“Human competitiveness and territoriality were often at the root of particularly horrible fashions in oppression. We human beings seem to always have found it comforting to have someone to look down on– a bottom level of fellow creatures who are very vulnerable, but who can somehow be blamed and punished for any troubles.”
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This was a vast improvement for me from book one. I loved the added perspective of Bankole and another character, as well as the entries of a returned character. I think this added depth that book one was missing. 

This felt incredibly on the nose politically, and was a testament to Butler’s power of prescience. The character of Olamina really grew and progressed into a fully formed adult who felt quite authentic to me. I enjoyed the skips to the future to get a taste of how her story ended and be satisfied with the progression of Earthseed, especially as Butler was not able to complete the series as intended.

I also loved the symbolism of planting the oak seedlings in remembrance for those lost. I still had a big problem with the age gap of two characters and how it felt Butler was rationalizing it. 

The brutality and extremity of loss and betrayal in this book was very hard to read, especially because of how persistent it was. I found the bolded interludes to be a welcome reprieve, until they became extremely emotionally challenging. Despite the emotional challenges, it all served a purpose for the text. The modern day slavery, abusive religion, and government support of systems of oppression, felt one step from Margaret Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tale. 

All in all, another extremely moving book from Butler.