Adulthood Rites

Adulthood Rites is a science fiction novel by Octavia E. Butler. First published in 1988, Adulthood Rites is the second work in a trilogy, originally collected under the title Xenogenesis and later published as Lilith’s Brood. Known for her innovation in the science fiction genre, Butler’s work often explores social themes such as gender and race as well as systems of hierarchy through a critical, philosophical lens. The Xenogenesis trilogy has been commended by other science fiction authors, such as Orson Scott Card, and is the center of much scholarship. Other works by this author include Kindred (1979), Wild Seed (1980), and Parable of the Sower (1993).

This guide refers to the First Grand Central 2023 e-book edition.

Content Warning: Adulthood Rites contains descriptions of violence, as well as discussions of colonization and eugenics.

Plot Summary

Adulthood Rites, the second book in the Xenogenesis series, unfolds in four parts. The narrative is set several years after Dawn, which follows Lilith Iyapo, a nuclear apocalypse survivor, after awakening on an Oankali-operated spaceship. The Oankali, an alien species with a mission to genetically reshape humanity, presents Lilith with a moral dilemma between her allegiance to humans and the Oankali’s vision for a genetically altered future.