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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
Unpopular opinion, but I could not get into this book. I only finished it because it was the book of the month for my book club, otherwise I would have abandoned it after about 20 pages. It was trying to be sci-fine and historical fiction at the save time and that didn't work for me. I wish HATED Doro!! Not worth it for me!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is the first of Octavia Butler’s books that I’ve read. I never thought I’d be into this genre, but Butler’s story telling ability is outstanding. The historical accuracy mixed in with fantasy/mythical narratives was truly captivating. Her work will force you to open your mind to ideas you’d previously dismissed as impossible or unrealistic. She will make you believe in the possibility of concepts more complex than our finite understanding of this world. I cannot wait to read more of her work.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
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:
Yes
I was engaged the entire time. My third Butler book after devouring the Earth seed series a few years ago. I'm very excited to get into the Patternist series and see where things go from here.
Doro seems to be a thinly veiled portrait of an abuser, yet Butler makes you feel empathy for him throughout the story. Showing things from his perspective beyond the first chapter really threw me off guard, but I enjoyed the development he experienced in reforming his ways in order to keep the only person who understood him alive and in his life.
Doro seems to be a thinly veiled portrait of an abuser, yet Butler makes you feel empathy for him throughout the story. Showing things from his perspective beyond the first chapter really threw me off guard, but I enjoyed the development he experienced in reforming his ways in order to keep the only person who understood him alive and in his life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting
this book was a bit slow, but i didn't mind. so incredibly captivating and ahhh the amount of frustration i felt in some parts
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Patternmaster is an interesting series in that the publication order differs wildly from the chronological one. I decided to approach it from the chronological order, and read Wild Seed first, though it was published second to last in the series.
Firstly - it doesn't read like a prequel. It's rich and strange, characters of Doro and Anyanwu feel real and fleshed out. Their dynamic is interesting and infuriating, push and pull of Doro's inhumanity and Anyanwu's warmth. Being on of the later novels in the series it also benefits from Butler's more mature, character driven writing style and leaves the mechanics of the world for the reader to fill in. It's an interesting book that stands on it's own and feels complete - of course the reader wants to know what happens next, but the story of Dora and Anyanwu feel whole too.
Themes: slavery (the actual and fictional), race, community
Firstly - it doesn't read like a prequel. It's rich and strange, characters of Doro and Anyanwu feel real and fleshed out. Their dynamic is interesting and infuriating, push and pull of Doro's inhumanity and Anyanwu's warmth. Being on of the later novels in the series it also benefits from Butler's more mature, character driven writing style and leaves the mechanics of the world for the reader to fill in. It's an interesting book that stands on it's own and feels complete - of course the reader wants to know what happens next, but the story of Dora and Anyanwu feel whole too.
Themes: slavery (the actual and fictional), race, community
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
This isn’t my favorite of hers but yet again a very interesting look into what defines humanity and what community can look like