SorrowLand Goodreads Novel Review

Sorrowland is a novel by Rivers Solomon that tells the story of Vern, a young albino woman who escapes from a black separatist cult and gives birth to twins in the woods. She soon discovers that she has been infected by a mysterious fungus that grants her superhuman abilities, but also causes her body to mutate and suffer. She sets out to find the truth behind her condition and the history of the cult, while being hunted by a government agent who wants to use her as a weapon.

The novel is a blend of gothic, sci-fi, horror, and fantasy genres, exploring themes of race, gender, sexuality, trauma, and resistance. It is a fierce and original story that challenges the reader to question the oppressive systems and structures that shape our lives. The novel also celebrates the power of love, family, and community in the face of adversity.

Overall, Sorrowland is a bold and inventive novel that offers a fresh perspective on the genre and the issues it tackles. It is not for the faint of heart, but for those who are willing to follow Vern on her journey of transformation and liberation.

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About The Author

Rivers Solomon is an American author of speculative and literary fiction. They are known for their novels An Unkindness of Ghosts, The Deep, and Sorrowland, which explore themes of race, gender, sexuality, trauma, and resistance. They have won several awards and accolades for their work, such as the Firecracker Award, the Lambda Literary Award, and the Otherwise Award. They are also a finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer.

Rivers Solomon is non-binary and intersex and uses fae/faer and they/them pronouns. They are also a dyke, an anarchist, a she-beast, an exile, a shiv, a wreck, and a refugee of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. They have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and are on the autism spectrum. They live on a small isle off the coast of the Eurasian continent with their family.

Rivers Solomon graduated from Stanford University with a degree in comparative studies in race and ethnicity and hold an MFA in fiction writing from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin. They grew up in California, Indiana, Texas, and New York. Their literary influences include Ursula Le Guin, Octavia Butler, Alice Walker, Zora Neale Hurston, Ray Bradbury, Jean Toomer, and Doris Lessing.