Reviews

Speech Sounds by Octavia E. Butler

mon_'s review

adventurous dark inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

taylarae's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

itselvv's review

يغزو الكوكب وباء يؤثر على قدرة البشر على الكلام أو الكتابة أو الإثنان سويًا، وأولائك الذين نجو من هذا الوباء عليهم أن يكتموا انجازهم هذا خوفًا مما قد يؤدي إليه حسد الأخرين.
تعرض الرواية فكرة أن الإنسان يفقد إنسانيته بفقده الكلمات، كذلك وبلمحة بسيطة تعرض "إي. بتلر" فكرة صمت المجتمع عن الاعتداءات الجنسية، وكونه لكثرة حدوثه لم يعد أمرًا مُستغرَبًا. قصة عن عالم بشع وعنيف، ومع ذلك تخبرك بأنه مازال هنالك بعض الأمل. القصة أقصر وأكثر فوضوية من أن تناسب ذائقتي.

lilcaracol17's review

5.0

I don't usually rate what I read for school but this was great!

saitu282's review

5.0

In such a tiny short story, Butler manages to convey a whole plethora of information, evoke a roller-coaster of emotions, and still manage to describe the ambience and detail the setting. Absolutely brilliant. Ad to think a dodgy bus ride was the inspiration for such a deep, heart-rending tale is just... insane. She is a true Genius.

heather_foster's review

4.0

Very well written and makes you think. A little too depressing and real for me.

charlotatot's review

5.0

Excellent piece of literature. Chilling. I pictures this all taking place on Commercial Drive in Vancouver, I used to take the bus down Commercial every day for work and in the early days of Covid-19 it became quite terrifying. This story hit very close to home.

nandivardhan's review

dark mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

It felt like a simple story when I first read it but after thinking for a while I understood the motive behind this story that people are not communucating to resolve their issues but always chooses violence. <Spoilers> The main character Rye was in depression for last 3 years due to loss of her family and she forgot to express her feelings by speaking but at the end she finally communicates with the children. 

carolinevogt's review

5.0

A very interesting take on language and the idea that language (whether spoken or written) is what makes human... human.

sydschaedel's review

5.0

I love Octavia Butler's work. Isaac Asimov wrote in the introduction to this short story that Butler "draws a picture of an all-but-destroyed society that is so vivid that you will find yourself living in it. And, oddly enough, she manages to end with a ray of hope that you will find yourself accepting gladly." I wholeheartedly agree.