An Unkindness of Ghosts is a sci-fi novel by American author Rivers Solomon. Published in 2017 by Akashic Books, the novel explores a society built on systemic racism in a generation ship. Inspired by the last Trans Atlantic ship to bring slaves to the United States, the Matilda spaceship houses the last of the human species. 300 years after leaving an uninhabitable Earth, Matilda wanderers the void of space in search of a habitable planet.
In the ship, dark skinned people live in servitude and poverty in the lower deck, while light skinned people live on the upper deck in opulence. Aster Gray is a healer from the lower deck. She befriends a high ranking member of the ruling family who gives her access to the upper deck. Aster uncovers a deep-rooted conspiracy that threatens the ecosystem of Matilda.
Critics praised the novel for its grand world building and balanced character diversity. Solomon was applauded for focusing on subtle details that gave the story more cohesion. An Unkindness of Ghosts was nominated for the 2017 Otherwise Award, 2018 Stonewall Book Award for Literature, 2018 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, and the 2019 Tähtivaeltaja Award.
