Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang

Jun 22, 2012 Erich Franz Guzmann rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 1970s, award-winner, hugo-award, locus-award, fiktion, own, animal, apocalyptic, award-nominee, klassiker, dramen, esoteric, fable, female-protagonist, geographisch, horror, male-protagonist, medizin, meisterwerk, mystery, nordamerika, post-apocalyptic, science-fiction, sociology, speculative-fiction, wanderlust, adventure, art, bildungsroman, kultur, multiple-award, dunkle, favourite, sf-masterwork, biopunk, erotik, bizarre, dystopian, environmental, philosophisch, psychologisch, romane, wissenschaft, wildnis, author-female

"She shook her head, her eyes fixed, staring at the nightmare scene before them. Who had done this? Why? It was as if the people had converged here to destroy this place that had failed them in the end so completely."

The scene that is described here was indeed nightmarish, as was a large portion of this story. Although there were a lot of dark scenes throughout, it did have some bright and uplifting scenes to redeem its eerie disposition. I was on a roller coaster of emotions while reading this...more

"She shook her head, her eyes fixed, staring at the nightmare scene before them. Who had done this? Why? It was as if the people had converged here to destroy this place that had failed them in the end so completely."

The scene that is described here was indeed nightmarish, as was a large portion of this story. Although there were a lot of dark scenes throughout, it did have some bright and uplifting scenes to redeem its eerie disposition. I was on a roller coaster of emotions while reading this - which is rare for me, not many stories can evoke such an array of feelings, as this did. The many different scenarios depicted page-after-page, were filled with fantastical ideas that held a deep-down plausible truth.

I have read many books about robotics being used in extending the lives of individuals or prolonging the existence of mankind. However, in this 1977 Hugo and Locus Award winning novel by Kate Wilhelm, she shows humans living beyond their original due date, by way of cloning. Even though much has progressed in the science of cloning in the past 30 years, the ethical questions are still the same and the controversies may never change. I assumed the heated controversies on this topic started in the 90's, with the birth of Dolly, the cloned sheep, but actually it appears to have been a heavy subject way before that. These ethical issues were concerns in the 70's, made apparent by Kate's writings, and perhaps even began far sooner than we know.

Whether or not you have a solid opinion on the cloning of humans, reading this book, will broaden your ideas on man's finite existence on earth, for it has mine.

UPDATE:
I recently learned where Kate Wilhelm got the title of her novel. It was from a quotation of William Shakespeare's Sonnet 73.

That time of year thou mayst in me behold,
When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,
Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.
In me thou seest the twilight of such day,
As after sunset fadeth in the west,
Which by and by black night doth take away,
Death's second self, that seals up all in rest.
In me thou seest the glowing of such fire,
That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,
As the death-bed whereon it must expire,
Consumed with that which it was nourished by.
This thou perceiv'st, which makes thy love more strong,
To love that well, which thou must leave ere long.
–William Shakespeare

(less)

21 likes · like · see review

Jun 14, 2013 Nandakishore Varma rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

(Edit to add: the review below contains what some may consider to be spoilers. But on the whole, I do not think that reading this review will spoil the enjoyment of the book for you.)

Science fiction stories usually concern the impact of the progress of science on human beings. When the science part dominates, it is called “Hard SF”: when the human part dominates, it is “Soft SF”. However, this is not a rigid categorisation as most Hard SF stories (for example, Asimov’s Foundation series) contain...more

11 likes · like · see review

Dec 29, 2010 Sandi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, post-apocalyptic-dystopian, sci-fi

I think that Kate Wilhelm's Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang really needed to be longer. The scope of the novel is much too large for for its short length. (The audio version is about 11 minutes shy of 8 hours.) The story covers several "generations" and many decades.

I found Wilhelm's prose to be beautiful. Her descriptions of the Shenandoah Valley are richly detailed. She brings each season to life in the imagination with words. The problems I had with the story were mainly with the SF details....more

5 likes · like · see review

Jul 22, 2008 francesca rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone!

After a mysterious blight literally wipes out global populations, one economically/socially/intellectually prominent family manages to survive and perpetuate life on their farm by cloning themselves.

The exploration of sexuality, individuality, and institutionalism is so deliciously concieved and executed in this book.

Better yet, it is beautifully written, which is rare in a sci-fi work of this depth and scope.

Wilhelm has given the world a truly relevant and insightful piece of work.

6 likes · like · see review

Nov 14, 2011 Simon rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sf, sf-masterworks

For me, this was one of those books you come to having heard starkly contrasting opinions about it, that leaves you with confused expectations and wondering what could be so divisive. But now, having finished it, I have to say I didn't find it divisive at all and am left wondering whether the book's harshest critics were even reading the same book.

This was great, well written, thought-provoking SF that explores one of the more interesting themes in SF; how important is individuality and how shou...more

4 likes · like · see review

May 28, 2012 Erik Graff rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to Erik by: no one

Shelves: sf

I'm so lucky to have grown up when the science fiction genre was being invaded by women like Kate Wilhem and Ursula K. LeGuin. While a few male writers like Theodore Sturgeon could construct believable characters, the women who made it in the field all seemed gifted with psychological insight and the ability to instantiate it. Furthermore, some of them extended the predicate of the genre to include sciences like ecology, psychology and anthropology in addition to the traditional engineering, che...more

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 27, 2012 Stefan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dealing with the sensitive subject of cloning and its effects on an isolated colony of clones, Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang, is a continuous storyline separated into sections with many years in between them. Each segment, so-to-speak, has it's own protagonists and antagonists and crises to deal with and overcome.

Even with the skipping of years in-between segments, the story-line stays pretty continuous and the reader is really able to develop a bond with the characters in a way that I wouldn...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 22, 2008 Joanna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: general-fiction

Fascinating.
Frightening.
Hopeful.

This apocalyptic novel took over my life today. Copyright 1974 and it reads like a current bestseller. I was completely swept up in the story, and long for the many characters to all become whole. I was constantly reminded of other works with similar themes, especially Darwin's Radio, Brave New World, Atlas Shrugged, and, unavoidably, The Handmaid's Tale. This was the most readable of them and also the most innovative attempt to recreate a livable world. Excellent...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 22, 2008 Bethany rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction

Gremlin Jane's review of this book inspired me to get the book on e-bay.

A book entirely worth reading! A fascinating look at the "end of our race" when we are no longer able to procreate. Scientists come up with a cloning solution, but how will the clones deal with the new world? Is cloning the solution?

Lots of fascinating and completely believable details - remarkable how spot on this book is! Even though it was written in the 70s, it still holds true.

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 22, 2008 Gremlin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Post apocalyptic future, cloning, questions of individuality vs the community. What's not to love? Wilhelm skips over alot of the details to get straight to the meat of her points. The novel feels like 3 short story/novellas that lead one to the other. Solid and fascinating.

3 likes · like · see review

Jun 09, 2012 Amy Sturgis rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 20th-century, postapocalyptic-dystopia, science-fiction-contemporary

It's a testament to the strength of Kate Wilhelm's grasp of "hard" science and the subtlety of her grasp of human nature that this 1977 science fiction novel (winner of the Hugo Award) is as relevant today as when she wrote it. It easily could have been published yesterday.

The novel follows an extended family as they retreat from society to survive a global meltdown (economic, environmental, topped off by a nuclear holocaust). Led by far-sighted leaders and gifted scientists, they seek to preser...more

1 like · like · see review

May 11, 2010 Lor rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: may-2010

I received this book in a Goodreads First Read giveaway. I was happy to get this book because for me, Kate Wilhelm is one of those dependable writers who always has well written characters and interesting plots.

The first part of the book is about a family who strives to survive an onslaught of disasters. These remaining people turn to cloning as a way to overcome the infertility problems they face. The story picks up later after the clones have created a society of their own. Cultlike in their...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 25, 2013 Clark Hallman rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang is a classic science-fiction novel, written by Kate Wilhelm in 1976. Wilhelm published her first short fiction (The Pint-Size Genie) in the October 1956 issue of Fantastic, which was an American digest-sized fantasy and science fiction magazine published from 1952 to 1980. She went on the publish her work in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Locus, Amazing Stories, Asimov's Science Fiction, and other publications. Wilhelm established herself as one of t...more Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang is a classic science-fiction novel, written by Kate Wilhelm in 1976. Wilhelm published her first short fiction (The Pint-Size Genie) in the October 1956 issue of Fantastic, which was an American digest-sized fantasy and science fiction magazine published from 1952 to 1980. She went on the publish her work in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Locus, Amazing Stories, Asimov's Science Fiction, and other publications. Wilhelm established herself as one of the acclaimed writers of science fiction by winning the Nebula Award for Best Short Story (The Planners) in 1968; the Nebula Award for Best Novelette (The Girl Who Fell into the Sky) in 1986; and the Nebula Award for Best Short Story (Forever Yours, Anna) in 1987. Kate Wilhelm also won the Hugo Award for Best Novel, and the Locus Award for Best Novel, in 1977 for Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang, which was also a finalist for the Nebula Award that year. So what can this reviewer say about this classic science-fiction novel, except that it is a brilliant story, that is brilliantly written, and continues to be fascinating, gripping, and relevant to thoughtful readers in 2013. The plot begins when members of a large wealthy family realize that the World’s society was headed for an apocalypse do to disease, ecological issues, and social upheaval. They prepare for the coming apocalypse by building their own compound with its own power source, food production methods and supplies, living quarters, medical facilities, research facilities, and fortifications. Then they assemble an ensemble of people capable of maximizing the success of the isolated commune. The apocalypse indeed occurs and the colony survives and continues to grow and thrive for many years. However, as younger generations of the colony’s hierarchy begin to take control, unforeseen changes and challenges begin to surface. Over time the previous microcosm of the wider society, begins to deviate. Cloning becomes an important method of maintaining and increasing their population, and the clones become totally dependent upon each other. Eventually individualization is shunned, and creativity and problem-solving wane. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes science fiction or just likes novels about the perversion of societies due to extreme (and rigid) social conventions and real threats from a crumbling larger society. (less)

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 09, 2012 Emelie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have a bit of a love-hate-relationship with this novel. The problem? I love the story, but I don't find that the author delivered it in the best way possible. I understood the plot perfectly, and even found the depth of the story to be quite brilliant, however there was something about the flow of the words, or maybe even the dialogue that didn't appeal to me. Basically, we're looking at a society run by clones. Global warming has caused infertility among the people, and the only way to save t...more

like · see review

Dec 02, 2012 Helen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi

I found this book to be very similar in feel and writing style to John Wyndham. Like Wyndham, Wilhelm writes about the fantastic in a very matter of fact manner which actually makes it seem more realistic and enhances the story.

Another reviewer felt that cloned siblings would not reject children born naturally but given the human ability to create divisions between such superficial divisions as skin colour, I can very much imagine that barriers would arise between clones and non-cloned people. W...more

like · see review

Oct 27, 2012 Susan Riegger rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-literature

I chose "Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang" published in 1976 and awarded the Hugo Award in 1977 because it was one of the earliest books that introduces the concept of global warming. It was written for the intermediate and adult reader. In 1976,prior knowledge of global warming for students was unheard of and the concept of cloning was barely mentioned. this book begins with a large family moving to an isloated location in the hopes of surviving environment devastation. Realizes that they are al...more

like · see review

Oct 16, 2012 sologdin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: blew-it-up-you-maniacs, speculative

Post-apocalyptic, told in three parts, each separated by an unstated amount of time and involving a change of narrator, with some amount of rebuilding in evidence after they blew it up, those maniacs, but with the rebuilders ultimately consumed anyway, with some small survival thereafter. That level of generality makes it sound like A Canticle for Leibowitz. It does not appear to be derivative of Miller, though; Wilhlem hints at nuclear war through the presence of lethal radioactivity, but the d...more Post-apocalyptic, told in three parts, each separated by an unstated amount of time and involving a change of narrator, with some amount of rebuilding in evidence after they blew it up, those maniacs, but with the rebuilders ultimately consumed anyway, with some small survival thereafter. That level of generality makes it sound like A Canticle for Leibowitz. It does not appear to be derivative of Miller, though; Wilhlem hints at nuclear war through the presence of lethal radioactivity, but the descent into apocalypse is gradual enough to be predictable, with pollution, disease, famine &c. taking a toll until civilization eats itself and then shits itself out (kinda like how The Hunger Games suggests that the end will come).

My main complaint about the dystopian subgenre has been that the setting is typically well done, but that the story usually is dreadful: some variation on individual v. the state, with the individual typically partaking in some greater or lesser degree of defeat (Winston Smith loves Big Brother; the Savage dies; Logan goes into exile).

Similarly, I now realize that the flaw with the post-apocalyptic subgenre is that the opening premise (end of the world) allows all setting rules to be erased, and a generalized Peril can be imposed on the narrative: every bush is vile; every breeze is dire. So, setting is not really ever developed in these items. Story, also, is just as badly developed as story in dystopia: instead of individual v. state, it's survivors v. environment, with survivors usually partaking in some greater or lesser degree of defeat by the end (they blow up the world again in Miller; the monkeys win eventually in Boulle; the road never ends in McCarthy).

So, the basic rule--

For any X that is a dystopia, the setting is fantastic, but the story sucks. For any X that is a post-apocalypse, both the setting and the story suck.

Any writer thinking of writing a post-apocalypse should therefore immediately revise and resubmit it as a dystopia.

None of that will stop these types of books from being written, as both appeal to certain strands of default teabaggerism in most bourgeois readers. For the dystopia, it satisfies the 'bagger sense that big gubmint is evil. For the post-apocalypse, it flatters the troglodyte impression that underlying civilization are neo-hobbesian economics 101 assumptions about survivalism, return to the state of nature, and philistine survival-of-the-fittest eugenics crap. There's a reason that people have described post-apocalyptic stories as basically fascistic, after all.

All that said, Wilhelm has written a decent enough novel, and it's classic enough to avoid my complaints, above, with which recent writers might get hit with full force and effect. Quick & fun overall, even if the science is a bit dodgy and the premises may have been superseded by historical events. Main characters are mostly snotty doctors who indulge themselves in cloning and breeding experiments, resulting in borg-like hive-minds. The novel's third section partakes of the dystopian subgenre most strongly to the extent that the narrator is a non-hive-mind "individual" who must fly free &c &c &c.

Altogether, the Hugo award is plausible. Ergo:

Recommended.(less)

1 like · like · see review

May 26, 2012 Mike Moore rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book follows an attempt to preserve mankind in the face of a worst case Malthusian catastrophe. The plan spans several generations, and each generation modifies the plan with little regard for the intent of the generation before. A central idea of the plan is to preserve mankind in an unnatural state for a time. This raises the question for subsequent generations of what the proper state (or nature) of mankind is and should be.

The story is well told, the characters are fully realized, and t...more

like · see review

Apr 08, 2011 Althea Ann rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I had read this before, but so long ago (early teens?) that I couldn't really remember it. I've liked other stories by WIlhelm, so decided to re-read. Starts off with a nicely promising apocalypse, but quickly becomes a story of oh-no-the-clones! They're not Human!
The (very thin) scientific premise is that individuality must be developed at an early age, and if a group of clones grows and develops together, they will fail to develop individuality (and associated traits like creativity, imaginat...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 21, 2010 Jayaprakash Satyamurthy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I've finished Where Late The Sweet Birds Sang, and I liked it quite a lot. Ostensibly a post-apocalyptic novel about cloning, it's basically a meditation on the role of individuality and our relationship with nature as defining elements of being human. Kate Wilhelm suggests that our grounding in our own sense of individualism and our feeling of kinship with nature are powerful components of humanity that we would not do well to outgrow. The genetic holocaust that overtakes her near-future world...more I've finished Where Late The Sweet Birds Sang, and I liked it quite a lot. Ostensibly a post-apocalyptic novel about cloning, it's basically a meditation on the role of individuality and our relationship with nature as defining elements of being human. Kate Wilhelm suggests that our grounding in our own sense of individualism and our feeling of kinship with nature are powerful components of humanity that we would not do well to outgrow. The genetic holocaust that overtakes her near-future world is not particularly deeply explored or explained as it is in books like Brunner's The Sheep Look Up where the nature of the apocalypse itself is a large part of the theme of the story, and while the consequences of cloning form a large part of the plot machinery, the real emphasis here is not on a rigorous thought-exploration of the pros and cons and possible results of cloning, either. Instead, Wilhelm charts the gradual dilution of human nature into a sort of insectile collectivism through repeated cloning from the same limited gene bank and the resilient resurgence of the undiluted human spirit. Wilhelm's story states that it is better to forgo all the benefits of years of progress and technology and revert to a primitive form of life if it means preserving the diverse range of personalities and the instinctual elements of human nature. It also touches on the importance of creativity, storytelling and myth-making to humanity, with the first truly human beings in several generations turning to artistic self-expression and the telling of just-so tales. All this is framed in a narrative that, even if it is low on tech-talk and action, conveys a vivid sense of character and place. A very satisfying reading experience all in all, even if I'm just a little uncomfortable with the bucolic patriarchy established in the end - which is probably a reflection of how comfortable I am with the trappings of our decadent world civilization! Where the novel fell short for me is that none of the underlying points of the story were new, and probably weren't even at the time - paeans to individuality are not rare in American SF and the virtues of feral humanity as opposed to synthetic clones were explored in Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. (less)

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 17, 2010 Rob McMinn rated it 5 of 5 stars

It was first published in 1976, but though it was conceived 30 years ago, it seems more relevant now than it did then.

Science Fiction, as anyone who reads enough of it knows, is always “about” the present in which it is written, whether it is set in the future or not. Quite often, a writer will simply extrapolate or exaggerate present conditions in order to imagine a future. Such fiction is occasionally called Speculative Fiction, carrying the same SF acronym. I don’t particularly care what you...more It was first published in 1976, but though it was conceived 30 years ago, it seems more relevant now than it did then.

Science Fiction, as anyone who reads enough of it knows, is always “about” the present in which it is written, whether it is set in the future or not. Quite often, a writer will simply extrapolate or exaggerate present conditions in order to imagine a future. Such fiction is occasionally called Speculative Fiction, carrying the same SF acronym. I don’t particularly care what you call it. You can call it Sci Fi if you want – it doesn’t hurt me.

So it’s interesting to think that WLtSBS was published in the year of the great UK drought, the year of Minister for Drought and bricks in the cistern. And of course, it came just 3 short years after the 1973 oil crises and the subsequent economic shenanigans, for which some African countries are still paying.

WLtSBS is primarily a novel about cloning, but it’s also part of that rich subset of SF, the post-apocalyptic novel, so it’s also about the conditions that lead a group of people to embark upon an experiment in human cloning.

Imagine, if you will, another drought like that in the summer of ’76. Imagine the hosepipe bans, the water shortages, the messages about putting bricks in the toilet cistern and only using 3 inches of bath water. Imagine you have that, and then the next year: same thing. And the year after that. I doubt it would take even three years to bring us to the edge of a real crisis.

Add to the drought, or climate change, the spread of dangerous infections immune to modern antibiotics. MRSA etc. And Avian Flu, and all the other current threats, like increasing levels of infertility. Factor in a collapse in oil supplies, the resulting social breakdown (first the petrol stations close occasionally, then more often, and then forever), and you have the initial premise of WLtSBS.

Although everything I just wrote could be found in any daily newspaper at the moment, Wilhelm was imagining it all in 1975/6.

It’s interesting stuff, and it makes you think. I love her descriptions of forests growing to take over roads, rivers changing course, and nature generally taking over. She’s a superb writer, which makes it all the more bewildering that her novels aren’t easily found – you’ll never find her in Waterstones, believe me. I’ve been looking for 30 years.

But the internet is a wonderful thing, and as such there’s no excuse. WLtSBS should be required reading (especially for scientists and politicians), in the same vein as To Kill a Mockingbird.(less)

like · see review

Nov 21, 2008 Jenni rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Jenni by: Penny Heal

Shelves: sf, feminism

Very much enjoyed, would recommend. One caveat: the premise (cataclysm has happened, earth is drastically underpopulated and human fertility is knackered in) sounds like it fitted into a good old post-apocalyptic mould, but actually I'd say it's more like The Midwich Cuckoos. Its real interest is in the exploration of aliens-among-us - a group growing within the society which proves to be radically different to the parent society. I had assumed it would give me echoes of Earth Abides, but I gue...more Very much enjoyed, would recommend. One caveat: the premise (cataclysm has happened, earth is drastically underpopulated and human fertility is knackered in) sounds like it fitted into a good old post-apocalyptic mould, but actually I'd say it's more like The Midwich Cuckoos. Its real interest is in the exploration of aliens-among-us - a group growing within the society which proves to be radically different to the parent society. I had assumed it would give me echoes of Earth Abides, but I guess I'll just have to re-read that separately.

One other point that doesn't really count as a caveat - it took me until part-way through the book before I really twigged that this is one of those narrative structures which jumps periods of time. Maybe there was something about the very first sections that made me not quite get that this was how it was working, but a couple of times towards the beginning I flipped back through the pages to see if I'd missed any of the detail. For instance, there is a reference to meeting someone because they wouldn't want her to bump into "those lot down below" and only later do you find out why - obviously this is a good compact way of storytelling, but somehow there was something about the way it was done that led me to miss it at first.

The other thing that is more a personal preference than a quibble - the author does that thing where descendents of the characters you start with end up playing very similar roles, or having similar characteristics, as the original characters did. In a novel where cloning plays a big part this is obviously rather more appropriate than in a novel such as Sarum The Novel of England, where the author re-uses the same characteristics over centuries! It is a stylistic feature that I'm not overly keen on, however.

(I have added a tag for feminism here because while it's not strictly a piece of feminist sf, it clearly has equal relationships between men and women in a way that is laudable for not being elaborated on within the book.)(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 27, 2010 Kerry rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone who wants to have to think a little

Shelves: 2010, reread, sf, 9

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. When I dug out my grotty old paperback of this book, I checked the publication date out of curiosity. It is a 1981 edition that I clearly bought second hand. So I'd guess I bought it in the late '80s when I was in my late teens. That feels right with my vague memory of first reading it and means it is now well over 20 years since I read Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang. That long ago read had left me with a good feeling about the book, but I had no idea how it would hold up all these years later....more

7 likes · like · see review

Aug 08, 2012 Deborah Biancotti rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-of-the-body, writer-women

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Creepy, post-apocalyptic, 70s paranoia, post-human mind-meld where generations of clones become less human and therefore less individual, less innovative or creative, and less connected to nature.

I had a problem with that premise & I had a problem with the very plain 'tell, don't show' style of the book (e.g. "Barry watched him distrustfully, and Mark smiled softly."). Other problems included the fact there are more male characters with agency than women characters, and - finally - the fact...more Creepy, post-apocalyptic, 70s paranoia, post-human mind-meld where generations of clones become less human and therefore less individual, less innovative or creative, and less connected to nature.

I had a problem with that premise & I had a problem with the very plain 'tell, don't show' style of the book (e.g. "Barry watched him distrustfully, and Mark smiled softly."). Other problems included the fact there are more male characters with agency than women characters, and - finally - the fact that the only characters I'd come to like walked away from the story. Quite literally, they walked away. Into the creepy woods. I only read to the end because I thought they'd come back or there'd be some reference to them, but I finished reading disappointed.

This is a book of ideas rather than characters and as such it tends to skim years of history. One moment the characters are talking about the coming apocalypse, the next minute it's already happened. Although this has been referred to as 'a cautionary tale', I'm not exactly sure what it's cautioning us about. The arrogance of science, the evils of the not-quite-human, the rejection of the post-human by the natural world? Maybe all that and more.

On the plus side, interesting & pragmatic application of science with plenty of reference to its trial-&-error approach & the years (decades? generations?) of waiting. Also: a short & non-demanding read. Probably perfect if you're recovering from an accident or injury & feeling vulnerable enough to let the story spook you the way it was probably intended to. (Alas, I am currently in full health.)

The beginning of the book has a warmth that is lacking in the latter half - emblematically, I'm sure. A sign of the coming clone apocalypse & the 'white wall' (of ice) discovered coming down from the north. Speaking purely for myself, books that try to 'live' their theme this way, with an adverse impact to style & story, don't work for me no matter how much I respect their intelligence for doing it. I felt bad for not liking this book more, but ultimately I had to drag myself through the final 30 pages just so I could post a Goodreads review!(less)

like · see review

Jul 26, 2012 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopian, standalone, scifi

This award-winning book had the bonus of being written by a woman, which isn’t always easy to find in older scifi. I also was intrigued by the cloning theme. How would someone in 1977 view something that was, as yet, nowhere near as close to a reality as it is now, with our cloned sheep?

The book starts out incredibly strongly. So strongly, in fact, that I actually had nightmares from it, which never happens to me ever. The family are really not people you would want retooling the world. They’re...more This award-winning book had the bonus of being written by a woman, which isn’t always easy to find in older scifi. I also was intrigued by the cloning theme. How would someone in 1977 view something that was, as yet, nowhere near as close to a reality as it is now, with our cloned sheep?

The book starts out incredibly strongly. So strongly, in fact, that I actually had nightmares from it, which never happens to me ever. The family are really not people you would want retooling the world. They’re everything that can be (and usually is) bad about the 1%. They’re selfish, self-centered, snobby, and routinely employ nepotism. I found the incest in the first third of the book talking about the first generation of the family to be an interesting metaphor for how the elite can become so backwards and grotesque from sheer isolation. It’s powerful and moving, and a scenario that will remain in my mind.

The second third of the book focuses in on a woman, Molly, from the first generation of clones. This is disturbing in its own way, because they don’t just clone everyone once and have done with it, no. They clone everyone multiple times until there are clusters of the same person at different ages wandering around.

The last third, unfortunately, didn’t live up to the first two-thirds of the book. It’s almost as if Wilhelm freaked herself out and backed off from the profoundly disturbing story she was telling and went a more conventional direction. That was disappointing. I also found certain parts of this to be very boring and slow-moving compared to the first two-thirds. That makes for odd pacing in a book.

Of course, my complaints about the last third backing off, being more conventional, and being rather dull don’t take away from the first two thirds at all. They bring about so many interesting societal questions.

As for the science itself, it is quite well-done. Wilhelm clearly thought through both keeping a closed-off community alive and cloning and bringing to term embryos. She also put thought into the scientific basis for why clusters of clones would be different from individual humans, touching on psychology and twin studies. I was a bit irritated that she bases the survival of these people on cloning farm animals, when that is not a good use of their limited land resources. Studies have shown many many times that a combination of farming vitamin-rich plants and hunting/gathering are the best use of limited land resources, so this particular element rang a bit of bad science. However, I am not certain how much land usage had been studied in the 1970s, so that could possibly just be a sign of the times.

Overall, then, this is a fascinating classic of scifi. It examines the apocalypse through the lens of the elite, thereby analyzing and critiquing them, but it also looks at possible consequences of cloning and ponders what ultimately makes us human. Although the last third of the book is a bit less creative and more conventional than the first two, it is still a fascinating read. Recommended to scifi fans, particularly those with an interest in group dynamics.

Check out my full review. (Link will be live July 30, 2012).(less)

like · see review

Jan 17, 2012 Ashley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi-fantasy

Confusing start, but that may have been user error. I think this one may have been easier to keep up with in book form rather than audio, but I made it through and I'm glad I did. The book was primarily a story about the individual versus the group. It starts off with a series of catastrophic events resulting in world wide epidemic and infertility. A wealthy family of scientists, doctors and scholars develop a community and implement the science of cloning in order to maintain the survival of th...more

like · see review

Jul 02, 2012 Stephen rated it 2 of 5 stars

First off, this presents an absolutely fascinating take on apocalyptic fiction. Though I disagree with some of the propositions she put forth, it left me wishing that I had a friend who was reading it that I could discuss and debate the implications with. It's a fascinating examinations on the nature of humanity.

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to care much for human nature. And this, unlike a lot of science fiction of its day, seems to be trying to build the story telling around characterization....more

like · see review

Jun 20, 2012 Ben rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm trying to read all of the Hugo Award winning novels, and saw this one at a book sale. It was short, sweet and enjoyable read, but it shows its age a little bit. It's 36 years old and the modern conceptualization of clones is much more...well...non-romantic than this one.

Something prevents humans from reproducing, and one colony decides to clone themselves to preserve their lineage. They've found out that after several generations, the new clones will be able to reproduce sexually. Unfortunat...more

like · see review

Dec 05, 2012 Kim rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of literary science fiction

A large and wealthy family living in the Shenandoah Valley recognizes that the end of modern society is near and takes steps to secure themselves and their future by devising a research facility to clone their livestock -— and themselves.

Kate Wilhelm's writing throughout Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang is beautiful, but the plot seems quite dated in 2012. It is not that her premise —-that in cloning ourselves we lose much of what makes us human-— is necessarily wrong (we have no idea how generat...more

like · see review

Jun 26, 2010 Laurel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Its been a long time since I've read a book in one sitting - but this story captured me. It is not a depressing, post-apocalyptic story. More a cautionary tale that encourages you to explore, to think about the world around you. I don't want to say more, to give anything away, but I highly recommend taking up this tale!

1 like · like · see review

title link	preview: Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang
avg rating	preview: Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang Goodreads rating: 3.88 (2925 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/968827.Where_Late_the_Sweet_Birds_Sang?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1216768815l/968827.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/968827.Where_Late_the_Sweet_Birds_Sang?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm[/url]

Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (21)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Kate Wilhelm

Books by Kate Wilhelm

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Where Late the Sw...