Adulthood rites and Imago, Octavia Butler (3)
These are second and third books in Butler’s Xenogenesis series. Like the first, they both continue the journey of Lillith’s family as they meld more with the alien race that has come to ‘save’ the earth. There are less mind-blowing concepts in these books, but the thought-provoking question of how far we would go to exist if what we know of as humanity is unalterably changed continues.
The Secret Book Society, Madeline Martin (2.5)
I was surprised this book has gotten such good reviews. It’s not bad, but the writing was a bit ‘meh’ for me and the plot seemed to hang too much on stereotypes. While I’m aware women had few rights in the Victorian age, having every woman abused and about to be carted off to the asylum seems like a heavy-handed way to make one’s point. I guess any book about women prevented from reading will always get an audience – particularly in our current age where we are holding on tight to our rights.
