So after I finished this one, I was so ??? about the ending that I went back and read the of-marginal-usefulness introduction, which told me that if I didn't get it, it meant I didn't know Lawrence well enough. After reading this book, I guess I feel like I know Lawrence maybe a little too well. It seemed to me that Ursula and Gudrun, who both were very real and complex for me in The Rainbow, were subordinated, in terms of characterization, to Birkin/Lawrence and Gerald/whoever he was suppo... (show more)

So after I finished this one, I was so ??? about the ending that I went back and read the of-marginal-usefulness introduction, which told me that if I didn't get it, it meant I didn't know Lawrence well enough. After reading this book, I guess I feel like I know Lawrence maybe a little too well. It seemed to me that Ursula and Gudrun, who both were very real and complex for me in The Rainbow, were subordinated, in terms of characterization, to Birkin/Lawrence and Gerald/whoever he was supposed to represent. Ursula in particular seemed rather gutted here. This was annoying to me, as was the sense I had that Lawrence was really blatantly working out his real-life relationships through the fiction here. I finished feeling like the book was for Lawrence, not for me. (show less)

I don't like how Earthseed depends on being wealthy and well-armed to succeed. That aside, the relationship between Olamina and her daughter was what made this a worthwhile read for me. I like the way the book explores the complexity of human perception, how our circumstances shape us (if we don't shape them)...now that I think about it a little more, I guess Asha was sort of an example of what happens in the absence of Earthseed, since she was unable to love her mother or even like her due... (show more)

I don't like how Earthseed depends on being wealthy and well-armed to succeed. That aside, the relationship between Olamina and her daughter was what made this a worthwhile read for me. I like the way the book explores the complexity of human perception, how our circumstances shape us (if we don't shape them)...now that I think about it a little more, I guess Asha was sort of an example of what happens in the absence of Earthseed, since she was unable to love her mother or even like her due to her own submission to change, to how the world had shaped her. It frustrated me that they weren't able to love each other in the end, and that made me like the book more. (show less)