A review by alexray
Lilith's Brood by Octavia E. Butler

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Absolutely insanely good. Scifi masterpiece for sure. wow. I haven't felt this spellbound by a book in ages. Will have to clean up this review later. 

  • flawless worldbuilding. incredible depiction of alien biology. so very cool to have aliens that interact with the world on a cellular level and treasure and merge with new life 
  • superb commentary on sex, gender, patriarchy and misogyny, race and xenophobia, pride, group psychology, the effects of social conditioning, accepting or trying to deny nature and desire. 
  • Butler hit the nail on the head with the inherent struggle in humanity's nature and genes as an intelligent but hierarchical species. 
  • all 3 main characters had extremely compelling stories, each of their lives examining a critical turning point of the alien Oankalis changing of humanity. Lillith and her children a thread going from the first succesful contact and species crossing, to the integration growing pains and road bumps, to the beginning of the true total integration of both species into a new final form.
  • all characters very well developed as individuals.  
  • ultimately hopeful, but pulls no punches in how horrible humanity can be.
  • ample amounts of great gnarly body and existential horror 
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