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Sorrowland

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Sorrowland

By: Rivers Solomon
Narrated by: Karen Chilton
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Vern, a Black woman with albinism, is hunted after escaping a religious compound, then she discovers that her body is changing and that she is developing extra-sensory powers.

Alone in the woods, she gives birth to twins and raises them away from the influence of the outside world. But something is wrong - not with them, but with her own body. It's itching, it's stronger, it's...not normal.

To understand her body's metamorphosis, Vern must investigate not just the secluded religious compound she fled but the violent history of dehumanisation, medical experimentation and genocide that produced it. In the course of reclaiming her own darkness, Vern learns that monsters aren't just individuals, but entire histories, systems and nations.

©2021 Rivers Solomon (P)2021 Penguin Audio African American Dark Fantasy Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Genre Fiction Gothic Horror Literary Fiction Fiction Scary

Critic reviews

"Sorrowland is a wonderland of fantastical and frightening, magical and real. At the centre of this world and leaping off the page is Vern: unstoppable, unforgettable and unlike anyone you have ever seen before." (Marlon James, Booker Prize-winning author)

"A fantastical, fierce reckoning...Sorrowland is gorgeous, and the writing, the storytelling, are magnificent. This country has a dark history of what it's willing to do to Black bodies, and Rivers Solomon lays that truth bare in a most unexpected, absolutely brilliant way." (Roxane Gay)

"A furious utopia. Utterly compelling, brilliant and terrifying. Sorrowland seizes the history of white supremacy, racist medical experimentation and the dream - and danger - of the commune, and gnashes it into something magnificent and truly reparative. An epic fantasy that interweaves righteous, large-scale confrontations with power, extremely sexy and moving erotic gothic horror, and exquisite, meticulous renderings of the daily life of parenting. This is a fairy tale for adults, spangled in the wreckage of the world. A gorgeous, singular and profound work." (Jordy Rosenberg, author of Confessions of the Fox)
All stars
Most relevant
Honestly, i stuck with this for the reader. I even looked up other books she's read. The first third of the book is good, and the last third, but the middle drags longer than it needs to. You do have to love the characters, though, for all their fucked-up-ness.

Great reader, so-so novel

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This book is breathtaking. The ending gave me goosebumps. The cult stuff is eerie, characters are complex and live, mystery is interesting and engaging. You don't know what will happen next and it keeps you on the edge. Sad, creepy and full of rage, I absolutely recommend.

A great performance for a great story

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I felt the ending was a bit rushed and overall the first half of the book was much stronger. The twists and turns kept me engrossed and the themes were original and exciting.

Great.

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Surprising. Beautiful. Dark.
And for me, very relatable at the same time as it’s full fiction. Will read again.

Wild

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This book started off with me being confused as to what was happening. I honestly didn’t know if it was about to pan it but once I start I book I feel compelled to complete it. I’m so glad I did because the story was incredibly well crafted and I felt really connected to the characters.

This is a multifaceted book about escaping cult like subjugation and being hunted for leaving.

Vern is a brave woman who went through the most unbelievable metamorphosis that posed more questions than it answers. Who was the fiend, why was her body changing? Where is her friend?

The narration was exceptional as was the writing.

Superb

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