A review by joreadsbooks
Sordidez by E.G. Condé

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.