Reviews with content warning for Incest - Imago

Wow — what an end to the trilogy. Looking at the trilogy as a whole, I was quite impressed that each novel felt quite equal in regard to the amount of new conflict & resolution that it brought to the overall story. I felt like each book wrapped up quite nicely on its own (i.e., not necessarily needing a sequel), but boy-oh-boy, the sequels are all stunning in their own rite.

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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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hannahollihan's review

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adventurous dark tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.5

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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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