Member Reviews

The story of 'Sorrowland' is as sensational as it is surreal; an absolutely brilliant and harrowing reading experience full of rage and rebellion.

In this gothic fantasy horror novel, we follow Vern, a seven months pregnant young girl on the run, desperate to leave her abusive husband and the oppressing cult of her hometown behind. Still hunted, and still living in fear, she is raising her two babies in the deep of the woods, where it does not take long until she is starting to change inexplicably - starting to grow into something more horrifying than human.

'Sorrowland' is a unique and gripping reading experience, urging the reader to hold their breath while the events of the novel are progressing, slowly but surely spiraling into something unexplainable, yet utterly fascinating and moving.
It touches issues of gender, sexuality, motherhood, rebellion, and most of all: race; filling its reader with absolute rage over the sheer brutality, abuse, hate, and violence of American History. Rivers Solomon creates a whole alternative universe to raise a voice that will refuse to be silenced, and they do so with beautiful prose.

The writing in 'Sorrowland' was magnificent. Solomon‘s lyrical storytelling is absolutely beautiful and atmospheric in the most amazing way.
They are not only telling the surreal story of a brave young woman, but also include the struggles of acceptance when what you desire was forced to equal evil in your mind. The mindset of someone who grew up believing homosexuality to be a sin was heartbreakingly portrayed and touched me deeply.

There were so many things I found utterly fascinating in 'Sorrowland', and my biggest fascination was with its characters. Vern in an incredible main character, traumatized, flawed, and frightened, yet so brave, strong and protective. Being right there with her while she starts to figure out her past and future was immensely satisfying - as was reading about her two children growing up. From the very beginning, I loved their portrayal, and they only become more and more interesting while the story progressed.
The many side characters were just as well developed and enchanting; all unique and essential in their own ways.

The origin of the religious cult of Vern‘s hometown was engrossing, and especially the so called 'hauntings' - mysterious and horrific visions that continue to haunt Vern - made it impossible for me to put this novel down.
Additionally, the intense contrast between Vern raising her children so far away from society in the beginning, and then bringing them back to it later in the book, was so intelligent. Solomon shows how change is a concept we aren‘t meant to be afraid of, how transformation is the key to moving on, and it fills me with hope for our society as well.

My only criticism lies with the ending, which felt, for my own personal preference, a bit too rushed and obvious, and rendered me unable to close this novel with the utter satisfaction I wished for.

Nevertheless, 'Sorrowland' is a refreshingly unexpected and distressing read; so astonishing, moving, and full of hope that it will clearly be one of the must reads of 2021.
'Sorrowland' hits the shelves May 4th and you won‘t want to miss it.

trigger warnings: animal killings, drug abuse, child abuse, blood, death, rape, drowning, religious cult

[ I am incredibly thankful for NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for providing me with a free arc of this in exchange for an honest review! ]

Was this review helpful?

This was super good. I liked the first half a lot more than the second half. It read almost like a fairytale/folk horror kind of thing when they were in the woods running from an unknown monster, and I think it lost something when it got to a more contemporary setting. In fact, the second half actually kind of dragged a bit and felt a little repetitive in parts. It was still a good book, though. It just could have maybe been trimmed a bit more to get it tighter.

Was this review helpful?

Rivers Solomon has an incredible mind when it comes to storytelling, and Sorrowland only reinforces this. At once, this novel is a social and political commentary, a tale of finding love, a story of family, and a story of survival - generational and individual. As is the case with each novel consumed that is written by Solomon, the characters and their interactions are what make the narrative come to life so completely. Vern isn't always likeable, but she is certainly always real, as is the progress of her transformations. Absolutely a new must-read.

Was this review helpful?

3.5 stars (coming out May 4, 2021!!!)

**ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.**
#Sorrowland #NetGalley

Pros: strong, disabled (eyesight difficulty, chronic pain), albino Black MC, gender diverse rep (Lakota winkte/two-spirit & not labeling children), a novel which opens with pregnancy, birth, and motherhood yet has no yucky instances of male-gaze, 2 queer relationship dynamics (she/her + she/her & she/her + Lakota winkte), exploration of systematic abuse and trauma of Black peoples and bodies throughout US history, modern Gothic & cult vibes, AMAZING body horror & transformation (I loved this element so much), Black non-binary author

Cons: pacing problems (super intense action/plot progression scenes were bracketed by sluggish info-dumping which was so unfortunate!!!), loss of strong plot development for the sake of delivering messages, overt info dumping in the form of inter-generational memories (which IS a cool delivery method, but it is STILL info-dumping), rushed and anti-climactic ending

Similar vibes: The Future of the Living God (Louise Erdrich) & Wilder Girls (Rory Power) & Mexican Gothic (Silvia Morena-Garcia)

TW: [basically all of them...] racism, homophobia, human experimentation, hauntings, drugging, being tied down to sleep, murder, drug use, torture, animal killings, body horror, trading sex for transportation, shock control, child marriage, gaslighting, mental and physical abuse by parent figures, religious extremism, self-harm, mass murder, lynchings, drowned children, child abandonment

Was this review helpful?

Picture this: A class on reimaginings of the gothic novel, featuring Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon and Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia! I am so ready for this. Sorrowland, like Solomon's award-winning debut Unkindness of Ghosts, is beautifully written and haunting.

Was this review helpful?

I’m judging a 2021 fiction contest. It’d be generous to call what I’m doing upon my first cursory glance—reading. I also don’t take this task lightly. As a fellow writer and lover of words and books, I took this position—in hopes of being a good literary citizen. My heart aches for all the writers who have a debut at this time. What I can share now is the thing that held my attention and got this book from the perspective pile into the read further pile.

“Viscous cries gurgled up from his throat but died quickly on the bed of Vern’s skin. Her flesh was his hovel, and he was coming to a quick peace with it.”

“His threats had become increasingly pointed of late: a gutted deer with its dead fawn fetus curled beside; a skinned raccoon staked to a trunk, body clothed in an infant’s sleepsuit; and everywhere, everywhere, cottontails hung from trees, necks in nooses and feet clad in baby booties.”

Gah. The prose. Incredible.

Was this review helpful?

This book blew me away!!! I loved how Rivers Solomon is so intentional with her social commentary regarding beauty, race, power, the abuse of black bodies, gender/social norms.
Vern's character is all of us looking to find our way and define our own identity and determine our own destinies.. And choose to flip off whomever doesn't agree or doesn't understand. The characterization in this book is stunning. Both the protagonists and villain(s) are physical and literal and morally gray. The author makes us examine how hard choices have to be made sometimes at the expense of causing pain. I love how change/growth/metamorphosis is interpreted through a very complex character development.
The book (while set in current time) read like historical fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, and even suspense/horror/thriller! So yes the description of being "genre-bending" is a very appropriate description.
Bravo Rivers Solomon!! You have gained another fan!

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for providing me with an E-ARC in exchange for a honest review!

I've heard nothing but amazing things about Rivers Solomon, and I've been wanting to read one of their pieces for a while. Sorrowland exceeded my high expectations - what an amazing, weird book!

Atmospheric from the very first page, this story first leaves the reader with more questions than he could possibly hope to answer. Since almost the entirety of the book is written from the POV of Vern, her preconceived notions and state of mind cloud the narrative, making me question what was real and what was a figment of her imagination for a long time. When the story finally unravels - and boy, it does - it's so very satisfying and fascinating.

The commentary on the treatment of Black people in modern-day America, the abuse of religion to justify racism in the past, on gender norms and on corruption were absolutely mind-blowing. I'll definitely pick up more of Solomon's work in the future, the bizarre concepts paired with brilliant social commentary really left their mark on me.

Was this review helpful?

thanks, Netgalley, for giving me this free eARC in exchange for a review!

I enjoyed this book a lot, in a similar manner to how I enjoyed "An Unkindness of Ghosts." It's very heavy, seems very personal, dealing with issues about like alienation and nature and motherhood. It starts out with Vern, who's escaped from a religious cult, and who's in the middle of childbirth while being actively pursued by people who want to forcefully return her to the cult's land. In general I really liked this book both the events and themes-- there's elements in there about reaching out to people but keeping them at arm's length, about being hurt, and then at the end about finally finding a community that understands you and treats you right. it's very, i mean, sorrowful but touching.

thought this had a lot of elements of "An Unkindness" but in a different way, which at the very beginning, I worried would be a little repetitive but after only a chapter or two I understood to be fairly different. The character of Lucy reminded me a lot of Giselle in "Unkindness," in that she's the only friend that the main character has ever had and she's outspoken and more brash in comparison-- but her role in the story is very different than Giselle, and while Vern is still like the outcast in comparison to her outcast group, she's a different character than Aster in a lot ways-- I think most relevantly because she spends such a large part of the group absent the type of community that Aster has.

i thought Sorrowland did a really good title/name drop at like, whatever it was, 65% through the book, talking about specifically America as being full of the hurts of all the people who suffered in it, but that they could fight back and make it their own (for the first time / again). maybe that's the thesis of the book that I've just rephrased but I liked it.

uh basically- recommend! Thought this was a very good addition to the rivers solomon canon and if you liked faer other books you'll probs like this one

Was this review helpful?

Sorrowland focuses on Vern, a teenage African albino raised in a cult-like compound known as Cainland. When we meet her she’s fleeing from Cainland around seven months pregnant....with twins!
Early in she gives birth like a boss to her babies in the forest; & continues to raise them off of the land for years, which was fascinating.
We’re given little hints throughout that there’s something special about Vern. She develops a super strength while living wild in the forest, and starts to become haunted by ghosts.
Things take a turn after she develops a relationship with a woman in the local town, & she again has to flee with her now two small toddlers. Her goal is to reach a childhood friend Lucy who has also escaped from the compound.
While on the run she comes down with an illness that leaves her completely debilitated. She is able to reach her destination, only to find that Lucy is not there, but is graciously taken in by Lucy’s relatives Bridget & Gogo.
This sounds like an info dump but I swear this is only a small portion of this wild story. Vern begins to undergo a transformation that is enthralling. I NEEDED to know what the heck was going on. The payoff is 100% worth the investment.
Thanks to Farrar, Strauss & Giroux & Netgallt for the advanced reader copy!

Was this review helpful?

Vern was a captivating protagonist from page one. Gritty, determined, flawed, clever, and resourceful. The story slowly fills in all the details of a life that wasn't what it seemed, and an ending that you can't predict. It was beautiful, ugly, engaging, and awe inspiring.

Was this review helpful?

I LOVE THIS SO MUCH! I’ve been highly anticipating all of Rivers Solomon’s works, and this did not disappoint. I feel like their work is getting darker each book, and the ghostly/horror elements in this made it impossible to put down.

The story of 15-year-old Vern and her twin children escaping an abusive cult, as she is developing an illness that causes what seem to be hallucinations. In a way this felt like Lakewood mixed with Mexican Gothic but very much written by Rivers Solomon.

I will never get over the way they can write themes of gender fluidity, queerness, and the Black experience so effortlessly in a way that feels easy but deeply personal.

I loved this, thank you for the ARC!

Was this review helpful?

I received this ARC from Farrar, Straus and Giroux from NetGalley! Thank you for this in exchange for an honest review.

This is like nothing I have ever read before. Sorrowland follows a 15 year old girl through four years of her life and her journey as she escapes a cult, births twins, tries to survive in the woods, and ultimately seeks answers about what exactly is happening to her body. This concept was so interesting but I struggled with some aspects of it. I felt like it was trying a little too hard at being an insightful piece, when in reality, the ending was one of the only impactful parts. A lot of the main character’s actions were questionable, but I ultimately kept reading because the storytelling and themes were SO good. Touching on the exploration of sexuality, racial tensions, religion, and the patriarchal society, I found myself, at multiple points, wondering whether I’ve ever read a book with so many important topics in one. I came to the conclusion that I haven’t, and that’s why I feel like this is an important read.

I found it hard to visualize some aspects of this book as well because of how otherworldly it was, but Sorrowland was a book I will not stop thinking about anytime soon! It’s definitely on the likes of Us by Jordan Peele-psychologically thrilling until the last page.

Was this review helpful?

At the start of Sorrowland we find Vern giving birth to twins in the deeps of a forest. They've escaped a strict cult, one arisen from a racial movement, and they're intent on getting Vern back. To overcome, and fight back, Vern unleashes a great and dangerous power that they will struggle to understand, all the while raising their children without the confines of society's rules.

I'm in awe of what Rivers Solomon has managed to achieve with Sorrowland. They manage to capture and reimagine a complicated and brutal past and present it in such a way that feels new yet no less impactful. Vern and the other characters are those in standard society who are often overlooked, or seen as 'less than', and Rivers brings their trauma and their insight to the forefront.

The writing is beautiful and poignant, full of atmosphere and tenderness but I admit I did struggle with the prose at times. It tends to veer towards the lyrical at times, which for me personally, lessened the emotional impact. However this should not take away just how exceptional this story is, and just how many ideas and concepts are brought to the table in such an imaginative way.

A highly impactful piece, from a writer that gives a voice to those often forgotten.

Was this review helpful?

3.5 stars. I'm grateful for this arc provided by the publisher thought NetGalley.

This was a disturbing at times and very touching story. It was incredible to imagine Vern going through all that at such a young age. I liked the writing mostly, however multiple times I felt the story was dragged. It wasn't very easy to get through the story sometimes. I would still definitely recommend this book.

Was this review helpful?

Sorrowland is the story about a woman who escapes a religious compound and finds herself in the wild. She sets up a camp for her and her newborns and changes start to happen. I can't really describe the book much more without ruining it. It is fantastic, heartbreaking, and terrifying. The book does not fit into any one mold. I absolutely loved it. The characters are fantastic. I loved Gogo and Vern, such deep characters. The settings were very well written, you could really lose yourself in the words. This book is truly special. I can't wait to read more by the author, they are amazing.

Was this review helpful?

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book received in exchange for an honest review.

Sorrowland begins with the main character Vern, who is seven months pregnant and living at a strict religious compound. She escapes and flees to the nearby woods, where she gives birth to twins. But, she has not truly escaped for someone is tracking and hunting her. She soon finds that she has strength beyond start is humanly possible and she begins her journey to discover why.

I loved how this story unfolded and how Vern changes and grows throughout the book. It kept me fully engaged with each chapter and I struggled two step away from it. It is definitely a unique story for the sci-fi genre.

Was this review helpful?

Sorrowland begins with the tone of a runaway slave story, and although we soon learn that this is alternative present-day setting, the tone remains true. Vern has run away from a cultish group where the God of Cain presides. The truth of the group will remain hidden from Vern and from the reader for much of the novel, but those revelations come alongside the revelations of who and what Vern really is. Part suspense, part horror, part science fiction, part scathing critique of contemporary American prejudices against transsexuality, transgenderism, and anything identified as the other, Sorrowland will provoke both compassion and rage, incredulousness and horror. Hopefully, Sorrowland will also contribute to the national conversation over the damage that the war against "the other" in America has done to those outside of white, European, dominant culture.

Was this review helpful?

Sorrowland touched on so many interesting topics. Vern just doesn’t fit into any slot. She’s an albino woman from an African American family. And she escapes the cult where she didn’t belong. The idea of being 15, alone and birthing twins in the wilderness just floors me. Although the concept was so interesting, I just didn’t enjoy reading it. There were parts that dragged on and took away from the character.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you Farrar, Straus and Giroux for providing an eARC of Sorrowland through Netgalley!

When I first started this book I was really apprehensive about continuing. I am glad I did, but it was nothing like what I expected, to say the least. The writing was phenomenal, it flowed well and was easy to read, but the content at times got confusing. At one point it changed point-of-views for a couple of chapters with no warning whatsoever, something I was able to catch eventually with context clues. It was the only time it ever changed POVs, which really made it stand out as weird. I chose to give this book 3 stars because, while it is wildly different from what I would normally choose to read, I didn’t want to let that take away from a rating. Overall, it was extremely interesting once I got through the oddness of it. It had some great plot twists and character interactions, and I thought the commentary on race relations, sexuality, gender, religion, and life and death were interesting. It is definitely an interesting book about humanity and the dark and light that can come of it.

Was this review helpful?