Sorrow by Kurt Brindley
Summary:
Profound, Distubing, Uniquely Written, Fascinating
Sorrow by Kurt Brindley is a thought-provoking and unsettling read that will resonate with readers who appreciate complex explorations of identity, social commentary, and the darker aspects of human nature, making it a great fit for fans of literary, psychological thrillers that challenge and provoke.
Sorrow by Kurt Brindley #BookReview #PsychologicalThriller #LiteraryFiction #5Stars #BookSky 
Book Details
Sorrow by Kurt Brindley
Published by Independently Published on November 20, 2024
Genres: Adult Fiction 18+, Literary Fiction, Psychological Thriller
Format: eBook, Hardcover, Paperback
Pages: 220
An aging white male forsakes humanity, changes his name to Sorrow, and begins identifying as an it, just as its white son learns his Black girlfriend is pregnant, and you begin a murderous rampage targeting interracial couples just like them...
Harold Thorson Sterner, Sr., who had come to be known as Hank, an aging white male no longer able to bear the downward spiraling, troubled state of the world, has decided to end his relationship with it, the world, and all that it entails: all humanity and its entire “civilized” existence, his name, his family, his profession, all his responsibilities, everything, even, perhaps, his conscious mind.
To ensure his new relationship with the world is clear and properly regarded by others, he legally changes his name from Harold Thorson Sterner, Sr., to Sorrow and begins identifying, not as a man, or even as a human for that matter, but simply as a being, an it.
He, or rather, it, has made this, what turns out to be rather ironic, decision to forsake humanity just as its white aspiring author son learns his Black aspiring business executive girlfriend is pregnant, and you, an aspiring serial killer, begin a murderous rampage targeting interracial couples just like them out in sunny Los Angeles.
Source: Amazon Purchase
Content Warning: If a trigger exists, it’s in this book. But I feel like it’s worth the risk to sensibilities.
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Purchase Links for Sorrow
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Brindley, Kurt (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 220 Pages - 11/20/2024 (Publication Date) - PROSOCHĒ (Publisher)
Also available in Paperback & Hardcover,
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Purchase Sorrow online from your local bookstore.
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My thoughts on Sorrow
What happens when someone gives up, not just on society, but on being human altogether? In Sorrow, Kurt Brindley presents a protagonist who does just that. Harold Thorson Sterner, Sr., an aging white man, renounces his humanity, legally changing his name to Sorrow and identifying as an “it.” His transformation coincides with his son’s relationship with a Black woman, who is expecting their child, and a series of murders targeting interracial couples in Los Angeles.
For me, Sorrow represents disillusionment and identity. Harold’s withdrawal from humanity is both extreme and symbolic, raising so many thought-provoking questions: Is his transformation a critique of the world’s moral failures, or is it an act of cowardice to escape responsibility? Junior, in contrast, must navigate real-world racial tensions, making the novel a jarring commentary on generational perspectives, privilege, and the choice to engage or retreat from society’s struggles.
I have to mention the narrator of this intriguing story. Their perspective shaped the way I viewed Harold, his son, and the horrific events taking place. As the story unfolds, the narrator’s role grows increasingly central, making me reflect on the nature of storytelling, bias, and who actually controls a narrative.
Brindley’s writing is introspective and philosophical, challenging you to examine your own perspectives on race, identity, and social apathy. The novel’s pacing is very deliberate, allowing you space to reflect on Harold’s actions and the chilling backdrop of violence. I found Harold’s detachment a bit frustrating. His transformation does add depth to the story, yet it distances him from the book’s relevant issues.
Ultimately, Sorrow is deeply unsettling, timely, and an extremely thought-provoking tale. It offers no easy answers but forces you to confront difficult questions. When faced with a broken world, do we fight to change it or turn the other cheek? Whether you see Harold’s choices as tragic or revealing depends on your own worldview. Either way, Sorrow lingers long after the final page.
This was one of the most introspective stories I’ve ever read. I wish I felt more confident in my ability to convey my thoughts and feelings. You will just have to read the book for yourself. It’s the type of tale that will touch every reader in a different manner. But I guarantee you won’t come away unchanged.
Unless otherwise noted, books are from my personal library or Kindle Unlimited.
This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.
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I love to read books through my Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscription.
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About Kurt Brindley
A husband and father of three, Kurt Brindley is also a retired sailor who lives in Southern Pennsylvania in a house on top of a windy and rolling hill. He traveled much of the world while serving in the navy and, aye, he's got some stories to tell...
Kurt served twenty years and four days in the navy and "retired" as a Senior Chief Petty Officer. He has an undergraduate degree in English from the University of Maryland and a graduate degree in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma.
In 1998, he took a hiatus from his regular duties as a navy telecommunications specialist to attend the U. S. military's Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute. The institute is little known to most but is internationally renowned to those in the human relations field.
Upon graduation, Kurt was certified as a Navy Equal Opportunity Adviser and assigned the responsibilities of providing diversity management training and equal opportunity consultation and assistance to navy personnel throughout the navy's Western Pacific area of operations.
Much of this work focused on awareness and outreach seminars in an effort to mitigate the harassment and abuse that resulted from the confusion and resentment surrounding the military's Don't Ask Don't Tell policy.
Kurt's assignment as an EOA was one of the most challenging, and rewarding, assignments of his navy career, and it served as the impetus behind much of his early writing, including his novel THE SEA TRIALS OF AN UNFORTUNATE SAILOR and his short story "Leave."
With the navy six years in his wake and a promising business career charted before him, Kurt was diagnosed with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia in Blast Crisis, triggered by the rare Philadelphia Chromosome abnormality, in November of 2009.
Blessed by a matched, unrelated donor, he received a bone marrow transplant in April of 2010. Unfortunately, as a nasty side-effect of the transplant, he was diagnosed with an aggressively fatal lung disease in November of the same year.
Kurt wasn't given much chance to survive the lung disease -- but he did. It is from this grace-filled experience that he gratefully recounts the lessons he learned about life and how to go about living it in his newly released book HOW NOT TO DIE: In 13 Easy Steps.
When not telling stories, reading, or attending to his young, wily, and rather large Plott Hounds Zeno & Aurelius, he often wanders down to the bottom of his hill to walk along the countryside's many rushing creeks and silent still ponds.
He likes it there down by the water...
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More Kurt Brindley Reviews
RAINY SEASON: A Heartbreaker Noir Romance
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I looked up the book synopsis. Wow, there is a lot going on.
There is. It’s definitely one of those books where no one gets the same thing out of it.