Dawn (Xenogenesis, #1)
Octavia E. Butler
One woman is called upon to rebuild the future of humankind after a nuclear war, in this revelatory post-apocalyptic tale from the award-winning author of Parable of the Sower. When Lilith lyapo wakes from a centuries-long sleep, she finds herself aboard the vast spaceship of the Oankali. She discovers that the Oankali—a seemingly benevolent alien race—intervened in the fate of the humanity hundreds of years ago, saving everyone who survived a nuclear war from a dying, ruined Earth and then putting them into a deep sleep. After learning all they could about Earth and its beings, the Oankali healed the planet, cured cancer, increased human strength, and they now want Lilith to lead her people back to Earth—but salvation comes at a price. Hopeful and thought-provoking, this post-apocalyptic narrative deftly explores gender and race through the eyes of characters struggling to adapt during a pivotal time of crisis and change.
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DNF (for now) at 21%
Is odd, is very unsettling, I was doing as a buddy read but never wanted to pick the book up. When I finally did try again, I couldn't remember enough of what had been said in part 1 and felt I was fumbling. If I try again in the future I won't take a month+ off at 16%.
0Definitely one of the most enthralling sci fi books I’ve read recently! I think it’s because our knowledge about the book’s world is revealed in strategic piecework as Lilith receives it, rather than in large chunks of exposition. We don’t receive the full truth of the Oankali’s intentions until the very end of the book.
While I always find sci fi world building super fun, I think the most interesting part of the book was Lilith’s relationship with the Oankali. As I was reading, I found myself siding with the aliens over the humans! Since we’re reading through Lilith’s eyes, the Oankali become familiar to us as they to do to her. I felt disappointed and disgusted in the other humans for not being able to trust Lilith and see things in the long term. I wanted them to be cooperative! I was hoping the story would go in the direction of the humans being able to form a functioning society and head to Earth for a cool adventure! But the results were much more disastrous than that.
It’s interesting how easy to forget it was that Lilith was a captive, she was working alongside the Oankali essentially because she had no choice. It seems like she herself forgets this as she goes comfortable and even content among the Oankali. Her impregnation by Nikankj at the end reminds us of this as it’s the only thing she was truly afraid of and did not want - yet it happened anyways. I think it serves to remind the reader that even if Lilith was able to form a bond with the Oankali, to be happy and content in her new life, she’s still a slave the same as the other humans were. She will never be equal. The Oankali must fulfill their perhaps even if she disagrees with it. And yet she was rather easily coerced into doing the Oankali’s biding, even siding with them against her fellow humans.
Still you can’t really blame her for this. The book shows a very dark view of humanity - the near rapes of Allison and Lilith, and Joseph’s murder come to mind. The Oankali may be holding Lilith captive but it’s seen as something essential and unavoidable like breathing. In contrast, the outbursts of the humans are feral and non sensical. I feel so bad for Lilith. I can totally understand her desire to just get to Earth and survive off the land. It doesn’t seem that either group is able to respect her wishes.
I’m very excited to read the next book!!
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