An Unkindness of Ghosts

Aster lives in the lowdeck slums of the HSS Matilda, a space vessel organized like the antebellum South. For generations, the ship has carried the last of humanity toward a mythical Promised Land, while its leaders have imposed harsh moral restrictions and deep indignities on dark-skinned sharecroppers like Aster. Called an ogre and a freak by those around her, Aster wishes she possessed the power to tear down the walls of her world. Embroiled in a grudge with a brutal overseer, Aster discovers a possible path to improve her circumstances—one that could ignite civil war. Rivers Solomon's debut science fiction novel explores themes of slavery, feudalism, prison, and religion while offering a critique of racism and fascism. The work is structurally and thematically daring, balancing devastating social commentary with elements of hope.