A post-apocalyptic scenario written by a woman, concentrating on the psychological and sociological aspects of survival. It must stand the test of time better than Niven's Lucifer's Hammer, (That was also published in 1977).
But since the science didn't make much sense, (I didn't see a reason why cloning would have the effects described), I ended up looking at the attributes Kate Wilhelm decided to give clones as opposed to "Humans" and all I see is the American fears about communism.
They lose their individuality, their creativity, the ability to innovate, and for some reason monogamy, (perhaps she was afraid of hippies?).
In 2024, Where Late the Sweet Bird Sang felt more like a historical document that teaches you about the culture at the time of its writing than a Sci-Fi novel.
PS.
An enjoyable aspect: The audiobook narrator, Anna Fields, sound remarkably like Ellen DeGeneres.
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