Grievers: A Timely Pain

By Adrienne Maree Brown

When I read the ARC description for this book, there was a small excerpt that immediately caught my attention - “a city so plagued by grief that it can no longer function.” It’s not a mystery why, living in the world we do, this line resonated with me so deeply. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if that line resonated with you as well.

When the book came in, I began to have flickering doubts about my ability to provide an accurate, insightful review. A plague story that deals with loss and loneliness has perhaps never been more timely, but turning the book over in my hands there was theme that I saw mentioned over and over again; Detroit.

The synopsis mentioned the town, as did the blurbs and reviews. Many of the other reviewers were familiar with a city I have only ever visited for a weekend. As I cracked open the book, I was filled with doubt that I’d be able to add much to the conversation. Something about this portrayal of the city called out to the people who knew it, and I was nervous that I’d be lost. 

It didn’t take long for those fears to abate.

Brown’s book transports you somewhere else. I don’t doubt that is something deeply accurate about Detroit’s depiction in this story for the people who know it, but there is nothing missing in the experience for an outsider. When you pick up Grievers, you feel as if you’re there. The love and connection that the characters feel for their city becomes your love and connection to the city; frustrations and all.

Deeper than that, it’s a human story.

The emotions behind this are real and present, as are the social injustices and government failings. It was gripping and immersive because it feels like it could happen. It lingers in the mind because in a very real way, it is happening now. The losses and upsets of the story so closely mirror the state of the world, despite the setting and the disease being mystical enough as to provide some level of escapism from the horrors we truly are facing.

There is not much to say about the setting that has not already been said better by those who are more qualified. But I would love to speak briefly on the topic of the fictional killer; H-8.

Fictional syndromes are one topic on which I find myself well-versed, and H-8 stands out among the many.

What I loved about the grim picture that is painted of H-8 in the story is that it is quite directly symbolic of the story itself. While there are hyper realistic pandemics like King’s Captain Tripps and self-aware meta ailments like Suzuki’s Ring Virus, H-8 is something more haunting. The condition hits quickly but the death itself is slow. It seems utterly painless for the people whose lives are claimed, and anything but for the family and friends they leave behind.

The emptiness that’s associated with “slipping away” to the syndrome serves as a perfect parallel for what is becoming of Detroit as the story unfolds. The pain that is experienced by those who are left, the grievers, is something that cannot be understated. Those emotions serve as the bedrock for this story of loss, hope, and survival.

If you like speculative fiction at all, but especially if you are looking for eerie fiction tackling real subjects, I cannot recommend Grievers highly enough. It works on the levels of political world building, social commentary, science fiction, and above all, the human experience. It can be painful. It can be lonely. Sometimes, it can be beautiful.

Review by Cat Voleur

Twitter: @Cat_Voleur

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