Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Bloodchild and Other Stories by Octavia E. Butler

16 reviews

kellieligon's review against another edition

challenging tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

3.5

These short stories and essays are quite different from Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents. I think I didn't resonate with so many because I was expecting more in the dytopian/post-apocalyptic realm rather than alien or deep human behavior and understanding. I was pleasantly intrigued by a couple, but then found it very difficult to get some of the others. This might have had a better impact for me if I waited to read this collection after a few more of her better known novels and series. Overall, she still stands as an incredibly thoughtful provoking science fiction author in my book!

Bloodchild 2.5/5
The Evening & the Morning & the Night 4/5
Near of Kin 2/5
Speech Sounds 5/5
Crossover 2/5

Positive Obsession 4/5
Furor Scribebdi 5/5

Amnesty 3.5/5
The Book of Martha 4/5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Incest, Rape, Suicide, Self harm, and Mental illness

readingbrb's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Moderate: Rape, Confinement, and Self harm

Minor: Miscarriage, Death, and Gore

lycheejelly's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Death of parent, Gun violence, Addiction, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Suicidal thoughts, War, Body horror, Confinement, Torture, Death, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Grief, Toxic friendship, Suicide, and Terminal illness

Minor: Cancer, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Infertility, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Ableism, Incest, Abortion, Addiction, Bullying, Classism, Alcoholism, Cannibalism, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Xenophobia, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Racism

emissaryorca's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

I thought I loved this collection after "Speech Sounds", then again after "Amnesty". "The Book of Martha" then proceeded to knock me flat on my ass. It's my own love for how we play with dreams and future-faith together, what precognition joins the heart to the mind, what "'[my] life has prepared [me] to see'". I wish I had been in a more welcoming mood with certain stories ("Near of Kin" specifically), but that's a fault of mine, not the book. Will provide a warning though.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Self harm and Incest

sarahnh's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Amnesty was my favorite story in the collection, but all of them are fantastic and thought provoking. I loved reading the afterwords where Butler discussed her stories and what inspired them. How I felt about each story changed a lot with the added context, and made it more interesting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Incest, Pregnancy, Body horror, Chronic illness, Death of parent, and Grief

Moderate: Cancer, Rape, Self harm, and Suicide

alspacedout's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

A mostly great mixed bag! Favorites: Bloodchild, Speech Sounds, and Amnesty (plus the author essays). 
Least Favorites: Crossover by a good margin, can't remember what happened in it for the life of me, even after rereading the afterword to try to spark my memory.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Self harm, Xenophobia, War, Violence, Suicide attempt, Torture, Incest, Toxic relationship, and Rape

Every short story has its own number of content warnings as they are all pretty dark, but none are tittilating or explicit with the exception of BloodChild. light spoiler ---->

Description of non-sedated surgery involving parasites. Doesn't go on for pages and pages on end but its gross!

sharonmalonza's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

My favorite short stories:
- The evening and the morning and the night
- Speech Sounds
- The Book of Martha

I loved this. And I can't wait to own a copy of my own and reread them. Already know someone I'd want to gift this to. It's also such a treat to hear from Octavia after each short story. She was such a fascinating individual. I love how her mind worked. It's such a privilege to have access to her work.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm and Violence

Minor: Incest

lmaowolf's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, Body horror, Gore, and Self harm

Moderate: Animal death

Minor: Abortion and Rape

minor self cannibalism, male pregnancy

ivy123's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

4.75

Really interesting mix of stories and incredible writing. The creativity of this author is out of this world and the afterwards added some great context to the stories. Would definitely read more from her.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore, Self harm, Incest, Abandonment, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Body horror, Chronic illness, Colonisation, and Death

minary's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious relaxing sad tense fast-paced

• 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Self harm, Mental illness, Terminal illness, and Death

Minor: Incest