34 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The One Against the Many, May 31, 2002
This review is from: Where Late The Sweet Birds Sang: A Novel (Paperback)
Much of this world's history has been shaped by the constant attempts to shift the balance between the individual as an autonomous, self-directing, self-centered, and unique unit and the group society, where everyone's efforts go towards the general welfare, where the individual is merely a replaceable cog. This book takes this battle to the extreme, to where, via cloning, there really are no individuals, only copies, where anyone who disturbs the group is subject to extreme measures, from execution to severe behavioral/mind control to expulsion to the wilderness. True individuals come to be considered 'defective', as they cannot always accept the wishes of the group, they keep coming up with disturbingly new and different ideas, and they place themselves ahead of the group.
To bring about this society, Wilhelm starts with a fairly normal (for science fiction) scenario: due to man's constant pollution of the environment, new diseases appear, eventually either directly killing everyone (and almost all the land animal life also) or rendering them sterile. One group sees a way to save humanity by using cloning techniques, with some promise that after enough generations of cloning, some sexual reproductive capability will reappear.
From this starting point, the book is told in three distinct parts. The first section covers the period when the cloning facilities are being set up against a background of a world society in the throes of collapse. Part two is a look after several clone generations have occurred and an expedition is made to one of ruined cities to salvage needed high-tech supplies for the continuing cloning operation. The expedition exposes both the strength and the weakness of the clone groups, as they find it almost impossible to remain sane when separated from their clone 'brothers' and 'sisters'. One expedition member, Molly, grows so far away from her sisters under the stress that she really becomes an individual. Part three covers the final battle between clones and individuals, as Molly's son Mark grows up as the only 'single' in the group.
Thematically, this book is tautly conceived and executed. The later generations of the clones exemplify the problems of extreme homogeneity, as they find themselves, though extremely intelligent and quick learners, incapable of creative thought and independent action. The down sides of the individual are also exposed, showing the limitations on what one person can do when separated from the group. All of this is displayed pretty much by the character's actions, though there is some exposition via council meetings that are more philosophical statements than planning sessions.
Character development is reasonable, given that most of the clones must remain essentially 'faceless' and the time span covered means that no character lasts more than a third of the book. But this also means that no character is explored in extreme depth, which makes it hard for the reader to become emotionally attached to anyone.
Scientifically, there are problems with this book. An ecology is an extremely complex intertwined entity. When all the land animals die off (including, by specific mention, bees), there will be large affects on the plant population. Many plants can't reproduce at all without the help of certain animal species. The grasses, without a large group of herbivores to keep them in check, would very likely choke out many other plant species. Pollination becomes extremely problematic without bees. Wilhelm attempts to get around this by stating that function is taken over by ants, which would be at best much less efficient than that which occurs with bees. But Wilhelm shows none of these foreseeable affects - the forests and grain fields continue to grow apparently undisturbed. None of these problems directly affects the theme of this book, but it bothered my suspension of disbelief, especially as it was only necessary to kill off all the people, she could have left the animals alone, to get the situation she needed.
This book took the 1977 Hugo Award, and as well told exposition of one the major philosophical battles that man faces today and in the future, it deserved it. But it is a definite 'thinking' book, not one of action, grand drama, or deep psychology. Expect to do some internal reflection when you finish this book, and see how you stack up as an individual versus your place in and responsibilities to your surrounding society.
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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best CLONE NOVEL ever written., April 14, 1998
By A Customer
I am not a big Kate Wilhelm fan, but she poured her heart and soul into this book.
Although the book deals with the subject of Cloning, it is really about the triumph of individualism in a clone society.
The story revolves around a little boy that was raised in secret by his rebellious mother, and the efforts of the clone society to make him fit in. Once discovered he becomes a big problem for the clone society, but the clone society also needs his unique talents. And as he grows into a man, the situation becomes worse and worse, until it comes to a head in the end.
As a book about individualism, this book is even better than Ayn Rands Anthem. Anthem will leave the reader sing praises of individualism. While this book leave the reader with a heartfelt appreciation of individualism and a deep understanding of the tension between of individualism and collectivism. It will touch your heart, your soul, and you mind.
I've read a lot of books, very few of them I'd rate as good, but this book is far better than good. Find this book, and read it today.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The parable of the collective, March 27, 2006
This review is from: Where Late The Sweet Birds Sang: A Novel (Paperback)
American literature of the 60's and 70's has a distinctive flavour of individualism, partly as a product of the worship of the individual heroes (Washington, Davey Crockett, etc.) that explored and/or created the country, and partly as a reaction to the perceived "homogeneity" of communism. By definition, the theory went, a person could not possibly be happy unless he was first free. This award-winning book by Kate Wilhelm is a parable of the triumph of individualism over the collective.
This is not a new theme for science fiction - the Original Star Trek series had a number of such episodes, and the Grand Master Robert Heinlein visited this topic numerous times. "Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang" has similarities to the Classic Trek episode "The Apple" and Heinlein's "Farnham's Freehold." But mainly I was reminded of Robert Silverberg's "A Time of Changes" - in both tales a society is developed and then from within that society arises an individual who must destroy the complacency of the society to save its people. In Wilhelm's book, an ecological catastrophe (and a development of human infertility) destroys the human race except a group of scientists that propogate themselves in the only way possible - by cloning. Thus a society of clones: family groups are a batch of 6-10 identical clones raised as a unit. Wilhelm introduces the notion of genetic ESP - basically accepting the supposed (but unproven) link that twins feel for each other (e.g. when one is hurt, the other senses something is wrong). Unfortunately, by cloning the exact same genetic material over and over, subsequent generations of clones become more and more specialised (one group is doctors, one group builds barns, etc.) until no one in the society has any initiative or imagination.
Into this society is introduced an anomaly - actually two. A woman has a traumatic experience that allows her latent individuality to surface. She is impregnated and gives birth to a son - the only "singleton" child in the entire human race. The book mostly follows the lives of these two characters as they rebel against their society and the fear they bring. They know, but no one else can see, that the society is a dead end and they must destroy the cloning system in order to free the potential of the surviving members of the human race.
Wilhelm's book is not perfect - as others have pointed out, the science is pretty simplistic (if not wrong!). You also get the uncomfortable feeling that she hates her creation (the clone society), which leads to an overly "black and white" interpretation: individuality = good, collectivism = bad. But I think this book is meant to be a parable, and as such need not be realistic or subtle. Wilhelm's writing is concise, suspenseful, and very enjoyable. While I think "A Time of Changes" covers much of the same material and does it better, there is no doubt that "Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang" is an easier and more enjoyable read.
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