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A review by justinlife
Adulthood Rites by Octavia E. Butler
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
Octavia Butler's second in the Xeongenesis/Lilith's Brood series does not disappoint. The series itself, about humanity's last hope for survival is to join with the alien species that rescues it, continues to show humanity at its best and worst. Great sci-fi/speculative fiction uses the genre to explore modern issues. Here Butler succeeds. What's even better, she doesn't choose sides. Well, not really. People who resist the aliens and those who join them are both shown in as compassionate a way as possible. We are merely spectators in their struggle. We don't get to decide, we get to watch.
The people she gives compassion to are people I wouldn't think deserve it. As the resistors continue to live long lives, they increasingly become violent against each other and the aliens, kidnapping their children, other resistor villages' women and supplies. The story follows Akin, Lilith's human born son, as he tries to find a solution for them. These people aren't painted as monsters for the most part. Some are, but the majority of the people who want to stay human and be human and do cruel things are given more layers and are more complex than I expected.
Overall, the writing is wonderful. It flows and makes sense. Whether we can see what happens coming or not, it's fun to live in the prose. What's hard is the view that having children is what keeps humans going and give them purpose. Like I get it, but it would have been interesting to see some of the resistor villages explore creativity, plays, music, etc. Would that have changed? If humans who resist the alien assistance aren't able to reproduce, what life would people make? What would society be without kids, in general? Are humans designed to self-destruct?
All great things here to explore. Other topics for future justin to think about: Gender spectrum with the Oankali; polyamorous relationships only in the construct/alien culture; Does it matter that some form of humanity would continue? How would queer people fair in this world?
Looking forward to finishing this series and seeing where Ms. Butler takes it.
The people she gives compassion to are people I wouldn't think deserve it. As the resistors continue to live long lives, they increasingly become violent against each other and the aliens, kidnapping their children, other resistor villages' women and supplies. The story follows Akin, Lilith's human born son, as he tries to find a solution for them. These people aren't painted as monsters for the most part. Some are, but the majority of the people who want to stay human and be human and do cruel things are given more layers and are more complex than I expected.
Overall, the writing is wonderful. It flows and makes sense. Whether we can see what happens coming or not, it's fun to live in the prose. What's hard is the view that having children is what keeps humans going and give them purpose. Like I get it, but it would have been interesting to see some of the resistor villages explore creativity, plays, music, etc. Would that have changed? If humans who resist the alien assistance aren't able to reproduce, what life would people make? What would society be without kids, in general? Are humans designed to self-destruct?
All great things here to explore. Other topics for future justin to think about: Gender spectrum with the Oankali; polyamorous relationships only in the construct/alien culture; Does it matter that some form of humanity would continue? How would queer people fair in this world?
Looking forward to finishing this series and seeing where Ms. Butler takes it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Gun violence, Misogyny, and Infertility
Minor: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Violence, and War