Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon
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Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon is, in its own right, a coming of age story. We meet Vern freshly after her escape from Cainland - an all-Black cult focused on unlearning and undoing all of the colonization and violence of White Supremacy, both in the past and present. She is 15 years old and giving birth whilst hiding in a forest from a hunter known as the Fiend, whose orders are to drag her back to Cainland, dead or alive. We follow Vern’s journey from child, to mother, to refugee, and finally - to warrior. 

Sorrowland is a story unlike any I’ve ever experienced. It is brutal, romantic, violent, warm, and full of love. There is so much to unpack about this story. Sorrowland offers up so many takeaways regarding race, sexual identity, and gender norms. 

It was incredibly refreshing to read a story with these topics interwoven and spoken about with pure honesty. Rivers Solomon didn’t sugarcoat the very serious and real struggles that POC and LGBTQIA people face on a daily basis. Sorrowland sinks its teeth into these topics and it draws blood. There are so many themes of abuse in Vern’s story. Sometimes it is approached in a subtle manner and other times it’s right in your face, but what is most compelling is the influence of the violence that our systems/people in power commit daily against Black people, both metaphorically and literally. 

Vern’s story is one that left a mark on me. There are metaphysical moments scattered through this story, but it is indeed a real story that takes place in front of blind eyes every single day. This story is one of perseverance and strength. Rivers Solomon is a genius and their talent in storytelling is one I hope will continue to bless us in the future. Don’t ignore this gem of a novel! I highly recommend it!