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Reviews tagging 'Body horror'
Bloodchild and other Stories by Octavia E. Butler, Octavia E. Butler
30 reviews
holasisoymaca's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
¿De qué les sirve cualquier forma de literatura a las personas negras?
¿De qué le sirve la reflexión sobre el presente, el futuro y el pasado que ofrece la ciencia ficción? ¿De qué sirve su tendencia a advertir de peligros o a considerar formas alternativas de pensar y hacer? ¿De qué sirve su análisis de los posibles efectos de la ciencia y la tecnología, o de la organización social y la dirección política? Los mejores ejemplos de ciencia ficción estimulan la imaginación y la creatividad. Saca a lectores y escritores del camino trillado, de la estrecha senda de lo que «todo el mundo» dice, hace, piensa, sea quien resulte ser «todo el mundo» ese año.
¿Y de qué es sirve todo esto a las personas negras?"
Hombres embarazados, enfermedades extrañas y alienígenas dominando el planeta son algunos de los temas centrales de esta colección de relatos, con un mundo violento y desesperanzador que se derrumba de fondo.
Es la primera vez que leo a Octavia y me maravilló su forma de escribir tan sencilla pero tan potente a la vez, donde utiliza la ficción para reflexionar sobre el racismo, las clases sociales, los sueños, la ciencia, y fundamentalmente, el antropocentrismo, que atraviesa fuertemente todos los relatos. ¿Es la historia humana la única digna de ser contada? ¿Es el humano el único objeto de estudio, el único protagonista de este vasto universo?
Algo que quiero resaltar respecto de esta edición de la editorial Consonni (pues desconozco si está presente en otras) son los epílogos incluídos luego de los relatos, donde tenemos una explicación más personal de la autora sobre cómo nacieron esas historias y/o las temáticas que quería reflejar al escribirlas.
Los cuentos que más me gustaron fueron "Hija de sangre" (aunque debo admitir que me dió bastante impresión), "Sonidos del habla", "Amnistía", y mi favorito por lejos, "El libro de Martha".
Por otra parte, en los ensayos que contiene el libro se hace dos preguntas: en primer lugar, si podrá vivir de sus escritos, y en segundo lugar (y sobre todo), si podrá vivir de sus escritos siendo una mujer negra, en un mundo donde sólo los hombres blancos triunfan haciendo ciencia ficción.
Tanto sus cuentos como sus ensayos hablan sobre la desigualdad de ese mundo tan gris y hostil; pero también nos muestran esa esperanza, esa luz al final del túnel, ese poder que tenemos de revolucionar el mundo desde nuestro lugar, que a veces parece tan minúsculo pero es tan necesario.
Desde el amor y desde los sueños se pueden hacer muchas cosas. Queda en nosotrxs descubrir qué.
Graphic: Body horror and Violence
krisheiney's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Violence and Body horror
Moderate: Racism and Incest
growintogardens's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Gore, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual content, Medical trauma, War, Grief, Misogyny, Torture, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Incest, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Slavery, Body horror, Confinement, and Medical content
Minor: Death of parent, Child death, Drug use, and Racial slurs
I'm probably forgetting stuff- there's a lot of triggers.quarkie's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.75
The overarching theme seemed to be "take a societal rule or norm, break it, and then tell a very human and empathic story about those who are involved." In this collection, Butler picked a few very heavy topics such as forced pregnancy, genetic disease, incest, paranoia and delusion, government interrogation, and utopia. But in all cases, she shines such a human light on these challenging topics, and presents you with such different perspectives. I also love that she gives a brief afterward for every story, giving you a glimpse into her thought process or the inspiration for the story.
Really, the only reason I took off a fraction of a star is because sometimes the topics are quite heavy, making them difficult to read.
The two essays that she includes are incredibly compelling. She says that the best part of her is her fiction, but the contents of her essays had me in tears. They contain so much wisdom not just for writers, but for everyone pursuing a path that is difficult.
There were a few quotes that I liked so much that I am considering buying the book, just so I can look back on them:
"If you hard enough at something that doesn't matter, you can forget for a while about the things that do."
"Decide what you want. Aim high. Go for it."
"Make a habit of doing your best."
"If the idea of doing this scares you, fine. Go ahead and be afraid."
"It's amazing what we can do if we simply refuse to give up. I suspect that this is the most important thing I've said in all my interviews and talks as well as in this book. It's a truth that applies to more than writing. It applies to anything that is important, but difficult, important, but frightening. We're all capable of climbing so much higher than we usually permit ourselves to suppose. The word, again, is "persist"!"
Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Terminal illness, and Body horror
Moderate: Incest
nica_chan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
essendo questo libro una raccolta di racconti, ho avuto l’onore di vedere butler brillare in più storie diverse, e alcune che hanno colpita più di altre; in particolare le mie preferite sono state “la sera, il giorno e la notte”, “fonemi” e “il libro di martha”.
scoprire la prima scrittrice donna Nera del genere fantascientifico alla mia età di 24 anni per me è una rivelazione. in 200 pagine, butler mi ha insegnato che non bisogna essere maschi bianchi per immaginarsi mondi fantastici, utopie o alieni arrivati sulla terra (anche se è ciò che sembra dal mondo della fantascienza mainstream).
grazie octavia, non vedo l’ora di leggere anche i tuoi romanzi, tra cui “legami di sangue” e “la parabola del seminatore”.
ps: la fantascienza non è il mio genere, ma la penna, bravura e dedizione di butler rende piacevole ogni suo scritto
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Body horror, Child abuse, Torture, Incest, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Abortion and Rape
readingbrb's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Rape, Confinement, and Self harm
Minor: Miscarriage, Death, and Gore
jakobvongunten's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Suicide, Confinement, Medical trauma, and Gore
Moderate: Incest, Ableism, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, and Body horror
lycheejelly's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Death of parent, Gun violence, Addiction, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Suicidal thoughts, War, Body horror, Confinement, Torture, Death, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Grief, Toxic friendship, Suicide, and Terminal illness
Minor: Cancer, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Infertility, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Ableism, Incest, Abortion, Addiction, Bullying, Classism, Alcoholism, Cannibalism, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Xenophobia, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Racism
doctorw0rm's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Medical trauma, Body horror, Chronic illness, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Incest, and Gun violence
Minor: Drug use
allymute's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Violence and Body horror
Minor: Incest