Link
9/8/2017
Excellent, as per usual with Butler. Although I dearly hope her dystopia does not come to pass, the story seems to be eerily prophetic. The reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is that not enough is done with the other science fictional element: Olamina's 'hyperempathy syndrome', which allows her to feel the severe pleasure and pain of those around her (also, why doesn't she feel more pleasure from those around her? -- unless Butler is trying to tell us that life in her apocalyptic future is so hellish that not even simple fleeting moments of joy are to be found?).
The genesis of a new religion known as Earthseed (the notion that 'God is change'), is a simplistic yet very powerful idea that is the theme of the book, and I think, coincidentally, a very appropriate summation of Butler's writing style itself.
Worth reading and re-reading, if only for the Earthseed proverbs.