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otherwordy's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
mymyfrog's review
5.0
Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, and War
reading_bunny's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.5
Writing: 4/5
Characters: 3/5
Plot: 4/5
Overall: 3.5/5
Review:
I only read this book because it was assigned reading for a university class but I really enjoyed it!
The themes and topics were really heavy but the way that Lauren talked about them makes it both more palatable and devastating.
The whole climate apocalypse theme is always fun to read, especially when it's written in the past, so debit seems to be more if a reality as the years go by.
The whole book has the theme of perspective with how Lauren sees the world and her opinions, and how others see the world and their opinions, it's a huge point if conflict in the book and makes Lauren add to and change Earthseed
I have MAJOR beef with that guy though! I don't even wanna wrote his name because he is the same age as my FATHER and that is gross!!!! Plus the way he sees Earthseed and Laurens want to spread the word and start a community pisses me off.
ANYWAYS
would I recommend this book to others? No, not unless I knew they would be able to handle the extensive triggers and themes of the book.
Would I personally read this again? Absolutely not, but I did really enjoy the read though
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Miscarriage, Racism, Slavery, Police brutality, Trafficking, and Murder
Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, Confinement, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicide, Torture, Kidnapping, Colonisation, and Classism
sadtourist's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A very well-written speculative fiction book in the style of a journal written by a young woman (15-18 years old over the course of the storyline) documenting her experiences. Several things are happening at the same time (not spoilers):
1) We are seeing the world slowly descending into a (at least partly climate-induced) dystopian/apocalyptic world that we often see in this genre, but we're not fully there yet. There are still governments, cities, state borders, and even police (there's no pretense of their usefulness, but just saying that this isn't a post-apocalyptic story. It's happening now). This was a new (to me) take on a genre I read a lot, and it was interesting to see how things happen a bit more slowly over time. I would have liked to learn more about what happened in this world (politically, environmentally, etc) that caused so much to change before the protagonist's time.
2) The protagonist, young Lauren Olamina, has a syndrome (from birth) enabling her to feel the pain (and pleasure) of others. This is something that Lauren deals with throughout the novel which can be extremely dangerous and incapacitating because of the violence and death surrounding her. I am curious to see if the second book explores a bit more of the hope that this offers civilization in the future: are the people with this syndrome just more vulnerable, or are they the hope for the future?
3) And throughout all of this, Lauren is developing her own belief system. There is something really beautiful and enticing (to me) about the Earthseed religious philosophy, which is that it feels very tangible. It's a system of belief built up around real life, based on Lauren's constant analyzing of the world around her. The religion offers structure, community, goals, lessons, and hope. While reading, I thought a lot about the role of organized religion in a near-world-ending scenario. Is a system of belief like this more necessary and useful to a community than existing religions, or even no religion? Food for thought.
Before diving into this book, I think I was apprehensive about getting started for several reasons: I'm a bit done with the YA genre and often avoid books with young/teenage protagonists. I also was aware that the book focuses on religion, and for personal reasons that's something I haven't been in the mood to reflect much on in the last few years. But I'm so glad I finally sat down and took the time to read and appreciate this book.
I was very inspired reading this book: inspired by how Lauren moves through the world as a leader despite her age. Inspired by Butler's writing. Inspired by a philosophy of accepting and embracing change.
It's hard to write and reflect on it now, because I can't say: 'it was a pleasure to read' (because... woof. It hits you in the gut. It's not a 'pleasure'). It's hard to say 'I loved it', because there's so much pain and violence and horror that is hard to love. But underlying all of that is actually... hope.
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Rape
annabelle_v1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death and Rape
Minor: Drug use, Slavery, Torture, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Cannibalism
novel_nymph's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
meagangrace's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Rape, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Drug abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Vomit, Grief, and Cannibalism
aksmith92's review against another edition
- 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? No
5.0
The Setup: Parable of the Sower is a dystopian novel set in a future America (psst., it starts in 2024 because this novel was written in the 90s) ravaged by climate change, economic collapse, and social breakdown. The story follows Lauren Olamina, a girl born with "hyperempathy," - a condition that causes her to feel others' pain physically. Growing up in a walled community in California, Lauren witnesses her once-protected neighborhood fall apart under the pressure of extreme poverty, violence, and drug addiction.
After Pyro-addicted arsonists destroy her community (that's an element you have to read to believe), Lauren embarks on a dangerous journey north with a small group of survivors. Along the way, she shares her belief system, Earthseed, which posits that "God is Change" and that humanity's destiny lies in spreading life among the stars. The novel explores themes of survival, adaptability, community, and the role of empathy in a world where kindness can be a weakness.
This novel is a powerful and prophetic work. Its examination of societal breakdown and insights into the intersection of climate change, inequality, and human resilience are chillingly relatable even in our not-so-dystopian time. Butler's world-building and Lauren's journey are both thought-provoking and eerily relevant.
What I loved: NOTHING! Just kidding. I loved everything about this book, but not because it was a light-hearted and fun read. I felt the same way about Kindred, which wound up in my 6-star-read "shelf." This novel also landed on that shelf because Octavia E Butler knew what she was doing. This encapsulated the human experience in a grim yet probable (and therefore, horrifying) way and showcased the necessity of empathy and kindness in a world where that could get you killed. Lauren maybe wasn't the most relatable, but she was brilliant and wanted to give the world something to look forward to in such a dark time. I couldn't help but root for her and the people she traveled with.
Butler's legacy is truly a master of speculative fiction - this novel oozed a warning while also signaling hope. This book was a powerful social commentary and a beacon of hope for readers seeking positive outcomes in uncertain times while not being overly happy (because that won't happen). Additionally, some might say the "hyperempathy" element was thrown in there haphazardly, but I would beg to differ. Incorporating that almost magical realism piece was such a lovely touch to sensationalize empathy in a good way - if we all could feel that much pain, would we be in this situation? It brought out so many questions that I think are super relevant to our lives now and will be going forward. I loved everything about this book, even when it was hard to read - we need to read books like these, even if they defeat us.
It's another 6-star read for me, but it might not be for you. It's dark, grim, and violent, and it showcases the darkest parts of humanity, or what could be humanity. That may not be for you, but I encourage you to pick it up and think critically about it. Butler's prose is generally straight to the point and sometimes even emotionless, which I can see people having a hard time getting into, but my love for her work will supersede any minor issue. It was an honor to read this book, even if it was emotionally damaging. Read it!!
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Medical content, and Pregnancy
Minor: Sexual content
official_homo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Drug abuse, Slavery, and Torture
Minor: Rape
falseprophet's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
my second butler read. the relationships in this book are... suspect but.... anyway.. read in about 4 hrs.
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Trafficking
Moderate: Cannibalism
Minor: Incest and Vomit