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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
Wow! Once again, Butler amazes me. The second book, follows Akin, a human-Oankali hybrid the son of Lilith as he struggles to understand both his identities and his role in a divided world. As Akin grows, he observes humanity from both the inside and the outside, questioning what it truly means to be human.
Butler masterfully explores themes of hierarchy, self-destruction, gender, and bias, challenging readers to confront uncomfortable truths. Reading this book made me reflect deeply on humanity and our future, as the “human contradiction” Butler describes—our intelligence paired with our drive for destruction—continues to unfold in real life. It’s unsettling, brilliant, and thought-provoking. I can't wait to see how the trilogy concludes.
Butler masterfully explores themes of hierarchy, self-destruction, gender, and bias, challenging readers to confront uncomfortable truths. Reading this book made me reflect deeply on humanity and our future, as the “human contradiction” Butler describes—our intelligence paired with our drive for destruction—continues to unfold in real life. It’s unsettling, brilliant, and thought-provoking. I can't wait to see how the trilogy concludes.
madam Butler does it again!!! I could literally write a dissertation on this series so far holy shit I have so many thoughts and they are going so fast. still love Lilith's character, and I do like akin (tho I have THOUGHTS). excited to read the next book
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
my least favorite of the trilogy. sets everything up for book 3 but didnt feel connected.
unsurprisingly completely addicted; need to know why akin believes humans can find a different way to work with their Contradiction (intelligence + hierarchy); fascinated by oankali forms of attachment; fascinated by octavia butler's decisions around gender in this world JUST FASCINATED OKAY will probably read book #3 within 24 hours.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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:
No
This book was a good followup to the first book of the series, Dawn. It continues to tackle the sociological complexities of a colonial situation in a science fiction setting. I took a huge break from this series after reading the first book because it was so difficult to stomach the way Lilith and the others were treated. I found this book a little lighter, or at least less dark and grim.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Ohhhh this is a much more likeable, immersive story. 'DAWN' was repellent for the benevolent genocides and mind-rapes of the Oankali, but this second book's treatment of the themes really let me read into more layered implications of such species alterations