Sorrowland

A Novel

By: Rivers Solomon

Narrated by: Karen Chilton

2022 L.A. Times Book Prize

2021 Amazon.com Best Books of the Year

2021 Time Magazine Best Books of the Year

2021 Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year

2021 NYPL Best Books of the Year

2021 NPR Best Book of the Year

2021 Hudson Booksellers Best of the Year

"Narrator Karen Chilton gives a riveting performance in this genre-defying masterpiece.... The echoes of Chilton's haunting and beautiful narration will reverberate long after this powerful audiobook is over." (AudioFile magazine)

A triumphant, genre-bending breakout novel from one of the boldest new voices in contemporary fiction

Vern - seven months pregnant and desperate to escape the strict religious compound where she was raised - flees for the shelter of the woods. There, she gives birth to twins, and plans to raise them far from the influence of the outside world.

But even in the forest, Vern is a hunted woman. Forced to fight back against the community that refuses to let her go, she unleashes incredible brutality far beyond what a person should be capable of, her body wracked by inexplicable and uncanny changes.

To understand her metamorphosis and to protect her small family, Vern has to face the past, and more troublingly, the future - outside the woods. Finding the truth will mean uncovering the secrets of the compound she fled but also the violent history in America that produced it.

Rivers Solomon’s Sorrowland is a genre-bending work of Gothic fiction. Here, monsters aren’t just individuals, but entire nations. It is a searing, seminal book that marks the arrival of a bold, unignorable voice in American fiction.

A Macmillan Audio production from MCD

©2021 Rivers Solomon (P)2021 Macmillan Audio

Rivers Solomon continues to impress

This is a voice that I never get tired of listening to. Rivers Solomon’s ability to create beautiful, painful, gorgeously terrifying narratives is the best thing I’ve read in years.

genre bending and insanely poetic

this was my first rivers solomon novel, and i loved every minute. based on the prose and poetry, i had no idea the story was sci-fi until several chapters in. i actually looked up spoilers to figure it out, but don’t let my impatience ruin it for you. loved the pacing of the story. stick with it.

i needed to pause at a few intervals to fully digest some brilliant points. there are several quotes that i’ll be keeping for reference. the author’s understanding of humanity, the whole & the individual, is wholly sublime and distressing and accurate. the part about emotional isolation will be branded into me for a minute. the refusal to acknowledge traditional gender language too, was refreshing and shocking, even as subtle as it was. this one is chemistry altering. for real.

even as a super impatient person, the narration was beautifully paced and also truly connected with the characters. i’ll definitely be looking for more by this author and narrator.

Not what you think; no matter what you think

Beautiful and wild; just read it….keep an open mind….then open it some more…and get ready to recognize your privilege! Then do BETTER tomorrow!

Loved this unique story

This author is creative and keeps you in suspense. The narrator was perfect. Excellent combination. Love this story

Good listen with quite the twist!

I enjoyed this book overall, especially when the unique twist came about. However, I felt the ending came a little fast after it. I wish there would have been a little bit more to wrap it up!

An astonishing work of literary fiction

This genre-defying novel gripped me from beginning to end. Drawing on the real life horrors of the Tuskegee experiment, J. Marion Sims and other abuses of black bodies in the name of science and profit, Sorrowland is a powerful story about generational trauma, healing, community building, and connection to the natural world, Karen Chilton’s narration was pitch-perfect (sometimes literally, and she puts her musical chops to good use singing spirituals). I look forward to hearing much more from Rivers Solomon.

Beautiful

I really liked Unkindness of Ghosts so grabbed this one. Very different book but amazing. I like to go into books blind so I had no idea which way the story was going and loved each new revelation. Excellent main character development, a frightening villain, and a really novel approach to gender. I was listening to this while reading Ancillary Justice as well so I’m liking this alternate approach.

great story

I really enjoyed this book! I could listen to the narrator's voice all day and night. It had a good ending, but I was sad it was over.

Exquisite writing

An exquisite piece of cross-genre writing! I was blown away by the story. Intriguing, mysterious, mesmerising. The reading felt authentic and had a cadence that fit with the unfolding plot.

Excruciatingly rare talent

Have listened to SO many audio books with high reviews that were in fact...utter garbage. THIS novel is on another level. I would put this author in the same league with Coleson Whitehead, Maya Angelou, Willa Cather, CormacMcCarthy, and Alice Walker. This one MUST be nominated for the Pulitzer or equivalent award. Anything Rivers Solomon publishes will be in my collection forever! <For the record I do not remember ever giving 5/5 stars for every category >