Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - Dawn

Dark and challenging read, challenges you to think more critically about the trope of aliens coming in to save the world and the humans in it. Like all Octavia Butler, a difficult read but overall a great one. 4 out of 5 due to time skip issue and some inconsistencies.

Content Warnings

blazingquill's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective slow-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

This is a disturbing read that creates a horrific story about breaches in consent and the abuse of colonization. It asks the question, “what are you able to do when you’re helpless?” then weaves a complex answer considering love, hate, and resistance. It’s a story that could not have come from another author, and I think is an important read.

That being said, despite its discussion of gender, it maintains a very cis and straight perspective throughout, which effected my reading of the book. There is also a very complex relationship that edges into both abuse and pedophilia that I think was intended to be read as disturbing but I know could be interpreted differently. Heavy content warnings as well for: nonconsensual procedures, noncon relationships, rape, forced sterilization, and sensory deprivation torture.

Content Warnings

readingsofaslinky's review against another edition

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challenging dark fast-paced

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

4.0

Content Warnings

crowcollected's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious reflective 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

5.0

Amazing book. It talks a lot about consent, and blurs the lines between consensual and nonconsensual. The line is not clear-cut, and you have to figure out where some actions fall on your own, not just based on the objective facts of the situation but also the environment the actions are made in. It also talks a lot about choice, and the choices people make even when they've been stripped of all their choice.

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jiayuanc's review against another edition

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dark 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? It's complicated

4.0

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sup3r_xn0va_maya's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

💬: “You don’t look that threatening. Just … very different.”
“Different is threatening to most species,” Nikanj answered. “Different is dangerous. It might kill you. That was true to your animal ancestors and your nearest animal relatives. And it’s true for you.”

Butler, Octavia E.. Dawn (The Xenogenesis Trilogy Book 1) (p. 211). Open Road Media. Kindle Edition.

📖Genres: sci-fi, dystopia, post-apocalyptic, aliens, horror, speculative fiction

📚Page Count: 248

🎧Audiobook Length: 09h 20min

👩🏾‍🏫My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 - 4.5/5
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Dawn by Octavia E. Butler is my first finished read of 2023! It was my first time reading this piece of work, and I really enjoyed it.

I have a phobia of aliens, which I've mentioned in the past. I was very creeped out going into this book, but I couldn't put the book down once I started (I finished it in two days!)

This book explores themes of gender, society, humanity - and what that means, sexuality, and I'm sure I'm missing some.

I enjoyed the world building.

The aliens and the ship were all so creatively designed.

This story just had so many great working parts, and it all came together to make a creepy but wonderfully written story.

I knocked off .5 stars because of how heteronormative the story was, with all the males trying to find a female within their groups to "hook up" with. Someone pointed out that was a unrealistic that everyone was so heteronormative, and I agree

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5/5 Stars

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