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Jenna � ❀ �'s Reviews > Dawn
Dawn (Xenogenesis, #1)
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What does it say about me that I wasn't disturbed by this book???
I began reading with trepidation. A looming fear that I might encounter something so unsettling it would leave me unnerved for days.
I'm a little disappointed that didn't happen. I'm still enamoured with this story though, even if my brain cells are so screwed up that I rarely squirmed or blinked an eye over what I read.
In the beginning, I understood Lilith's fear and loathing. I tried to put myself in her place and feel those things too but my curiosity about the aliens surpassed any feelings of terror. I just wanted to learn more about them, disgusting though they might be with their quivering tentacles and featureless faces. To me, humans are much more frightening in our capacity, and sometimes desire, to harm each other.
I'm not going to say more. I think it's best to go into this one knowing little about it. It is a brilliant and captivating story. Octavia E. Butler had such a dazzling imagination. There are so many layers of meaning entrenched in this, so much to ponder. I'm glad it's a trilogy so I can remain a while longer in this Earth she created, with these glorious, disgusting, intelligent, advanced, and amazing..... beings.
I began reading with trepidation. A looming fear that I might encounter something so unsettling it would leave me unnerved for days.
I'm a little disappointed that didn't happen. I'm still enamoured with this story though, even if my brain cells are so screwed up that I rarely squirmed or blinked an eye over what I read.
In the beginning, I understood Lilith's fear and loathing. I tried to put myself in her place and feel those things too but my curiosity about the aliens surpassed any feelings of terror. I just wanted to learn more about them, disgusting though they might be with their quivering tentacles and featureless faces. To me, humans are much more frightening in our capacity, and sometimes desire, to harm each other.
I'm not going to say more. I think it's best to go into this one knowing little about it. It is a brilliant and captivating story. Octavia E. Butler had such a dazzling imagination. There are so many layers of meaning entrenched in this, so much to ponder. I'm glad it's a trilogy so I can remain a while longer in this Earth she created, with these glorious, disgusting, intelligent, advanced, and amazing..... beings.
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Dawn.
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Reading Progress
April 4, 2021
–
Started Reading
April 4, 2021
– Shelved
April 7, 2021
– Shelved as:
science-fiction
April 7, 2021
–
Finished Reading
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Barbara K
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Apr 07, 2021 06:33AM
To me, humans are much more frightening in our capacity, and sometimes desire, to harm each other. So true!
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Barbara K wrote: "To me, humans are much more frightening in our capacity, and sometimes desire, to harm each other. So true!"Unfortunately, yes. Maybe an alien intervention would do us some good.
If you mention 'dazzling imagination', Jenna, it means this book offers a lot ...
OMG what a brilliant review Jenna, this is not my genre but I love that it stirred your soul.
What a delightfully mysterious review, Jenna. Butler has proven to be a hit or miss author for me. Loved Kindred, but Parable of the Sower, not so much. I’ve read enough to know she had a shockingly dark and twisted imagination, so I can only imagine the kind of wild ride this must have taken you on lol.
Glad you liked it, Jenna, and better that it did not disturb you. I will reread it someday 🙂
I’ve heard a lot about this author’s imaginative writing and the fact that you loved it (even if it didn’t further screw up your brain cells!) ........ are both good incentives. Great review :)
Beata wrote: "If you mention 'dazzling imagination', Jenna, it means this book offers a lot ..."Oh does it ever, Beata! Now I'm on the second book and even more impressed with her imagination!
Tamar...light at the end of the tunnel? wrote: "OMG what a brilliant review Jenna, this is not my genre but I love that it stirred your soul."Thank you, Tamar!
James wrote: "What a delightfully mysterious review, Jenna. Butler has proven to be a hit or miss author for me. Loved Kindred, but Parable of the Sower, not so much. I’ve read enough to know she had a shockingl..."Thank you, James! I haven't read Kindred yet but loved Parable of the Sower (occasionally I am shocked when we have a dissimilarity😃 )
Dark and twisted... yes, this was both. But somehow it was also not all that dark and twisted. It depends on how you look at it. It's hard to say much without giving things away!
Claudia wrote: "Glad you liked it, Jenna, and better that it did not disturb you. I will reread it someday 🙂"Thank you, Claudia. Actually, I loved it! And book two even more! Maybe because i was expecting to be disturbed, I wasn't? There was just the tiniest bit of ick factor when Lilith first saw Jdahya but I thought they treated her very well even if they didn't always understand her needs. And I love how it makes us think of how we humans treat other animals. They at least were kind and tried to never cause pain. We humans are far from as good as the Oankali.
I think because I was so mesmerized by them that the "merging" didn't even bother me at all. It seemed a natural development. I'm still much more disturbed by the adult males being attracted to a young girl in Fledgling!
BTW, did you know they're going to do a tv series of this trilogy?! Amazon Studios bought the rights and they have hired a director and screenwriter... that was just before the pandemic hit so I'm not sure how much they've been able to progress, but I'm excited about it!
Richard wrote: "I’ve heard a lot about this author’s imaginative writing and the fact that you loved it (even if it didn’t further screw up your brain cells!) ........ are both good incentives. Great review :)"Thanks, Richard! She had a really incredible and vivid imagination, Richard. Wow. I love when authors can create something so new and different to what we know and experience!
Jenna wrote: "Thank you, Claudia. Actually, I loved it! And book two even more! Maybe because i was expecting to be disturbed, I wasn't? " Could be, you were somewhat prepared; I went in it totally blind, and it hit me like a train 😂 I loved the Oankali also, but I couldn't help put myself in Lilith' shoes, and it was not a pleasant experience in the beginning. 😁Yes, I read about the TV show. I'm really excited about it too!
Claudia wrote: "Could be, you were somewhat prepared; I went in it totally blind, and it hit me like a train 😂"I think knowing a bit about it beforehand definitely helped. I read some other reviews along with yours, some that revealed more. I kinda wish I'd gone into it like you, not knowing what was gonna hit me! 😂
Now I’m wondering whether tentacles and featureless are a good thing or a bad thing!?!
Gotta get my hands on an Octavia Butler novel!
Judith wrote: "Now I’m wondering whether tentacles and featureless are a good thing or a bad thing!?!"Ah, now you gotta read the book to find out, Judith! Or I can tell you -- they're a good thing.... for the most part!
Blair wrote: "Gotta get my hands on an Octavia Butler novel!"I thought her Earthseed series was fantastic too, Blair. Those are more post-apocalyptic dystopia. This series is post-apocalyptic science fiction. Both are incredible if you like character driven stories. There's some action but the characters are what drive the stories.
Here’s what I loved about your review, Jenna, “To me humans are so much more frightening in our capacity, and sometimes desire, to harm each other...�. You are the moral compass for all of us...
Paula wrote: "Here’s what I loved about your review, Jenna, “To me humans are so much more frightening in our capacity, and sometimes desire, to harm each other...�. You are the moral compass for all of us..."Paula, I wonder if there will ever be a time when that isn't true? It seems our moral progress as a whole points upwards so I try to take hope in that. At least we no longer cut off hands of a child who steals a loaf of bread, or let lions maul "criminals" to death, or many other absolutely barbaric things of the past.
We have given some non-human animals some rights. Most of our societies take care of orphans and widows. So as a whole, we are doing better than in the past which must mean that more individuals are doing better, even though we still have such a long way to go. Even if many (most?) people need laws in place to not harm others, at least it's better than it used to be.
But wow do we still have a long way to go!
I’m intrigued Jenna! Brilliant review 🤗
Maureen wrote: "I’m intrigued Jenna! Brilliant review 🤗"Thanks, Maureen!
Great review Jenna! I’ve only read one book by this author so might have to delve into these ones too! She does splendid sci-fi/ apocalyptic stuff
Lucy wrote: "Great review Jenna! I’ve only read one book by this author so might have to delve into these ones too! She does splendid sci-fi/ apocalyptic stuff"Thanks, Lucy! I hope you'll love it if you decide to read it! Your'e right, she does splendid sci-fi and post apocalyptic stuff! I've had these books on my Kindle for a few years and am so glad I'm finally reading them.
Another excellent review Jenna! Butler is on my list of authors to experience in 2021... it might be sooner rather than later
I’ve heard such good things about this author, but haven’t yet read her. Kindred is on my radar. I love this review Jenna! So true that humans are the most frightening of all...:(
Interesting take on this story, Jenna! I have to say that I've never written anything by this author to date.
Kevin wrote: "Another excellent review Jenna! Butler is on my list of authors to experience in 2021... it might be sooner rather than later"Thanks, Kevin! I hope you'll be impressed with her as I usually am. Do you know which of her books you're likely to read?
JanB wrote: "I’ve heard such good things about this author, but haven’t yet read her. Kindred is on my radar. I love this review Jenna! So true that humans are the most frightening of all...:("
I haven't yet read Kindred either, Jan, so we both have it to look forward to :)
Debbie wrote: "Interesting take on this story, Jenna! I have to say that I've never written anything by this author to date."Thanks, Debbie. Her Earthseed books were dystopia, not science fiction, so you might enjoy them.... then again, you just found a Sci-fi you like, so you might enjoy this trilogy too!
Jenna, Parable of the Sower is the only one I own (so far)
Kevin wrote: "Jenna, Parable of the Sower is the only one I own (so far)"That was the first book I read of hers :)
Amazing review, Jenna. I haven't read anything by Octavia Butler yet, but I have heard this much that they're pretty disturbing. Glad it wasn't to you :)
Thank you for this review, Jenna. it was perfect timing for me. I just finished the second Parable book and thought, "I'm liking this author so much, I wonder if I should try another of her books." I'm very excited to get started!
You crack me up that you wanted to be unsettled! Yet you still loved it! Fun review!
Tamoghna wrote: "Amazing review, Jenna. I haven't read anything by Octavia Butler yet, but I have heard this much that they're pretty disturbing. Glad it wasn't to you :)"Thank you, Tamoghna. I can understand why this was so disturbing to a lot of readers, but maybe it was because I was expecting something disturbing, it didn't bother me? Or it might have been that I was so taken with the aliens and how superior they are to us intellectually, technically, and morally that nothing about them could bother me? I don't know but this was a terrific book!
Kathy wrote: "Thank you for this review, Jenna. it was perfect timing for me. I just finished the second Parable book and thought, "I'm liking this author so much, I wonder if I should try another of her books."..."Oh I loved the Parable books too, Kathy! This series is a bit different since there are aliens but the writing is incredible, imaginative, brilliant.... it's more similar to the Parable books than others I've read of hers. I hope you will love them too!
Debbie wrote: "You crack me up that you wanted to be unsettled! Yet you still loved it! Fun review!"Ha, ha! I don't know that I wanted to be disturbed as much as I thought I should be disturbed, if that makes any sense?!
It’s interesting how often the name Lilith surfaces in horror and apocalyptic lit. I had to google it out of curiosity. Apparently Jewish folklore (700 a.d.) had Lilith as Adam’s first wife, she broke off the relationship because she refused to be subservient (first feminist?). “Lilith continues to serve as source material in modern Western culture, literature, occultism, fantasy, and horror.�
Kevin wrote: "It’s interesting how often the name Lilith surfaces in horror and apocalyptic lit. I had to google it out of curiosity. Apparently Jewish folklore (700 a.d.) had Lilith as Adam’s first wife, she br..."Yes, I wondered if Octavia Butler used this name after "the" Lilith, though I haven't noticed it in other books. Or maybe I have and just forgot. I've always loved the idea that Adam had a first wife who was not subservient and did her own thing, despite the fact that neither of them existed. I even named a cat after her :)
