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Avg: 3.6 rounded up to a 4. 

This book continues to make me question what gives us the right to decide what is best for others when we simply do not know. The Oankali do this for humans and they continue to be wrong. It makes me wonder what we as humans continue to be wrong about. 

I think this book took something away from what I liked in the first book of this series. The first book ends in such a hopeless way that it really sticks with you. And in the start of this new book the hope has returned. I hate to say it, but I almost wish it hadn’t returned! I think part of what made the first book so impactful was that it left you feeling SO hopeless. 

The world building was still really well done and I liked the continuation of some of the characters though I wish we had more from Lilith - the main character in Dawn. 

The plot of this book dragged for me and I contemplated DNFing it at certain spots but then found myself hooked back in within 20 pages of the lull. I still plan on reading the third book in the series despite these lulls. 

Philosophical and disturbing. I did appreciate the fast paced nature of  book one, Dawn, but Adulthood Rites had more character and behavior exploration than plot drive. However, the themes Butler explores in this will stick with me and haunt me without doubt: 

What lies at the essence of human nature? Do beings, in this 
case humans, deserve to live freely freely with their beliefs even when they are misguided and prone to violence? 

This story has a fascinating way of dealing with sex and gender that offers really interesting criticism of both genetic essentialism and human conception of self. While I did think it was a bit too fast-paced at times and wished there wasn't such a big time jump between books one and two, I think the story that was meant to be told in this book was conveyed well. Overall a great installment to the series and I can't wait to read the final book. 

Octavia Butler's second in the Xeongenesis/Lilith's Brood series does not disappoint. The series itself, about humanity's last hope for survival is to join with the alien species that rescues it, continues to show humanity at its best and worst. Great sci-fi/speculative fiction uses the genre to explore modern issues.  Here Butler succeeds.  What's even better, she doesn't choose sides. Well, not really. People who resist the aliens and those who join them are both shown in as compassionate a way as possible. We are merely spectators in their struggle. We don't get to decide, we get to watch. 

The people she gives compassion to are people I wouldn't think deserve it. As the resistors continue to live long lives, they increasingly become violent against each other and the aliens, kidnapping their children, other resistor villages' women and supplies. The story follows Akin, Lilith's human born son, as he tries to find a solution for them. These people aren't painted as monsters for the most part. Some are, but the majority of the people who want to stay human and be human and do cruel things are given more layers and are more complex than I expected. 

Overall, the writing is wonderful. It flows and makes sense. Whether we can see what happens coming or not, it's fun to live in the prose. What's hard is the view that having children is what keeps humans going and give them purpose. Like I get it, but it would have been interesting to see some of the resistor villages explore creativity, plays, music, etc. Would that have changed? If humans who resist the alien assistance aren't able to reproduce, what life would people make? What would society be without kids, in general? Are humans designed to self-destruct? 

All great things here to explore. Other topics for future justin to think about: Gender spectrum with the Oankali; polyamorous relationships only in the construct/alien culture; Does it matter that some form of humanity would continue? How would queer people fair in this world? 

Looking forward to finishing this series and seeing where Ms. Butler takes it.