Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

Imago by Octavia E. Butler

5 reviews

sup3r_xn0va_maya's review against another edition

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adventurous dark hopeful mysterious sad tense 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

4.0

Imago is the final book in the Xenogenesis trilogy by Octavia E. Butler, and it was interesting but a bit more thoughtful and deep than the first two books in the series. I didn't find this book as exciting as the first two, but I do value how thought provoking this book is, it made me think about; racism/xenophobia, humanity, community, and colonization.

Jodahs is another one of Lilith's children but it is metamorphosing into an Ooloi, the first human Ooankali Ooloi construct. As a result of it's changes and the danger it now poses, it has to exile for a while until it can get in complete control of it's new abilities. The story goes on from there.

I honestly enjoyed how thought provoking this was, even though it didn't have as much action as the first and second novels. I also love how community is a theme in all of Butler's books, and this one is no exception. 

This is just my first read, I think on further reads I'll be able to enjoy the story more because I'll understand more of how I feel after having read it from beginning to end again. As of now, I don't know how I feel about the Oonakali.
On the one hand, they're strong arming the future of the human race, on the other hand the saved what was left of the human race. I don't know how I feel. I know that this an allegory for colonization, so either way the Oonakali are creepy with their desires and expectations of what's left of the human race.



Overall I enjoyed this for what it was and even though it was slow in a few places it was still a good read. I'm giving this 3.5 stars out of 5.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️  3.5/5 Stars

I read this for free on [Libbyapp.com]

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bucklace27's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5


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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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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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