Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Hero archetypes
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Themes
Synopsis
An "intensely thought-provoking" science fiction debut from a worthy successor to Octavia Butler (LeVar Burton Reads). One of Esquire magazine's 50 Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time Aster has little to offer folks in the way of rebuttal when they call her an ogre and a freak. She's used to the names; she only wishes there was more truth to them. If she was truly a monster, she'd be powerful enough to tear down the walls around her until nothing remained of her world. Aster lives in the lowdeck slums of the HSS Matilda, a space vessel organized much like the antebellum South. For generations, Matilda has ferried the last of humanity to a mythical Promised Land. On its way, the ship's leaders have imposed harsh moral restrictions and deep indignities on dark-skinned sharecroppers like Aster. Embroiled in a grudge with a brutal overseer, Aster learns there may be a way to improve her lot—if she's willing to sow the seeds of civil war. "Solomon debuts with a raw distillation of slavery, feudalism, prison, and religion that kicks like rotgut moonshine . . . Stunning." — Publishers Weekly, starred review "What Solomon achieves with this debut—the sharpness, the depth, the precision—puts me in mind of a syringe full of stars. . . . its only imperfection is that it ended." —NPR "It's structurally and thematically daring and manages to include a little bit of hope while leveling a devastating critique at racism and fascism." — Los Angeles Times
An unkindness of ghosts: content & age rating
Intended for adult readers (18+).
This deeply disturbing dystopian SF novel depicts a generation ship organized like the antebellum South with explicit slavery, brutal overseers, systemic violence against dark-skinned inhabitants, and harsh moral restrictions. The frank exploration of oppression, racism, and dehumanization makes it appropriate only for mature adult readers.
What to know going in
This book has strong violence, mild sexual content, and moderate language. Content notes include torture, slavery, and death (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Adult readers interested in thought-provoking, challenging science fiction that examines systemic oppression and inequality through a futuristic lens will find this debut powerful and unforgettable.