Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

16 reviews

dean_'s review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and War

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

gmortg3's review

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

jaymem's review

adventurous challenging dark fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

lilybear3's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

I listened to this as an unabridged audiobook read by  Lynne Thigpen.  They have a lovely voice that is graceful, yet captures the heaviness. This is one of the best dystopian novels I have read.  Her messages on social injustices and climate change are true and prophetic.  I was highly engaged for the majority of the book, but I lost a little interest towards the end when

more and more people joined the group on the journey. It was about when Emery and Mora showed up

.  There were a lot of scenes and imagery that felt like it was added for shock value, but I think that is the reality of the world they live in.  I was not a fan of the age-gap relationship, but I interpreted it as commentary on how children mature way too fast when in an environment that forces them to grow up.  Characterization was fantastic.  There were great descriptions while also characterizing through the characters' actions.  Watching Lauren grow into her own and write about her spiritual and philosophical beliefs was so interesting.  I thought the ending was fitting, it wasn't amazing, but acceptable.  I'm glad I read this classic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Slavery

Minor: Cannibalism

starccato's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

rosiewants2read's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Octavia Butler is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers. This book is amazing 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture and Violence

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Rape, and Slavery

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Sexism, Suicide, and Toxic relationship