Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

194 reviews

sabrinazj's review

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Ableism, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Racial slurs, Vomit, Police brutality, and Cannibalism

Father is deemed dead by disappearance.

Minor religious trauma

itshrewsbury's review against another edition

dark emotional tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, and Cannibalism

florendie's review

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Octavia Butler is one of the greats when it comes to dystopia and speculative fiction. Her writing style (simple and to the point) and the realism with which the characters behave make this book painfllly relevant, scary and hopeful at the same time. I'm not a religious person but the way Lauren talked about change resonated with me. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book, even if I would have preferred

Lauren to be a less Messiah-like figure and a relationship with someone her own age.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Blood, Grief, and Murder

akamuva's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

episodewarrior's review

emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

I really enjoyed Parable of the Sower, it’s message overall is compelling to read within the year it takes place in. I want to read the second book as I am interested to see where it will go. I highly recommend this novel and found myself always entertained and fully immersed when reading.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, and Murder

julieallison's review

adventurous dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, War, and Classism

happylilfaerie's review

dark reflective sad

2.5

The more I think about this book the less I like it. Americans have “become” evil and are raping, torturing and cannibalising each other. Where does evil come from? Why are women and girls being raped every page but not a single man is raped? Drug users are usually seeking an escape and to be able to cope with life, in this book they are evil people who want to set others on fire, why? 

None of the interesting aspects bought up were explored - hyperempathy, company towns, how to live off the land, and building community in disaster.

The masses walking on foot from one part of the country to another to seek safety and resources echoes very familiarly to me as an Iraqi. Just look at Falisteen right now. We help each other, protect each other, share our food etc.  I suppose a population as savage and uncivilised as the west couldn’t be expected to know how to behave when resources become scarce. 

Why was the unethical relationship between a teenager and a 57 year old, a whole 40 years older, normalised and made to seem okay? That man is a predator, I don’t give a shit how “mature” the child seems. 

The side characters kind of blurred together, instead of personality and development, they were given sob backstories. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, and Cannibalism

cynopsis's review

dark sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment

salemander's review against another edition

5.0

so haunting and hopeful at the same time. octavia butler is a master of her craft. her poetic language and incredible world building kept me hooked.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

djeanine's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail