Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Mind of my Mind by Octavia E. Butler

9 reviews

rebcamuse's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

In this second installment of Octavia Butler's Patternmaster/Patternist series (but written second after 1976's Patternmaster (#3 in the series)), we see that Doro's breeding/inbreeding program has continued, and his efforts are now focused on his daughter Mary, a biracial woman from a poor neighborhood whose telepathic ability surpasses even Doro's expectations. Doro has Mary wed Karl Larkin*, another telepath, whose abilities are strong, but don't quite equal Mary's. (*I'd be curious to know if there is any significance to Larkin being both this character's last name and the protagonist's daughter in Parable of the Talents.

After enjoying Wild Seed, I admit that the jump in time left me a bit disappointed because I really wanted to continue the story of Anyanwu and Doro, and while the former is present in this book, her story is no longer centered. However, there is a nice parallelism in how Mary gains the upper hand (NOT with the same ramifications) as Anyanwu does in the first book. Anyanwu compromised and interrogated Doro's status as the antagonist at times, and that happens less in Mind of My Mind, although the characters are have the trademark multidimensionality that Butler did so well. We briefly meet one of the characters who is a significant reference in the next book in the series, Clay's Ark, which I've already read.

Robin Miles's performance offers a certain even-handedness that serves the narrative well, as well as the characters of Mary and Doro. There were times where things felt a little too flat, but also underscored the amount of mind control happening at any given moment.

Overall it is a worthy sequel to Wild Seed and while I have not read the entire series, I think it is likely an important "origin story" that explains the "Patternists" who are one of the major groups featured in Patternmaster, the last book chronologically (though published first).

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Incest, and Slavery

scifi_rat's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Physical abuse, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Murder, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Slavery, Incest, Infidelity, Death, Child death, Chronic illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Racism, Self harm, and Sexual assault

Minor: Kidnapping, Alcoholism, Medical content, Mental illness, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Car accident

missdanielle's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, and Violence

Minor: Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, and Suicide

chilliam_mc's review against another edition

medium-paced

5.0

Perfection. Just as good as Wild Seed. Although the many different character perspectives made it a little harder to understand at times, it all came together beautifully.

Mary is such an amazing addition to the story. I missed Anyanwu’s perspective, but grew to love Mary just as much. And omg the way Octavia Butler has developed Doro is genius. I could talk about him for hours.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Rape, and Child abuse

chloegrell's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Rape, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Incest, Child death, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Hate crime, Gore, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death, Cursing, Colonisation, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Violence, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault

belovedsnail's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-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

5.0

I was sorry to lose Emma’s voice in this book, but enjoyed the evolution and development. I appreciate the moral complexity of Butler’s world building. There is not a single idealistic thing about it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Child abuse

Moderate: Rape, Racism, and Violence

albernikolauras's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• 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

I enjoyed this book a lot more than Wild Seed for a couple reasons - the more condensed timeline, the change in characters, and the plot. I also found myself more able to pull the themes and discussions out of this book, which could be because I am getting better at Butler but also she could have been more blatantly making a point. There was such interesting discussions on race (especially how you view your own race?), power dynamics, and slavery & societies built on the enslavement of others. Also a highlight - learning why the series is called the Patternist series. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Incest, Racism, and Rape

kukushka's review against another edition

challenging medium-paced

• 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? No

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Mental illness, and Violence

Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Incest, Rape, Slavery, and Suicide

tenar's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Violence

Moderate: Incest, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Car accident, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Rape, and Pedophilia