A review by bookishmillennial
Sordidez by E.G. Condé

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! 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings