Reviews with content warning for Incest - Parable of the Sower

Reviews tagging 'Incest'

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

158 reviews

bg_oseman_fan's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

this was a challenging bit rewarding read. given the current climate, this book feels really timely, almost prescient. At times I felt the characterization of the main character felt it bit off, it felt to much like reading about someone taking about the character rather than the character using their own voice if that makes sense. still i enjoyed the book and while it wouldn’t be one i’d recommend to everyone, it’s going to be sticking with me for a while

Content Warnings

faringwell's review

Go to review page

dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

Content Warnings

jennaniho's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

"There is no end to what a living world will demand of you."
_________________________

To say this book is heavy, eye-opening, and impactful is an understatement. Octavia E. Butler does a good job at vividly showing what many marginalized communities have experienced for decades: non-stop violence. And though I really didn't like the romanticization of an 18-year-old girl with a 50+ year-old man, the rest of the book's focus was on survival from the ongoing violence that Lauren and her group faced daily.

Likewise, I agree that this book is the closest thing to a dystopian reality that we have, but (again) this is a reality that many black and brown folks have experienced before, and still do.

Content Warnings

vee_eb's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional reflective tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Prescient novel. Butler drew from real history and then current events to accurately predict what the 2020s are shaping up to be. And it's dark.

Favourite quote:
"It's better to teach people than to scare them, Lauren. If you scare them and nothing happens, they lose their gear, and you lose some of your authority with them. It's harder to scare them a second time, harder to teach them, harder to win back their trust. Best to begin by teaching."

The only thing I would say is that because I'm not religious in the slightest, some of the belief system doesn't make much of an impression on me as I shy away from religion in all forms.

Content Warnings

meganivonneth's review

Go to review page

challenging dark hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

I had been wanting to read this book for a while, and I'm glad I did. While I thought it was a bit of a hard read and wasn't too into it, it was definitely necessary. A dystopian world and the never-ending complications that come with it seem closer than we think in reality. It made me accept that there's not always going to be a happy ending. Some storylines were left unresolved, and we just have to sit with that.

Content Warnings