Scan barcode
leadabird'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? No
4.75
Graphic: Racial slurs, Slavery, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Grief, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Racism, Sexual violence, Sexism, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Alcohol, Abandonment, and Rape
miss_vonnegut's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Slavery, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Torture, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Vomit
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Alcoholism
Since she keeps getting transported back to the pre-civil war south, you see a lot of time-period typical violence, racism, etc._natalie_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Torture, Racial slurs, Slavery, Ableism, Racism, Physical abuse, Violence, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Infidelity, Alcoholism, Rape, Suicide, Grief, Self harm, and Blood
charliebites'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
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Hate crime, Death, Murder, Body horror, Death of parent, Police brutality, Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Slavery, Physical abuse, Self harm, Pregnancy, Colonisation, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Kidnapping, Violence, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Medical content, and Torture
Moderate: Chronic illness, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Classism, Child death, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Child abuse
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, and Alcoholism
ahoyitsjoy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Violence, Sexism, Slavery, Sexual assault, Blood, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racism, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Bullying and Infidelity
Minor: Vomit, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child death, and Animal cruelty
sophiesmallhands'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
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Misogyny, Violence, Suicide, Racial slurs, Racism, Police brutality, Trafficking, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Slavery, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Rape, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol, Self harm, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcoholism
yourbookishbff'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
4.5
Butler consistently sows doubt in the reader: Is Dana's husband, Kevin, good enough to her, will he protect her, will he prioritize himself? Is Dana growing attached to Rufus, does she feel sorry for him, does she forgive him for his cruelty because she sees how he was raised? Do we become acclimated as Dana and Kevin do, do the horrors become loss horrible through exposure, do we become numb to it? What are we willing to sacrifice to save ourselves, a person we love, or a family member? Butler resists answering any of these questions, instead giving characters room to orbit around each other as they make their own decisions and shape their own histories.
This is a challenging and graphic read, but a fast-paced one that evidences Butler's place in the sci-fi/fantasy canon.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Violence, Misogyny, Racism, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Suicide, Sexual violence, Self harm, and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol, Ableism, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Fatphobia
Slurs for disabled people are used (this was written and published in the 1970s and today's readers should be aware that these instances will go unchallenged on page). Fatphobia also goes unchallenged on page in the present-day (1970s) storyline.lay_kone's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Trafficking, Death, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Racial slurs, Violence, Infidelity, Sexism, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Confinement, Rape, and Torture
Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Addiction, and Death of parent
aksmith92'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
5.0
When all is said and done, this book may be sci-fi/fantasy (I believe Butler noted that she would call it "grim fantasy" in an interview since there was nothing scientific about it), but it's more real than we would like it to be. It's about race and an incredibly dark time in American history. Butler manages to intersect historical records and research with the time-traveling trope in a fascinating and beautiful (but, as most books about this time, horrible) way. It is incredibly well-written and emotional. It pained me to read this, but it was so important to read it at the same time.
As a note, Butler has decided to forgo a lot of explanation around this somewhat science fiction novel and has instead relied on metaphor and allegory during the more "fantastical" times of the novel. We don't get intense descriptions of the time travel or the "science" behind it - we just know it happens and its impacts. This is no spoiler and won't take away from the story, but those who are itching for more detail may find themselves frustrated. But, for a book of this caliber, I don't think it was at all needed.
I loved it and yet hated it so much because America at this time was awful. I had all the feels reading this book, but I thought it was incredibly well done. I'm sure excited to read more of Octavia Butler's stuff in the future.
Graphic: Slavery, Death, Death of parent, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Violence, Vomit, Racial slurs, Gore, Medical trauma, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Suicide, and Torture
Moderate: Alcoholism and Alcohol
hotkoolaidpotato's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, Cursing, Bullying, Death of parent, Murder, Physical abuse, Death, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Blood, Grief, Sexual assault, Ableism, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Rape