Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Dawn, by Octavia E. Butler

22 reviews

mar's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

5.0

cool i will be thinking about this forever

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Confinement, and Colonisation

Moderate: Rape, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Suicidal thoughts

this book is difficult to write concrete content warnings for, but consent is a major theme and the book includes many scenes of violated and questionable consent (not just in reference to sex)

belovedsnail's review against another edition

adventurous challenging fast-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

Fascinating and  compelling. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Sexual content, and Violence

tigerbalmbby's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Body horror, Murder, Xenophobia, Sexual content, and Confinement

elizmckinney9's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping

Moderate: Murder, Violence, and Xenophobia

whirling_words's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-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

4.0

Dark and challenging read, challenges you to think more critically about the trope of aliens coming in to save the world and the humans in it. Like all Octavia Butler, a difficult read but overall a great one. 4 out of 5 due to time skip issue and some inconsistencies.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, Rape, Violence, and Gaslighting

blazingquill's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

This is a disturbing read that creates a horrific story about breaches in consent and the abuse of colonization. It asks the question, “what are you able to do when you’re helpless?” then weaves a complex answer considering love, hate, and resistance. It’s a story that could not have come from another author, and I think is an important read. 

That being said, despite its discussion of gender, it maintains a very cis and straight perspective throughout, which effected my reading of the book. There is also a very complex relationship that edges into both abuse and pedophilia that I think was intended to be read as disturbing but I know could be interpreted differently. Heavy content warnings as well for: nonconsensual procedures, noncon relationships, rape, forced sterilization, and sensory deprivation torture.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Colonisation, Death, Confinement, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Rape, Xenophobia, Cancer, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Misogyny, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Murder, Violence, and Cancer

Minor: Genocide, Incest, War, Child death, Car accident, Infertility, and Torture

readingsofaslinky's review against another edition

challenging dark fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Colonisation, Confinement, Murder, Grief, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, War, and Xenophobia

storybookvisitor's review against another edition

adventurous challenging tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Xenophobia, and Rape

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Suicidal thoughts

jiayuanc's review against another edition

dark fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Murder, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Confinement, Cursing, Death, War, and Colonisation

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

alspacedout's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

"[Butler] wasn't writing romance or feel-good novels, she was writing very difficult, brilliant work." 
--
Stunning piece of speculative fiction that I hated reading. Worth it, but it will squick you out. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Murder, Racism, and Rape

The Oankali are a species that either physically and conceptually can't understand consent, or just have no interest in understanding it. If you are triggered by intimate partner violence, coercion, manipulation, this will be a ROUGH read, it was very, very uncomfortable.