Reviews with content warning for Gun violence - Imago

I read all three books of Xenogenesis series and decided to leave a review for the series here. The series is exceptional. It has the complexity of Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi or The Expanse by James S. A. Corey. The expanse of imagination reaches a lot farther involving aliens called Oankali. They are not regarded as a mere threat to humanity or a subject of human curiosity. They are heavily involved in interacting with humans in the process of building a new world. (Parts of the book is actually written in their point of view.)

I gave 4.5 starts because the last book, Imago, fell a bit short of the first two. There was a feeling of rushed wrap-up at the end. It still has an open ending for readers to imagine what could happen afterward. The beauty of this series is the unclear symbolism of various elements in the story. Ooloi, a type of Oankali, has no gender. Often humans misunderstand them as being both male and female, but that is not true. Ooloi reminded me of transgender people and non-binary people, but they are not exactly the same. Oankali as a whole can serve as a symbol of foreigners and immigrants (just people who humans are not familiar with). Of course, their interaction comes with a great deal of prejudice and discrimination.

I strongly recommend the book for young adult and adult readers. It provides bountiful fodder for thoughts and discussions. (The edition I read came with a list of discussion questions at the end.) I also recommend Parable of The Sower by the same author. I enjoyed reading the graphic novel version.

Review by Linda (she/they) in August 2023
Instagram @KoreanLinda
Essay writer at DefinitelyNotOkay.com
Podcaster at AmericanKsisters.com

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belovedsnail's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging 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

4.75

Strong wind up to a good series with a lot of fascinating ideas. I might wish it a tiny bit lighter on the alien sex.

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justinlife's review against another edition

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adventurous reflective fast-paced

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

4.5

The final chapter of the Xenogenesis series does not disappoint. Butler ends the series with the reader wanting more. She effortlessly combines alien invasion and post apocalyptic genres in a way that’s smooth as silk. At the end of the series a full century has gone by and we want more. I’m more curious about her world and I want more stories in it.

This book is a departure from the other two as it’s told in first person narration by an ooloi construct- the ooloi are considered a third gender and critical to the mating process. It isn’t male nor female but an other. It goes by it as the pronoun. The narrator is the first hybrid ooloi and we the reader get to spend quality time as with it as finds mates, discovers it’s abilities and uses them to survive a world that doesn’t want it.

There’s lots to digest in the series as a whole and while this book is amazing, it’s the weaker of the three. It ends abruptly and toward the end of the book, it felt like the plot was moving way faster than the story. Particularly with Its Sibling, Aor.

I want to know more about the Mars colony. How are the humans doing w/their second chance. I want stories of the hybrid species centuries from now once humanity has been fully immersed. I want more!

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simonamiller's review

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medium-paced

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? Yes

3.25

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whirl's review

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adventurous dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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haylzno's review

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adventurous challenging dark reflective tense 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? It's complicated

3.75

I waited to review any of the 3 books until I finished the whole trilogy. I will say I liked this one the least (I didn't NOT like it, but it wasn't my favorite of the trilogy).
What I did enjoy about the series is that it almost felt like a collection of short stories: in that each novel really focuses on a different main character each time and their own development and experiences during this "rebirth" of Earth and humanity.

This novel focuses on Jodahs, the first of its kind. Human construct, Ooloi, and possibly the being that ends the human resistance once and for all.
While I enjoyed being able to dissect what it meant to be ooloi more in this novel than the others, I was sad to not really learn much more about the Mars colony more.
I have many complex feelings about this whole series and I 100% think that was Octavia Butlers intention. Overall, I will recommend the Lilith's Brood trilogy to anyone that will listen! This is one that all sci-fi lovers should read!

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kirkspockreads's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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