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tungstenmouse's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Overall, I'd say this is worth the read but just be ready to be hurt.
Graphic: Rape, Violence, Sexism, Slavery, Sexual violence, Body horror, Drug use, Medical trauma, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Colonisation, Pregnancy, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Toxic relationship, Murder, Homophobia, Death, and Blood
liormaleficent's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Drug use, Cancer, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Death, Sexual violence, Genocide, Xenophobia, War, Violence, Suicide, and Confinement
ms_gouldbourne's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Dawn follows Lilith, a woman held captive by an alien race called the Oankali after the destruction of the Earth and most of the human race in a nuclear war. The Oankali are looking to genetically trade with the last remaining vestiges of humanity, developing their species through interbreeding - and it's made clear that they'll be doing this with or without the consent of the humans involved, viewing Lilith fondly but more like a pet than an intelligent equal.
I won't say more to avoid spoilers, but Dawn throws up a huge number of big ethical questions and goes to some pretty creepy places in its quest to answer them. I do think the story could have done without quite so many sexual threads running through it - characters didn't seem to be able to form strong or lasting relationships without some sexual element to them, and consent was certainly a grey area at times - but overall I was completely captivated by this intriguing, sometimes shudder-inducing story, and I can't wait to read the next one in the trilogy.
Graphic: Colonisation
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Body horror, Drug use, and Xenophobia
Minor: War
shoohoob's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
That being said, this book was fascinating. It was deeply uncomfortable, unsettling, and infuriating to read at times. It’s so interesting that way you almost want to root for both the Oankali and Lilith, but both make it so hard.
Octavia Butler does such a wonderful job commenting on colonization, xenophobia, and even gender in this book. I found myself referring to the ooloi as he/him but Lilith’s commentary on other people’s reactions to it really put a mirror in my face.
That being said, I’m not sure that I’ll continue the series. I was almost too uncomfortable and I didn’t really find myself caring about what happens to the characters. I connected more to the commentary than the actual story.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Colonisation, Pregnancy, and Confinement
Moderate: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, and Kidnapping
Minor: Rape