A review by tyrshand
A Handful of Earth, a Handful of Sky: The World of Octavia Butler by Lynell George

5.0

I absolutely adored this and need to get my hands on a physical copy, since it sounds like there's a huge visual element I missed by listening to this instead. However, the narrator was excellent. You know how some narrators not only have a great voice and perform well, but also have this extra something that shows they're really working with the words? Like, I don't know exactly how to describe it, but to me it's what takes an audiobook from a good listen to a great one. For instance, there are some repetitive elements to the book, particularly when it comes to the lists that Butler kept. The narrator is able to make these fascinating, making them feel like updates or growth. And though this is a biography, both the writing and the narrator make this feel almost like a novel.

Anyhow, even if you aren't interested in Octavia E. Butler (though, why wouldn't you be? Her writing was amazing!) there are so many other reasons to be drawn to this book. The writer's journey. The history of science fiction. The struggles of being Black and female on the path to success. Or learning to accept who you are, no matter how others see you, and finding the strength in the pieces of yourself. Plus there is a ton of love for libraries in here, so I've got to adore that.