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A review by mkmcelroy
Dawn by Octavia E. Butler
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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
5.0
This book was one of my first forays into the sci-fi genre and I don’t think I could have picked a better book for it. Butler’s means of describing the psyche and thought process of her main character is incredibly compelling and engrossing. She could have chosen to tell any story with Lilith and I would have loved it.
The story she did choose to tell was one I wasn’t initially excited for but I was drawn in despite my usual preferences. The premise allows the reader to seamlessly begin asking themselves “what would I do if this were me?”. It feels almost as if you are problem-solving with Lilith in this hopeless situation. Part of what propelled me through the story was the curiosity of discovering for myself what other options there were rather than what Lilith would do next. It’s an important distinction that made this an even more engaging and active reading experience.
I was so caught up in that aspect of the book that the themes of consent almost snuck up on me in the second half. It was an incredibly fun choice to transition Lilith from being surrounded by only Oankali to almost all humans. It really re-contextualized the hypocrisy of the Oankali, the illusion of choice they present. Bringing Lilith back to a more human social setting seemed to remind both her and the reader exactly how misleading, controlling, and deceptive the Oankali are without telling a lie. Some of the choices Butler made, especially how the ooloi almost “collar” their humans with a sensory arm, really drove that point home in a particularly disturbing way.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone even the slightest bit interested in sci-fi as well as anyone whose interest in inter-character relationships can propel them through a book.
The story she did choose to tell was one I wasn’t initially excited for but I was drawn in despite my usual preferences. The premise allows the reader to seamlessly begin asking themselves “what would I do if this were me?”. It feels almost as if you are problem-solving with Lilith in this hopeless situation. Part of what propelled me through the story was the curiosity of discovering for myself what other options there were rather than what Lilith would do next. It’s an important distinction that made this an even more engaging and active reading experience.
I was so caught up in that aspect of the book that the themes of consent almost snuck up on me in the second half. It was an incredibly fun choice to transition Lilith from being surrounded by only Oankali to almost all humans. It really re-contextualized the hypocrisy of the Oankali, the illusion of choice they present. Bringing Lilith back to a more human social setting seemed to remind both her and the reader exactly how misleading, controlling, and deceptive the Oankali are without telling a lie. Some of the choices Butler made, especially how the ooloi almost “collar” their humans with a sensory arm, really drove that point home in a particularly disturbing way.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone even the slightest bit interested in sci-fi as well as anyone whose interest in inter-character relationships can propel them through a book.