A review by buddychumpalfriend
Dawn by Octavia E. Butler

mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.5

Honestly intrigued by the lack of queer characters. Ignoring when it was written and thinking only in a world building sense it has interesting implications. A same sex couple would not have been able to “trade”, so are queer people kept in the suspended animation, never to be woken? And yet while unable to trade, queer relationships and identities parallel much better to the setup their alien society has. Also wow the tone of this book shifts crazily. I know the second half wasn’t only human x alien threesomes but fuck it felt like it.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape

There are multiple unsuccessful rape attempts between humans, and also rape between aliens and humans. Despite no fade to black for the rape, it still isn’t graphic, as how the aliens have sex is extremely different