meshell's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
E. G. Condé' has written such a powerful novella of resilience and grace. Anchored around several main characters that feel very much alive - Vero (a trans man) and Dona Margarita (an elder), but also many of the supporting characters as well. I appreciated the different methods of survival and revolution explored in this book. Both the full on fight and battle to the more subtle community of care.
There is also thoughtful and respectful Deaf representation - Dagüao - being an active and included member of the revolution and community, in both action and technical expertise,
I was unfamiliar with Taino Arawak, Yucatec Maya languages, and got to encounter many in this text. Most were translated contextually, or within the text in someway, but there is also a helpful glossary at the back of words that might be unfamiliar. I found the language use important and intentional - and it only slightly slowed my pace.
There is so much love, and compassion within this book, but also anger, grief, and loss - some big topics - challenging re-colonization by foreign powers, the impacts of the climate crisis, the questionable intentions and priorities of aid efforts, the after effects of dictatorships, and collective resistance. I left feeling both energized, inspired, and also curious about the history of the areas mentioned.
The beautiful cover by Paulina Niño (yes I do occasionally judge books by their cover), curiosity about Tainofuturism, and a precedent of good instincts of the publisher, Stelliform Press made me pick this book up, and I'm glad I did.
I am grateful to netgalley and the publisher for an e-ARC
There is also thoughtful and respectful Deaf representation - Dagüao - being an active and included member of the revolution and community, in both action and technical expertise,
I was unfamiliar with Taino Arawak, Yucatec Maya languages, and got to encounter many in this text. Most were translated contextually, or within the text in someway, but there is also a helpful glossary at the back of words that might be unfamiliar. I found the language use important and intentional - and it only slightly slowed my pace.
There is so much love, and compassion within this book, but also anger, grief, and loss - some big topics - challenging re-colonization by foreign powers, the impacts of the climate crisis, the questionable intentions and priorities of aid efforts, the after effects of dictatorships, and collective resistance. I left feeling both energized, inspired, and also curious about the history of the areas mentioned.
The beautiful cover by Paulina Niño (yes I do occasionally judge books by their cover), curiosity about Tainofuturism, and a precedent of good instincts of the publisher, Stelliform Press made me pick this book up, and I'm glad I did.
I am grateful to netgalley and the publisher for an e-ARC
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Colonisation
Minor: Death, Transphobia, Murder, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
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