I love Octavia Butler's work so much! What a great review, laying out the nuanced ways this book is genius. Those things are why I (foolishly) tried to get my social-justice-loving but SF-disliking friend to try some SF by reading this book (it didn't work out, but I tried). Butler's books overall tend to be quite serious and heavy, but I didn't notice this until a friend of mine commented on it. Yet I still enjoy her books profoundly. Maybe because Butler wades into some of the very hardest stuff in life, but there is always determination and fighting for better, or even, for hope and justice.
This year I read The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr and also watched the remake of the !970's series Roots from 2016 enjoying both experiences despite the harrowing nature of the material. Add to this my viewing of the series The Good Lord Bird and the series Bass Reeves I think I maxed out on the slavery issue...
I love this book almost completely: the one aspect which bothered me is that the main character uses the R word (as in, I’m not a re***d, etc. ) As the parent of a Special Needs child it bothered me; and it also bothered me because we are meant to see the injustice of racism in living history and time travel- yet here is the protagonist herself being ableist, committing the same microaggressions against a group of people different from herself. Yes, one must view the story through the lens of 1979 or whatever year it was, but it was one isolated disturbing moment in an otherwise brilliant and memorable and original book.
You do realize this was in the early 70s before the world was educated in using this word. What I find interesting is that using the N word was not mentioned in your post, which has always been offensive.
@@Aisis Read my response over, again. I mention the racism, (which includes racist language such as the N word, and yes, of course that’s unacceptable). And I do mention that it’s the’70’s. I loved the book. I was just surprised by that one slip.
![Classic Book Adaptations I Want To Watch In 2024 [CC]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZI2uacUK6yo/mqdefault.jpg)
![Classic Book Adaptations I Want To Watch In 2024 [CC]](/img/tr.png)
![There's No Justice, There's Just Him | Mort by Terry Pratchett | Book Review [CC]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/hDmwZ2iRhSs/mqdefault.jpg)
I read this early this year. It’s a great book - fast paced and engaging. Great review.
I have been loving this series of reviews!
Wish I’d found your channel sooner. Really curious about this novel now. Thank you 🙏
I love Octavia Butler's work so much! What a great review, laying out the nuanced ways this book is genius. Those things are why I (foolishly) tried to get my social-justice-loving but SF-disliking friend to try some SF by reading this book (it didn't work out, but I tried).
Butler's books overall tend to be quite serious and heavy, but I didn't notice this until a friend of mine commented on it. Yet I still enjoy her books profoundly. Maybe because Butler wades into some of the very hardest stuff in life, but there is always determination and fighting for better, or even, for hope and justice.
You're absolutely right, she takes on heavy matter in her books but makes them still such pageturners. Just fantastic writing.
This year I read The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr and also watched the remake of the !970's series Roots from 2016 enjoying both experiences despite the harrowing nature of the material. Add to this my viewing of the series The Good Lord Bird and the series Bass Reeves I think I maxed out on the slavery issue...
I love this book almost completely: the one aspect which bothered me is that the main character uses the R word (as in, I’m not a re***d, etc. ) As the parent of a Special Needs child it bothered me; and it also bothered me because we are meant to see the injustice of racism in living history and time travel- yet here is the protagonist herself being ableist, committing the same microaggressions against a group of people different from herself. Yes, one must view the story through the lens of 1979 or whatever year it was, but it was one isolated disturbing moment in an otherwise brilliant and memorable and original book.
You do realize this was in the early 70s before the world was educated in using this word. What I find interesting is that using the N word was not mentioned in your post, which has always been offensive.
@@Aisis Read my response over, again. I mention the racism, (which includes racist language such as the N word, and yes, of course that’s unacceptable). And I do mention that it’s the’70’s. I loved the book. I was just surprised by that one slip.