Sorrowland begins with fifteen-year-old cult runaway Vern giving birth to twins alone in the woods, hunted by 'the fiend' and its wolfish companion. Naming them Howling and Feral, they and Vern survive for some years in the woods, until circumstances force her to venture out into society and discover the 'humanity' awaiting her there.

I don't know what to say about Sorrowland except that you have to read it to believe it. The language is beautiful, and I was consumed by Vern's strength, resilience and desperate need to protect her children. This has some real horror and sci-fi elements, although all in all I'd probably consider it a 'literary' novel. Without giving away any spoilers, something is happening to Vern that means she sees ghosts or memories, and I found the extended metaphors so powerful. In one, a plantation owner cuts out her tongue as she's trying to learn how to read, and there are incredibly moving and powerful images like that throughout the whole book, emphasising Vern's strength and her will to survive.

I also found the WLW/queer rep in this book incredibly touching, the exploration of identities and how this is done. Vern says something about not wanting to know words and terms, because as soon as she knows them she has to accept someone has considered them 'bad' or 'wrong', whereas if she can just be, she will be fine. This is probably one of those 'not for everyone' books, maybe a 'Marmite' read, but I thought it was incredible.