Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler

36 reviews

tawallah's review

challenging dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

This is a type of creation myth where an amoral being, Doro, finds his “Eve” in 17th Century Africa. With the background setting of the slave trading, essentially this is the beginning of a story of an immortal being   Doro is seeking to create special powers among his seed.  But Anyawu, Sun Woman is anything but tractable. She is a shapeshifter and healer. She is his equal and only possible companion.  He wants absolute dominion and obedience as he fulfills his dream. 

Butler tackles her constant themes in this series. Here, eugenics, power dynamics and gender clash.  Slavery is forever the undercurrent in her books. But it is unclear from this entry, the true purpose of Doro dream. He has no ability to predict the future, his arrogance and pride makes him slow to gain wisdom. Anyawu is the stereotypical woman - healer and builder of family. She is determined to be free and yet submits repeatedly to Doro. Often, reminding me of a woman suffering from abuse. But I fail to comprehend the purpose of this story. It is dark, repulsive and has moments of sublime irony.  But its purpose - remains elusive. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Racial slurs, Rape, Slavery, Suicide, and Violence

Moderate: Child death, Forced institutionalization, and Colonisation

arkiwi88's review

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, and Colonisation

dahliapyne's review

4.0

Would not recommend for kids/teens because of many problematic/disturbing behaviors from a main character, but I really enjoyed it! It was an intriguing plot, interesting characters, and had a mostly satisfying ending. I loved seeing characters grapple not only with  fantastical elements but also the side effects of those! Very thought-provoking!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Slavery, Toxic relationship, and Colonisation

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Suicide, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Pedophilia, Rape, and Murder

kenrya's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I love the writing, but I hate one of the main characters. I am eager to finish this series and move on to a new world. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

bilal_shumuus's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, and Colonisation

Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual content, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, and War

brynalexa's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Trafficking

jalexpulliamkepler's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

complex but lacked the tension to be truly engaging. It honestly feels like the prologue of a different story (which it kinda is)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Colonisation

Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Blood, Abandonment, and Classism

Minor: Homophobia, Transphobia, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

caitgreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Grief, Murder, and Colonisation

catsbreadbikes's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

What can i say about this book that hasn't been said by people way more qualified than me? Octavia Butler simply doesn't miss. Read all of her books. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, and Colonisation

Moderate: Incest and Pedophilia

Minor: Rape and Pregnancy

therainbowshelf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

Anyanwu and Doro are powerful, immortal, godlike beings who may or may not be human. What a wild, up and down ride with a slow burn satisfying (?) payoff. It was a lot of fun seeing the ways that Anyanwu challenged Doro, and I loved the insight we got into her body-focused powers (which reminded me of the Ooloi from Butler’s Xenogenesis saga). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Colonisation