A review by speculativebecky
Lilith's Brood by Octavia E. Butler
5.0
Lilith’s Brood is a fitting title for the collection, as Dawn is the story of the relationship between a human woman named Lilith and a race of aliens called the Oankali, who travel the stars in search of other life forms to “trade” genes with, and the following novels tell the stories of Lilith’s children. The way these stories unfold is too good to spoil, so I won’t say anything more about the premise or plot.
I read Dawn back in July with a great group of sci-fi fans and I thought it was absolutely stunning. I loved the slow unfolding of Lilith’s circumstances, the worldbuilding of the Oankali race, and the strained central conflict Lilith faces between accepting or rejecting the future the Oankali seek. Months later it was a treat to finally return to Butler’s world here, and to see the unpredictable and gorgeous ways this story grows and changes. A fantastic read for anyone interested in pondering the big questions of what it means to be human.
Cw for violence, death, and rape.
I read Dawn back in July with a great group of sci-fi fans and I thought it was absolutely stunning. I loved the slow unfolding of Lilith’s circumstances, the worldbuilding of the Oankali race, and the strained central conflict Lilith faces between accepting or rejecting the future the Oankali seek. Months later it was a treat to finally return to Butler’s world here, and to see the unpredictable and gorgeous ways this story grows and changes. A fantastic read for anyone interested in pondering the big questions of what it means to be human.
Cw for violence, death, and rape.