I just have few words for this.. Fantastically haunting. Rivers Solomon weaves their magic once again in this novel

4.5 Stars

Rivers Solomon has never let me down with faer incredible stories and fae sure as hell were not going to start now. Sorrowland is, in fact, perhaps one of the most powerful stories fae have ever written to date. It can definitely be intense at times, so heed the content warnings seriously, but I think the pay-off is well worth it.

What immediately captured my attention in this story was the main character, Vern. From page one, she is an absolutely striking person. Not only is she unpredictable (and unprecedented, in many ways), but she is driven, determined, and absolutely decisive in what she believes. Growing up in this religious extremist compound, she has been lied to, gaslit, manipulated, and exposed to people who will go to any lengths to make sure she stays ignorant of the truth and the world around her. She has been conditioned to trust no one but herself, and that much is extremely clear in the opening passages of this book where she's determined to give birth to her twins alone in the forest and raise them there with absolutely no resources if she has to.

Vern is someone who is going to make her own way in the world, even if she has virtually no support. It takes an incredibly strong person to be their own foundation, to create a way of living that is entirely their own, and to purposefully forsake all the norms and expectations of the outside world, even if the end result is complete alienation—and that is exactly what Vern is willing to do.

There’s a lot of really compelling ideas in this novel. First and foremost, we have to content with this religious extremist group, who refer to themselves as "Black Supremacists," or basically the ideological opposite of White Supremacists. While it might seem, on the surface, like this group would be a safe haven or a "utopia" for Black people, Vern's desperation to escape from that environment contradicts that assumption right out the gate.

That's a compelling sticking point, because when you consider Cainland's manipulation and the way they have experimented on the people living there, to the point where Vern is violently metamorphosing, it calls to mind the dynamic of intracommunity violence. There is a capacity for people who share the same identity or community to inflict violence upon each other, especially as an unconscious response to previous generational trauma. The terrifying metamorphosis Vern is experiencing also serves as a deeper reflection of this country’s history, willingness, and vested interest in enacting violence upon Black bodies.

The metamorphosis itself really made me think about what Cainland's endgame was supposed to be, in regards to their human experimentation. Presumably, these experiments are intended to result in people who are inhumanly powerful and strong. But then seeing how these changes effect Vern, it makes the reader question whether those attributes are *actually* advantages.

Vern is growing exponentially stronger by the day, to the point where she can no longer detect pain or realize when she’s hurting someone else. Is that beneficial to her? Is that empowering? Is it worthwhile? It brings to mind that idea of the Strong Black Woman complex, of people who are not allowed to show pain, fatigue, or struggle, and who are expected to always be exceptional and capable no matter the circumstances, which is extremely unsustainable and toxic. It makes an incredibly powerful statement to see how these abilities that are supposed to make Vern powerful and “more than human” are actually jeopardizing her ability to feel—which is a fundamental component of existing in this world.

It also leaves her in this predicament where she has to try and figure out what to do with that power. What was it intended for and how can she use it for good if it *can* be used for good? That question, in itself, becomes yet another burden, because she now has to figure out how this thing she did not choose for herself can then be transformed and used in service. That’s perhaps what I appreciate most about the story, that it does not romanticize the idea of healing. Rather it shows how healing yourself and healing other people—especially when it comes to addressing severe generational trauma—requires an enormous amount of energy, labor, and time, which are *not* boundless resources.

All of this is just scratching the surface. Sorrowland is doing so many incredible things when it comes to exploring trauma, being haunted by the past, living with the consequences of violence, and finding new ways to exist. It made me think about all these quandaries and so much more, and I know with absolutely certainty that I'm going to be thinking about this story for quite some time.

Unique and engrossing world building. Struggled a bit with the pacing and the plot was a tad confusing though. Nonetheless still an interesting read.

Rivers Solomon is so great at writing an atmospheric, gripping, genre-bending story. I thought the main character in this was well-written. Pacing was a little inconsistent but not so much that it detracted from the story for me.

While this wasn't an easy book to get into, once you got into the flow of reading it was a great story.

Not exactly what I was expecting, but was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. I thought for sure this was going to be some sort of dystopian speculative novel, but it was set very much in the present and had more of a medical/creature feature sort of flair. I will say that this is NOT a gothic (and will publishers please stop pitching everything with ghosts as a gothic????? It is misleading). The rating is mostly due to the ending for me, which fell apart and got a little explainy—including a few "villain tells all" moments that could have been cut out.

Rivers Solomon creates such elaborate, engrossing worlds for their readers. I can never seem to pin down their stories' genres, either. Sometimes sci-fi, sometimes fantasy, sometimes something truly unique -- no matter what, though, I can always count on Solomon to deliver something utterly amazing.

I just finished Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon, and this is one book that I’m not going to be able to stop thinking about for a long time.

This is a book that doesn’t fit well into one category. Some people say that it’s scifi southern gothic, or a techno-thriller. I don’t like to limit my reading with labels, but this is a truely unique and imaginative book that takes sci-fi through a dark walk in the woods and polishes it with heavy themes surrounding oppression and the corruption that comes from power.

Sorrowland is about an albino teenage girl named Vern who gives birth to twins in the woods as she escapes from her community’s compound. Over the course of the story, Vern’s body begins to change and she becomes strong and fast and begins to grow an exoskeleton that protects her from much more than a normal person can handle. At first this is a good thing because it means Vern has a chance against the fiend. But as the changes get more and more developed, Vern starts to wonder why she is experiencing the changes and what she will end up being. Is there a reason she is developing like this?

This is as much a story about a young woman escaping a terrible situation and figuring things out as she goes along as it is a whimsically twisted science fiction novel. It’s also a story about how people with power hurt and exploit those they can designate as ‘other’ or ‘less than worthy of respect’. It’s these ideas and the haunting prose that make this book so memorable.

Likes:
This book is extremely atmospheric. I felt like I was in the middle of some twisted fairytale where the woods were this mysterious place of refuge with endless possibilities. It could be a haven for Vern and her children to live their lives out of reach of the people at Cainland who tried to control them, but it could also be a dangerous place where the Fiend hunts them, constantly making Vern feel threatened and stalked until finally there is no escaping the Fiend’s wrath.
Vern is one of those characters who has greatness thrust upon them and isn’t constantly in denial about how special she is. This doesn’t mean that she understands what is happening to her body over the course of the story or even how to use her powers. Vern is growing and changing and just trying to survive, and her struggle influences her actions and gives her a desperate strength without providing her any plot armor.
I’m not going to spoil it here, but the logic behind what is happening to Vern with the fungus and how everything works is really unique and I haven’t seen anything like it before. That made the story that much more interesting to me.
Solomon has a way with words and this book is extremely quotable. Their writing style pulls no punches with respect to the wrongs done to people of color. It made me want to read more historical non-fiction works about the events referenced in the story even though most of them were things I was familiar with.

Dislikes:
At about the 20-40 percent marks, the story gets very slow. I was left wondering for a while if the plot was being handwaved away in favor of an abstract thematic focus.
Howling and Ferral, Vern’s kids, are a little bit annoying at times. They are just kids being kids and there’s probably a whole lot of thematic work surrounding their characters, but I paid less attention to their parts because I was much more invested in Vern’s story.

Sorrowland was a book that kept coming to my attention last year, consistently featured on lists by people whose taste I trust, always praised. With all that attention I shied away from it slightly, wanting to read it but needing the space to form my own opinion. Now that the time have come I can wholeheartedly join the chorus of people who adore Solomon's novel. Thanks to Farrar, Straux & Giroux; Random House; and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What are monsters? The word 'monster' comes from the Latin monstrum, which means 'portent, omen, sign'. (Think demonstrate.) A monster, then, is a message or a person that holds information, that reveals, that holds up a mirror and forces us the acknowledge something. Angels are monsters, in that sense, and so is the protagonist in Rivers Solomon's novel. Vern is, perhaps, not entirely human. Or maybe she is, but the world around her is no longer entirely human. In her struggle to find out what is happening to her, she has to face a world in which many things aren't as they should be. Sorrowland is deeply Gothic, yet also has a sense of the mythic and the epic in how Vern approaches life. While she has plenty going against her, from her albinism to her changing body, she is constantly in awe of the vastness of life, of the vastness of nature, and the reader can't help but join her on her journey with the same sense of awe.

Vern is on the run and about to give birth. Sorrowland starts with the birth of her children and only grows in intensity from there. Haunted by her imagination and her history, Vern is changing in a way she doesn't understand. Raised on a cult-like compound, the world is full of mysteries for her, but of one thing she is sure: she is strong, perhaps stronger than she should be. With her children, she begins a journey towards truth and understanding, hoping to find a place where she can just be the way she is. Sorrowland is full of Gothic tension, moments of body horror, and scenes of utter tenderness and passion. It is hard to truly summarise this novel, mainly because going into it blind truly does make for the best experience. Each step of the journey is a revelation. Vern is supported by a cast of fascinating characters, some of who join her on her journey, others who we only see for a brief moment. You will adore her children, in their wildness, you will share Vern's mistrust and fall in love alongside her. Vern is a very young character, hardly an adult at the end of the novel, but there is a sagacity to her that, due to her experiences, doesn't feel misplaced. She is full of life, brash, occasionally mean, often desperate, but as her body changes, she only becomes more human.

The writing of Sorrowland is stunning. Vern's speech feels both archaic and blunt, always direct yet for of mystery. Similarly, Solomon has a real knack for describing nature and dissecting human behaviour. At the heart of Sorrowland is a desire to remember, to not forget the sufferings and crimes of the past. To confront human behaviour, at its best and worst, straight on and, at the very least, acknowledge it. Solomon tries to do a lot in Sorrowland. There are references to Giovanni's Room, strong themes of Afrofuturism, Gothic chases through the woods, and strong political commentary throughout. What weaves it together and makes it all fit is Solomon's characters. While not everything about Sorrowland is streamlined, every moment adds a layer of understanding, of acceptance, of knowledge. Gender and sexuality also appear throughout Sorrowland, without every being a capital-T theme, if that makes sense. People love who they love, they are what they are, and that is how it should be. The ease with which this happens was beautifully done and also shows that protest and activism happens on every level. I can't wait to read more by Solomon!

Sorrowland is a monster of a book, full of revelation, fear, and awe. While not the easiest of reads, it is a novel I would highly recommend. Let it sweep you away!

This book was not what I thought it was going to be. It was well written, but dragged on for me. I felt there was too many non essential things happening in between the actual plot. Unfortunately this one just want for me. I expected a more creepy and tense vibe.

Sorrowland is the story of Vern, a pregnant teenager who flees the cult she was raised in, Cainland. Vern decides to escape everything she has always known to raise her children in the woods.

This is the basic synopsis, but there is so much more going inside this book. This book has sci-fi elements, fantasy elements, contemporary elements and probably more. It's a mix of genres, a hard book to categorise and a strange book to like. To be honest, I'm not sure if I liked it myself.

Vern is a great main character, she's strong and stubborn and questions everything she was told, she fights on for her sake and for her children sake. Despite her health failing her, she does everything she can to raise her children and she does it with strength.

This book explores a lot of topics, I loved the take on sexuality, gender and LGBTQ+ issues in general. Seeing the characters learning to love the fact they're queer, despite being taught it was something be ashamed of, was heartwarming to see. It reminded me of how I grew up and my own acceptance journey. I loved the discussion and critique of the current politic climate, the message on race and religion.
Sorrowland manages to talk about all of this and more and it does it with a graceful and impactful writing style. This was probably my favorite aspect of the book, the way things are told. It's poetic.

This being said, this book has many flaws. I was lost and a bit bored throughout the book. The first 30%-40% was slow but beautiful. And then I started being confused. I even thought I was going to dnf it. I had to reread some parts multiple times and until I gave up and decided to move on. The plot and the why stuff happened were so poorly explained that I started to question my intelligence. I still can't tell you more half of the things that happened, let alone explain to you how and why they happened. I can't even pinpoint or remember all the characters. At some point, I just passively kept reading. I have no idea how the resolution came along, but even with my poor understanding of stuff, I can tell you it was too convenient and happened too fast.

To end this review, I'll say that I don't know where I stand. But maybe you should try for yourself and see how you like it. I know this isn't a book for everyone, but I can see why some people may love it and why some people might not.

A really interesting book, with a lot to say. I thought a lot of it was really well written, but on the other hand I had trouble following it sometimes, and found some of the plotting and events confusing.

There are so many things I loved about this book! The reflections on today's world really makes you think about how we, in America, as a society view BIPOC people as a whole and their daily fights just to exist.
Now this book is queer and paranormal, that was a tiny bit much for me. However Solomon still delivered a very excellent read all in all. My only critique is that I prefer my characters to glean information through action. It makes the pacing flow and is a better story to me. Thanks for the opportunity to read it. I did enjoy it!

This is the story of Vern, a fifteen year old albino black woman who flees the ‘Cainland’ compound where she has grown up. She goes into the woods where she gives birth to twins who she names Howling and Feral. Vern experiences ‘hauntings’ which seem like hallucinations but also feel real. After several years surviving deep in the woods, Vern ventures out ......What follows is impossible to categorise, it’s part horror, part magical fantasy, there are elements of science fiction, it’s part political and historical. It has a multitude of themes including motherhood, race, identity and gender, survivalism and living wild and transformation. It includes characters that are on the fringes of society obviously which includes Vern but also Gogo who helps her, who is Native American.

Thanks to NetGalley for Arc exchange for a far and honest review.
3.5 to 4 stars (closer to 4)
really good book that I overhyped for myself. Part of what I love about fae's books is the deep speculative nature. This book was plenty speculative, don't get me wrong. It just felt the least of them all. It is rich in themes and a very well crafter story like we have come to expect of fae. I just couldn't help but feel disappoint by it not going where I hoped it would.

The general set up of the story follows a young woman who escapes a cult where she became impregnated at 15. We follow her after her escape, as she raises them in the wild because she doesn't trust anyone in regular society not to be connected to the cult.

The story explore religion, religious dogma, racism, and the way white people use various institutions to control POC. I still recommend this book because it's just as insightful as all the rest fae makes.

Starting out this book I was very excited, the cover is gorgeous and I was intrigued by the description. It follows themes of racism, abuse, gender and sexuality and focuses on those considered on the "fringe" of society. I appreciated the thought behind this book but found the execution of it a little confusing at times to follow and the story dragged a bit through the middle. Overall though, I enjoyed the majority of the story and the writing. Sorrowland is a uniquely interesting and artful read and I would definitely recommend it.

Rivers Solomon writes compelling and engaging stories that bounce around inside your head like a the echo of a gong. In Sorrowland, she unfurls the story of Vern, girl who has been pushed to the edges of her existence - first as a child bride in a religious cult, then as a partially blind mother of twins, trapped in the woods, trying to keep herself and her babies alive. As her belief in herself is challenged again and again, we realize that the real story is who is Vern, what is she becoming, and what can she do with that knowledge?

This book is so powerful, and so very compelling, and is finally one of those stories that stays with you. I enjoy Solomon's skill so much. She writes you down a path, and and you gleefully go along, only to realize she doubled back and you've been stranded somewhere dangerous and important, right where she wanted you and you didn't see it coming.

Sooooooooo…

At the beginning of this book I had no idea what to expect. It started off a little crazy but I had an inkling it was going to be really interesting. Suspension of belief was needed almost right away, which I thought was strange as I didn’t know this was going to have any paranormal elements.

But then everything went sideways. The story ran in a completely different direction than I expected. I thought Vern and her two babies would be the central characters but there was much of the book where the kids didn’t figure in at all.

And then the paranormal elements became even stranger.

After taking a step back, I can see how the author related horrible transgressions of the US Govt towards people of color into these paranormal events. I can appreciate the hidden meanings. But the storyline was just so crazy, the character bounced around and changed so much that I couldn’t follow the ARC.

I just didn’t really enjoy it from a story perspective. I’m sure it’s a brilliant work of art, it just was not an enjoyable read for entertainment, IMO.

It was a wonderful mashup of fantasy and scifi, it took me a little while settling down with the the book. As it progressed I was curious to see how it ended. I was left wanting more, and it was a little disappointing that it had to come to an end.

This book follows a pregnant woman as she gives birth to twins in the forest and we find out that all the while she is being hunted. She also began to have a strange physical transformation and there was some romance with another woman which I enjoyed reading about. Overall, Sorrowland was a very atmospheric and strange story I had a hard time to grasp. Perhaps I wasn't focused enough but I feel like the focus changed sometimes and I wasn't completely into it. This is a me problem not a book problem as it was well-written

(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)