Mother of Eden

http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/2621178.html

Beckett's setting is the lost tribes of humans on a far distant planet, descendants of a long ago crashed spaceship (whose own bitter story becomes fairly obvious to the reader, though not to the characters). They are in conflict over natural resources, the indigenous aliens, their own history, and the roles of women and men. The details of the plot, on reflection, are actually standard pulp themes; but the way Beckett chooses to tell the story through the voices of the young generation (mostly women) and his undercurrent of revolution (both class and gender) are very subversive of those tropes. The ending is bitter yet hopeful. I really liked this, as I enjoyed its predecessor, and will be show more agonising over my BSFA vote over the next three weeks. And needless to say, it's in contention for my Hugo nominations as well. show less

I wanted to like this book. I had read the first in the series which was nominated for the British SF Association award and won the Clarke award. The characters are well drawn, the planet and it's ecology is novel. But...
The actually premise of the book is not as original as it first seems. Basically, it's the post-nuclear apocalypse story - people dragging their way back to civilization, mutated people etc. The cause of this (one woman and two men stranded on a planet with limited resources) but the outcome is basically the same. It's told well however and the slant is new. But...
My problem, which I had to a lesser extent with the first novel, is pacing. This book is a slow as molasses. This is civilization building as a paint drying show more spectacle; the paint dries, it cracks, it starts to peel, it falls off the wall.
I got as far as the first couple of cracks and gave up. show less

[edit]
Mother of Eden continues the story of the inhabitants of Eden. First explained in Dark Eden, it is the planet on which several humans crashed hundreds of years ago, a planet that has no sun but obtains its warmth and light from the plant and animal life that exists there. Taking place roughly three generations after the events in that first novel in the series, humanity is no longer bound by fear to one location but has spread out around the planet. Mother of Eden is the story of how these clusters of humanity differ and yet remain the same.

One of the things Mr. Beckett does so well is capture the evolution of language and society throughout the generations. He did this superbly in Dark Eden and takes it one step further in this show more second novel because now he gets to play with different locations and the changes they encourage. Because of that, the story becomes an anthropologist’s dream, as he details the subtle and not-so-subtle differences between the societies plus there ongoing evolution into patriarchal rule. In essence, Eden is a microcosm for Earth’s own history of civilization, bringing to life our own messy path throughout history. The best part is that he does not hit readers over their heads with obviousness. Instead, he incorporates the changes in such a way that they are a part of the descriptive narrative necessary for one to visualize this strange world. For readers to be able to recognize evolution in progress is as added bonus.

What Mother of Eden is, more than anything, is the story of the birth of a modern civilization. Human curiosity allowed the descendants of the original survivors to leave the protection and comfort of the familiar. Three generations later, there is a burgeoning monetary system, governments, caste systems, industry, and, of greatest importance to the story, violence. Just as he did in Dark Eden, Mr. Beckett draws on the recognizable to best explain the unrecognizable. This time, however, it is the planet itself which is familiar to readers, while the customs, rules, and language are yet again different. Starlight, coming from a group most like those original descendants, highlights these differences for readers and becomes the mouthpiece through which readers voice their concerns. Moreover, she proves to be an excellent foil for recognizing the inconsistencies among the different societies. Given her propensity for wisdom and rational thought, as well as her desire to make a difference, there is no doubt that her story is not quite at a close at the end of Mother of Eden. What role she will play, and just how much more change the inhabitants of this planet will incur, remains a tantalizing secret. show less

After the events of Dark Eden, John Redlantern crossed Worldpool to escape David and his men. Generations have passed and the Davidfolk have prospered. There are many settlements now, not just one. Everywhere we look we see the settlers' ingenuity and tenacity: boats, houses, clothes, the beginnings of technology, trade, even a rudimentary currency.

But there is brutality and violence too, the price of all this progress. And John's descendants are back, bringing red metal to trade and the promise of adventure to Starlight Brooking, a young girl who is a restless as John was.

Starlight grew up on Knee Tree Grounds, a quiet backwater inhabited by Jeff's descendants, boat-builders and fisher-people who live communally, much as the original show more family did. So far, so familiar, but soon we're off, following Starlight across Eden in her quest for excitement. First to Veeklehouse and the Davidfolk, then to New Earth and the Johnfolk there — two cultures shaped by John's actions, still obsessed with the break-up of family and Gela's ring.

Along the way, there is love at first sight, great courage, terrible injustice, deceit and betrayal, mortal danger, a desperate escape, and, finally, a mostly satisfying ending. That might sound like a typical fantasy, but that is not what Beckett is about. He has his sights set on nothing less than exploring human societies and the belief systems that underpin them, how they come into being, how they evolve. If you like thoughtful science fiction, this is the book for you. It isn't always a comfortable ride, and don't expect a happy ending, but it's a rewarding read.
…

A longer discussion, some spoilers:

This is a book of simple language and profound themes. I like that, it's accessible, and I like this sort of sociological SF. It reminds me of Le Guin, although Beckett isn't quite on her level. His writing doesn't have the same depth; it lacks a certain realism.

As in Dark Eden, Beckett uses multiple first person narrators. That reinforces the 'history is everybody's story' theme, and it fits the oral societies on Eden. It also gives us an honest picture of Starlight. She's smart, beautiful, restless, but also wilful, spoilt and selfish. Flawed but compelling, as John was. There's a note of hindsight throughout too, as if the events happened some time ago and the characters know how things turned out. That allows the characters to make connections and reveal psychological truths that they would ordinarily only realise some time later, after some reflection.

The opening is Beckett at his best: the Kneefolk, their grounds, the fateful conversation that sets events in motion are all vivid and engaging. The characters are well-rounded and believable, even if they have a slight tendency to all sound the same. The descriptions of Eden really shine throughout, particularly New Earth which we see through Starlight and coloured by her sense of wonder. The last third of the book is great too, action-packed and dramatic, a thoroughly entertaining read.

But the middle of the book dragged. The first person narration doesn't work so well once we're in New Earth as Starlight and Greenstone become rather passive and distinctly less likeable. Beckett also seemed reluctant to let readers in on the dangers in New Earth, even when Greenstone is narrating. That's cheating, and it didn't deepen the suspense for me, it weakened it – something exacerbated by that sense of looking back on the past rather than being immersed in the moment. Too many new narrators meant a loss of focus, too. Yes, New Earth is a complicated society and we needed to see all the layers of it, but the more narrators you add, the less space there is to get to know each one, the less rich each account is, the more they work against each other.

New Earth is a plausible society on the whole, but Beckett has packed in so much – political power, industrialisation, feudalism, populism, repression, misogyny – it sometimes felt a tad artificial. Realistically, too much had changed for just four or five generations of isolation. I'd expect more discontent from the small people. Their grandparents were free, would they really accept their enslavement so thoroughly? It was as if they'd thought themselves smaller. It's a shame they're mostly a backdrop, an anonymous mass with no leaders of their own, but Starlight doesn't really interact with them as individuals — and this is Starlight's story despite the multiple narrators, just as Dark Eden was John's.

That doesn't make Beckett wrong about history, though. History really isn't just one person's story, but novels often are, especially SF/F ones.
Motherhood is central to this book. On Eden that's tangled up with Angela's rules, passed down mother to daughter but also taught to sons by the way their mothers act — kids learn an awful lot from adults without a word being said, after all. Those rules encourage kindness, but not all mothers are kind. Starlight is vulnerable to cheering crowds because her mum withheld affection. John created New Earth with all its cruelty and had no mum. Jeff was kind because his mother loved him. We're meant to conclude, as Starlight does, that a loving mother is crucial. I found that simplistic. What about mothers who love too much, or expect their child to complete them? (Is Glitterfish doing that with Mickey?) What about fathers? They don't seem to count. Firehand is a tyrant. Starlight's uncle is loving, but she's dismissive of him.

New Earth is a patriarchy, and inherently misogynistic. The Davidfolk aren't much better. Perhaps as a consequence, there's an undercurrent of contempt for men. Lucy has good reason to hate Dixon, but it's there between Starlight and Greenstone to a lesser extent when she realises he's not who she thought he was. Is this fractious relationship between the sexes inevitable? Could Angela's rules have prevented it if they weren't secret?
Knowledge – losing it, gaining it, keeping it secret — is a big deal on Eden. John obviously thought it was the key to progress, but in creating the Teachers to protect New Earth's store of knowledge he inadvertently created a force for repression and stasis. The library has become almost a religion. Beckett may be inviting comparisons with the Catholic church (just as Jeff's 'we are here' is perhaps Quakerism; Harry's preaching is perhaps Evangelism), but I see a wider truth about human nature that applies equally as well to scientists as it does to priests. Confirmation bias, cognitive dissonance — we're all primed to cling to our core beliefs, be they religious or secular, and we don't unlearn them easily. I think this is because our survival depends on a balance between continuity and change. Although societies have to adapt and grow, they shouldn't change every time the wind does.

The pitfalls of leadership and Angela's warning against charismatic power-hungry men 'who think the story is about them' is still at the heart of this series. That warning always seemed sexist to me. Women can be power-hungry too, and we see some of that in Starlight. Like John, she's impatient, arrogant and visionary. But, like John, once she sees the damage power can do, she gives it up. (Sort of, temporarily. Like John, she can't stop being who she is.) Starlight is a more sympathetic protagonist, though. John was motivated by a thirst for progress: she's motivated by compassion. She feels for the small people, batfaces, cutbats. Growing up on Knee Tree gave her an innate sense of fairness. I like to think of that as Jeff's legacy – quiet, thoughtful Jeff, the patient observer who saw all of Eden's creatures clearly.

As Julie says towards the end of the book, Eden needs both kinds of people, restless leaders and quiet watchers. Perhaps through Starlight, Jeff (and Tina) will have as big an impact on Eden as John has. I hope so. show less

I can't wrap my head around the fact that this is the sequel to a Clarke Award winner. "Mother of Eden" is embarrassing to read. Very short chapters are each narrated from different points of view, but the characters' voices are interchangeable and there is nothing unique in their perspectives. We're told that the protagonist, Starlight, is intelligent but she demonstrates no creative problem-solving and little meaningful reflection. (We're also told again and again that both she and her new husband Greenstone are very beautiful - their main defining feature.)

While the sunless planet of Eden is intriguing, the social world-building is implausible. The author attempts an evolution-of-language trope that falls flat - there's a handful of show more belabored new vocabulary, such as "plantstuff" for cloth and "slipping together" for sex, which seem selected at random. Eden-dwellers just repeat adjectives (Starlight is "smart smart!") instead of using "very." Why would language change this way? Why are half the characters named after the same handful of ancestors - including many with repeated names - while others are named for natural phenomena ("Quietstream," "Greenstone") or abstract poetry ("Bluesigh")? Much is made of the schism between the two main groups of Eden's inhabitants, and when Starlight travels to a new land the people living there remark on her strange speech. But in dialogue, characters from both sides of the divide use the same invented words and follow similar naming conventions.

"Mother of Eden" aspires to be a stirring tale of power, social control, gender roles and oppression. But its treatment of these topics is facile at best. It has nothing of substance to say, opting instead for flat characters undergoing manufactured drama in repetitive scenes, written in a juvenile style. Nothing to recommend this one.

I received this book for free from LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review. show less

Chris Beckett's Eden, with its dark, weird, and ever-intriguing landscape, had me hooked from the beginning of "Dark Eden". Exploring Eden in the first installment left me wanting to know more and thinking about the strange world long after I had finished reading. I was not disappointed with this second installment, and enjoyed it so much so that I had to pace myself to make my reading last an entire 3 days.
Now in this second offering, Beckett returns to Eden to continue the saga of this strange planet and the people attempting to forge ahead and thrive. "Mother of Eden" takes place several generations after "Dark Eden". John, Tina, David, and Jeff have long since passed on, but their children have spread out even further across Eden, show more each believing the ways of their ancestor to be the true path. I was immediately drawn into the story alongside Starlight, a young "Jeffsfolk" from a tiny island community, as she found herself swept up into plans generations in the making and much move convoluted than she ever could have imagined. Beckett tells the story through the points of view of several characters, all with different backgrounds, beliefs, and points of view concerning Eden's past, present, and ideal future. Power struggles, religious zealots, caste systems, racial tensions, gender dynamics... This story has them all. I am already looking forward (and hoping optimistically) for future chapters in this saga. show less

Mother of Eden is the second book in Dark Eden series by Chris Beckett. I have not read the first novel, Dark Eden, but felt that there was enough back story provided to understand the present situation.

Eden is a dark planet comprised multiple civilizations whose ancestors traveled from Earth. Each of these civilizations have developed their own culture and ethics based upon the ideas of their original founder. War is brewing as citizens of Eden differ on notions of power, religion, philosophies, and natural resources.

Readers follow Starlight Brooking, a female from a small island community, as her curiosity has her traveling across the sea to communities she didn’t know existed. Starlight quickly learns about politics and realizes show more that the grass in not always greener on the other side.
Every chapter in Mother of Eden is told from different characters’ point of view. I always love when an author writes this way because if offers a perspective we aren’t privy to in real life. Beckett has created dynamic characters that illustrate true weaknesses and strengths of men.

I found it difficult to push through this novel at times; it was not a book I could binge read. The pace of action was slow-going and I had a hard time visualizing certain aspects of the story. That being said, the social dilemmas and undertones of criticism towards societal notions are captured beautifully.

I will probably go back and read Dark Eden and look forward to reading other installments of this series in the future.

http://www.innovativelibrarian.org/2015/05/review-mother-of-eden-by-chris-becket... show less