Title: Adulthood Rites

Author: Octavia Butler

Genre tags: science fiction, post-apocalyptic

Who is(are) the protagonist(s)? What are some words you would use to describe them?

This is the second book of the Xenogenesis series, following Dawn, which had as its protagonist Lilith Iyapo. This second book follows instead the path of her son Akin, the first male child born to a human mother since the arrival of the Oankali. Akin is sensitive and compassionate, while also being very clever and often gregarious. He socializes a great deal with humans, in spite of the fact that he is still essentially Oankali.

What are some themes that the book explores?

Like its predecessor, Adulthood Rites explores the issue of a fundamental "Contradiction" in human behavior: that we are intelligent but hierarchical. Masculine aggression and entitlement, which featured strongly in the first book, are still themes in this second book, albeit in a rather different way since Akin is male and appears human for most of the book. His interactions with men end up being a mixture of fear and compassion, which ultimately influences the beliefs and philosophies which he develops as he ages.

How does the book handle gender? Does it pass the Bechdel test?

I believe it does pass the Bechdel test, though not as solidly as its predecessor. Gender is definitely a solid theme throughout the book, though this one seems to explore masculinity rather more.

Are there any other groups represented in the book? How does the book handle that?

A fair number of races are presented in the book, as well as many different personalities for men and women. The book is relatively heteronormative, though.

What did you think of the style of the author's writing? Were there any things that you think author captured particularly well?

One thing that I really appreciate about Octavia Butler's writing is that she inspires sympathy without making her characters endearing. In fact, her protagonists almost always seem slightly off in a way that makes me uncomfortable. Yet, by the end of the book, I still like and accept them as they are.

What were your overall impressions of the book?

I liked it a lot, though it's hard to explain exactly why. Akin made for an interesting protagonist, and I was engaged with the book for the entire time. I would highly recommend it, though I do think it's worthwhile to have read Dawn first.