Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Dawn by Octavia E. Butler

37 reviews

mfrank's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.0

Wow, this was a tough book to read. I really loved it, but didn't expect anything that happened in it at the same time. It was an amazing exploration of what it means to be human and what defines humanity. I do want to forewarn anyone getting into this book that there is a lot of references to sexual assault. I wouldn't say it's graphic(I've definitely read worse), but even knowing the dark themes of the book I wasn't expecting it to be quite so frequent. It's kind of funny that there seems to be this thread of hope throughout the book that humans aren't bad and that the Oankali are destroying humanity, meanwhile there is very little that makes you want to defend the greater population of humans shown throughout the book, which could very well be the point.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence

Minor: Sexism and Racism

mar's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? It's complicated

5.0

cool i will be thinking about this forever

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Confinement, and Colonisation

Moderate: Rape, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Suicidal thoughts

this book is difficult to write concrete content warnings for, but consent is a major theme and the book includes many scenes of violated and questionable consent (not just in reference to sex)

whirling_words's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

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.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, Rape, Violence, and Gaslighting

blazingquill's review against another edition

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.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Colonisation, Death, Confinement, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Rape, Xenophobia, Cancer, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Misogyny, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Murder, Violence, and Cancer

Minor: Genocide, Incest, War, Child death, Car accident, Infertility, and Torture

sup3r_xn0va_maya's review against another edition

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

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.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5/5 Stars

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Death, Confinement, and Genocide

Moderate: Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, War, Rape, Xenophobia, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Minor: Cancer and Homophobia

taroroot's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

i don't normally read sci-fi so this was an interesting departure from my usual reading. i think the world and the aliens Butler created were absolutely fascinating. i wish we as readers could understand more about the Oankali's physiology as well as how they communicate amongst each other. i dislike the way consent was portrayed in this novel which made me absolutely hate the ending. "you told me 'no' but your body told me you were ready" is not proper consent.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Rape, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Violence

Minor: Homophobia and Racism

sunbathingturtle's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

*Note that this isn’t the actual edition I read but I want to record that I finished the book so dropping the review here rather than in the trilogy edition I had to return.*

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence and Sexual assault

gcarlson94's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense 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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence

nicolewhopickedthisbook's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

Definitely an epic Scifi post apocalyptic adventure. Lilith is really stuck between a rock and a hard place when she wakes up to find out she’s basically been kidnapped by aliens (they say rescued) after Earth was wiped out. These aliens have a strange amount of control over Lilith and eventually other humans you meet, but everything is done their way and on their time and Lilith has to either fall in line or go back to sleep. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Confinement, and Kidnapping

There’s a scene where a group of humans are drugged before meeting the aliens and then sexual stuff happens

mizelse's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Body horror, Confinement, Grief, Murder, Xenophobia, Genocide, Abandonment, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death

Minor: Cancer, Car accident, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Cursing, and Infertility