Book 36 - Wacky-Wavy-Puncturing-Sensory-Arm Men/Women/Ooloi!

Title: Adulthood Rites (Book 2 of Lilith's Brood) Author: Octavia Butler Genre: sex, gender, and sci-fi - OH MAH

And the sheer excellence of Octavia Butler CONTINUES.

The story picks up right where Dawn ends, diving into an arch more focused on the after of the first novel, the fallout of the unavoidable blending of species - Oankali and Human - and the story of one of these genetic hybrids, a construct named Akin, who fights to reconcile the two contrary parts of himself.

This dichotomy is the main feature of the novel. Protect the propagation of life, all life, at any cost, even if that means changing that life beyond recognition OR give life the free will to make their own decisions, be wholly themselves, even if it means extinction of that life.

Can you guess which is the Human side?

As usual, Butler does an impeccable job of balancing her human readers and their implicit humanness (i.e. penchant for siding with the familiar), and the seductive alien species that only wants to fiddle with our genes. I loathe the Oankali for their need to control, for their touchy-feeling sensory arms and tentacles, and their holier-than-thou "we know best" 'tudes. But I also love them; even though I'm really just a voyeur of Butler's imagination, a receptacle for her words, I still get almost a contact high from the Oankali's chemically induced charms.

How can you not come to love a species that just wants to be with you, fix all your physical ailments and support life, all life, above everything else?

To Summarize... Creepy, but sweet. 

Rating: 👶👶👶👶👶/5