lon3rston3r's reviews
59 reviews

DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T WANT ANY SPOILERS

I liked the concept of this book and enjoyed the take on the competition between Hanna and Suzette for Alex's affection. Hanna has all the makings of a sociopath and you can't help but sympathize with Suzette, a chronically ill, insecure new mother with her own mommy issues. Her mother is described as an unloving one. Between that and the fact that Suzette mentions not having "motherly instincts" or expresses not really wanting to be a mother and only doing it to please Alex, I also sympathize with Hanna who can tell the love a mother is supposed to feel towards their child is missing. 

Alex (the true villain in this story) is a great example of the obliviousness that is only associated with fatherhood. He comes around to be the "fun parent" and at times, invalidates his wife and her fears and insecurities. He is so oblivious to the standard of perfection that holds Suzette down so much that she doesn't feel safe to share her parenting struggles until it is too late.

THIS IS THE SECOND BOOK OF A SERIES

Umm ok...I know this book series is already depressing, but it starts so depressing because Lauren is DEAD?! And she had a daughter?! We learn more about what happened to Lauren after the events of the first book due to her daughter having her journals. Lauren fell in love with a doctor (super weird and creepy age gap, I don't care what she says) and cultivated the Earthseed community that she dreamed of. Her community is threatened by a new Christian fascist president whose campaign motto is "Make America Great Again'. How the hell did Octavia E. Butler know that?! I'm telling you she's a time traveller! This is supposed to be FICTION!

Lauren's daughter is filled with resentment towards her mother and her mother's other child, Earthseed. I feel like her daughter resents her only because of the demise of Earthseed, her father, and the relationship she desires with her mother. She grows up pretty privileged with relatives who have bowed down to the Christian fascist system that allows them to be safe, rich, and educated. Lauren's daughter is almost an antithesis to who she was. I also believe that given how Lauren's daughter grew up, she is definitely indoctrinated into a system her mother fought hard against.   

 

Much like the first book, it requires more than one reading to see all the themes and messages laid out in the book. Some of the themes I noticed are the historical patterns of societal desperation and the turn to Christian fascism which sounds really familiar. Almost like what's occurring right now. It touches on how society yearns for community and safety and how religion and extremism (from those in power) take over. 

This story was grim, dark, and depressing. It gives a terrifying peek into the direction our country is heading. The economic inequality has become so wide and divided, that the rich have successfully hoarded their wealth, resources, and even jobs. Corporations own their labor and the means of production as well as necessities such as housing. The story follows Lauren, an empath, who creates a new religion cult lifestyle(?) called Earthseed 

DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T WANT ANYTHING SPOILED

This book is wayyyy too real and I still don't believe that Octavia E. Butler wrote this in the early 1990s. She MUST be a time traveler or the most rich and powerful are following what happens in her book just to f*ck with us.

Lauren's extreme empathy and her Earthseed seem to be intertwined. Earthseed and all its teachings come from Lauren's empathy towards others and her understanding that they are stronger together. Her story is tragic as she loses her family so quickly into the story. There are so many themes that are revealed in this book that one read doesn't do it justice.

Upon my first reading, there are themes of individuality vs. community, capitalism, wealth inequality, climate change, and so many more.   

 

The plot of the book is interesting and I never read paranormal books surrounding demonic possession. I liked how the book was told from the perspective of an unreliable narrator. The book gives the reader a chance to come to their conclusion of whether what occurred was real or not. 

STOP READING IF YOU DON'T WANT ANYTHING SPOILED

That being said...the true horror of this book is Marjorie's parents' refusal to accept their daughter's diagnosis. I truly believe that she was having mental health issues and given how the father poisoned the family and himself was going a little crazy, it made it seem more clear to me what was going on in that house. I believe the father was having mental health issues himself or even was just doing that thing men do when they get sick of having a family. I was expecting the book to be scarier.

This is not only a Black literature classic, but a movie classic as well. The movie I have seen countless times and I finally got to the age where I realized that I can't go on forever not having read the book. It is as heartwarming and soul-crushing as the movie is. Maybe even more so, given that the movie left out parts that were in the book. One of the most overwhelming differences is Celie's discovery and exploration of her sexuality. It's such an important part of her character and even more powerful. 

Sydney is dealing with her mother's failing health and what seems to be a rapid loss of not only her neighbors but the sense of community that she once knew. When she's suddenly paired up with her white neighbor, Theo, they suddenly become intertwined while they research the history of Sydney's home and uncover the mystery around the gentrification taking place.

This was an original and fresh psychological thriller with a twist that feels very 'Get Out'. I felt for Sydney but I did find her character super annoying. I'm not a huge fan of the protagonist being very "I don't have my life together" and Sydney was that. I don't know if that's a way to accentuate the quirkiness of Sydney, but either way not a fan. The twist is about as f*cked up as you would expect a Jordan Peele-esque horror to go. While the climax fit into the trope, it unraveled in such a messy way that I found myself left unsatisfied by the ending.

I ended up reading the book because I watched and loved the show. Both were pretty similar to each other and little was left out on the show. I'm genuinely shocked that a white man wrote this. Throughout the book, the intertwined Lovecraftian horror (supernatural, magical, sci-fi) and the intersection with the racism the main characters had to face in the 1960s (true horror) were interesting given what we all know about the traditional literature surrounding Lovecraftian works. Again, the book and show were similar and I give the book 5 stars, but I prefer the show due to the Black showrunners and actors that gave the story more depth than it originally had especially given who wrote the books.

This book goes back and forth between Quincy's past and present. I found the book to be a slow burn (although I read through it quickly). I found myself speed-reading through the present just to read excerpts from her past.  I wanted to learn about that fateful day and find out her secret plus the guilt from surviving that she was satiating with Xanax. Usually, I am not into characters that "don't have it together", but given her past, I let it go although I did find it kind of annoying at times. I also did not like the relationship dynamic she had with her rescuer and how weirdly intimate it was (which again, given her circumstances makes sense). In all, I didn't find myself super enamored with the story or the character and started liking the story towards the end. 

I enjoyed finding a horror book that explored the complex and interesting trope of the final girls. I loved how this takes place decades after their attacks because it's a path a lot of movies and books don't take too often. Seeing how the final girls all dealt with their trauma and the aftermath highlighted all their differences, although one singular event gives them a common denominator. Lynette, the protagonist, seems to be the most damaged. Facing her trauma and the guilt she feels while the book's plot unfolds makes me feel empathetic to her character. Overall, this was a great and easy read with a great twist at the end.