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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
about where the lines of manipulation should be drawn, what makes you a human, when do you have autonomy and is there really any autonomy?
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
A fascinating dive into the speculative future after humanity has destroyed itself and aliens sift through the rubble. What does it mean to be human, and how far can one go to blur the lines while retaining that humanity? How easy is it for humans to degrade to their baser natures? And is someone really doing what's best for you if they insist on doing it to the point of not accepting refusal? The only reason I removed half a star was due to the extremely uncomfortable gaslighting and sexual coercion between Nikolaj, Lillith, and her partner. Everything else really made me ponder, and Octavia Butler is masterful with her prose.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Gaslighting
Moderate: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence
Minor: Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, War
Astonishing. I don't read a lot of science fiction and I've never read any Butler before, but I was immensely impressed by the first part of the Xenogenesis trilogy. There is not a single science fiction cliché to be found here, at least not as far as I can tell. It is supremely fresh and unique, highly intelligent, sensitive and insightful. And very readable.
It's fascinating to read about the Oankali, their physicality and how Lilith learns to read it, as well as the way they live together, the structure of their society through their three genders (and how relevant to our current times the human response to the ooloi!). But it is equally fascinating and actually terrifying to read about the adaptation of humans to the reality of extraterrestrials. What makes Butler's writing so powerful is the fact that it is utterly believable, I think this is exactly how humans would react to the strangeness of the Oankali; their violent suspicion of the aliens and Lilith seems very realistic to me. Lilith is a great character as well, it is wonderful to read her development; how even though she cannot let go of the idea that she needs to escape the clutches of the Oankali, she grows closer and closer to Nikanj and her Oankali family to the point where she simply accepts everything they do, recognises the beauty of it and accepts her place among them.
I've definitely not had enough, I'm moving straight on to Adulthood Rites, the second book. I do think these books could do with a nice update to their cover art, I own an omnibus edition whose cover doesn't do justice to the story.
It's fascinating to read about the Oankali, their physicality and how Lilith learns to read it, as well as the way they live together, the structure of their society through their three genders (and how relevant to our current times the human response to the ooloi!). But it is equally fascinating and actually terrifying to read about the adaptation of humans to the reality of extraterrestrials. What makes Butler's writing so powerful is the fact that it is utterly believable, I think this is exactly how humans would react to the strangeness of the Oankali; their violent suspicion of the aliens and Lilith seems very realistic to me. Lilith is a great character as well, it is wonderful to read her development; how even though she cannot let go of the idea that she needs to escape the clutches of the Oankali, she grows closer and closer to Nikanj and her Oankali family to the point where she simply accepts everything they do, recognises the beauty of it and accepts her place among them.
I've definitely not had enough, I'm moving straight on to Adulthood Rites, the second book. I do think these books could do with a nice update to their cover art, I own an omnibus edition whose cover doesn't do justice to the story.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Absolutely nothing could have prepared me for anything that had happened in this book.
Okay, so the human race has almost been wiped out (or so they say) by humans themselves because of the war, and this alien species has, oh, so graciously, taken care of the remaining humans at the cost of mixing their DNA with humans to create a better version of both species. Sounds pretty weird already, right? Well, it gets weirder!
There's just something so harrowing....so haunting...about every single moment of this book. Our main character, Lilith, knows nothing except for what the Oankali have told her. It was quite unsettling. Though, I still found it so compelling. The book just thrusts you into an arena of confusing morals and values...of what it means to be human or if being human is even something worth protecting given all the horrible things they've done. But the alternative—accepting the Oankali—is it any better?
Oh my goodness...this book changed the chemical compositions in my brain. It has such a unique concept, and I'm so excited to get to the next few books in the trilogy.
Okay, so the human race has almost been wiped out (or so they say) by humans themselves because of the war, and this alien species has, oh, so graciously, taken care of the remaining humans at the cost of mixing their DNA with humans to create a better version of both species. Sounds pretty weird already, right? Well, it gets weirder!
There's just something so harrowing....so haunting...about every single moment of this book. Our main character, Lilith, knows nothing except for what the Oankali have told her. It was quite unsettling. Though, I still found it so compelling. The book just thrusts you into an arena of confusing morals and values...of what it means to be human or if being human is even something worth protecting given all the horrible things they've done. But the alternative—accepting the Oankali—is it any better?
Oh my goodness...this book changed the chemical compositions in my brain. It has such a unique concept, and I'm so excited to get to the next few books in the trilogy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Xenophobia
Minor: War
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was utterly phenomenal. I hated every moment of it.
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Colonisation
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A deeply distressing and illuminating portrayal of humanity. Dawn is as much a text rife with philosophical questions about the nature of humanity as it is a fictional story.