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rnbhargava'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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Incest, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
This is a post-apocalyptic tale where the characters find themselves in relationships with whoever, even potentially cousins and other forms of incest. The violence is very graphic. Much of it is rooted in drug addiction. The racism between characters is rampant too. Well worth the read but please not triggers.jaimc'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? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Medical content
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Infertility, Pedophilia, Slavery, Torture, Vomit, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
yinzer_barbie's review
- 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
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
_david_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
The book did not manage to grip me. There was a lot of repetition and the constant same amount of tension and chaos made it oddly boring. I didn't feel immersed and stopped caring about the character, I just felt like I was on a slow monorail just logging through the chapters.
I didn't like the main character, she felt very young with the naive "I've figured out the world" mindset, without ever being punished for it. She never questioned her own way of thinking either.
The world building was lackluster, the multiple themes which seemed to make this book special (pyromania, dystopia, starting a new religion) were never really expanded on or even challenged. It's just as it is and you only read about the direct current consequences to the characters.
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Trafficking, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Infertility and Vomit
manyofmae's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
betsybarc's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War
meaghanelizabook'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
4.0
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Body horror, Drug abuse, Gore, Rape, Sexual content, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Addiction, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Incest, and Slavery
vixusg's review against another edition
- 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
Firstly this book is exactly the genre of book I love--one that I've dreamed of writing myself. A post--apocalyptic survival story, with detailed information on how exactly they're surviving. Very realistic barring the hyper-empathy and bits of technological advancement but it's Sci-fi, so I wouldn't expect anything else.
I am particularly attached to the main character Lauren, I see a lot of myself in her character, both as someone who stores items in preparedness for if something went wrong or if a fire broke out and also as someone who hoards information from books on survival.
The only thing I didn't vibe with Lauren on was the religion. Im an atheist but I appreciate her views and the lore behind it but I am relatively indifferent to religion as a whole. I think it's an interesting religion she's creating, and interesting the elements she pull from other religions. I'm interested in it so far as a lore aspect rather than anything else. I do like the link between the title (parable of the Sower is a Bible parable) and Laurens new religion. It's is heavy on this aspect so asthiests and those with religious trauma beware.
As for the world...I live in California, so I know the landscape of the story very intimately. Having grown up in Sacramento and now living in southern California, I can picture every aspect of their journey because I've been there myself--honestly, a privilege to be able to have this kind of perspective while reading. Knowing first-hand exactly the kind of climate problems/natural disasters that California faces makes me all too familiar with Butler's idea of future.
That's not even to mention the socioeconomic disasters that are plaguing the story, of which, I find very realistic when it comes to the history and current climate of our country. I can see very clearly why this has been recommended in place of The Handmaid's Tale. I do find it far more encompassing of the various complex problems that exist in the story and our society. Very much like looking into a dimension that's just on the other side of the street.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Cursing, Hate crime, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Emotional abuse and Excrement
ireaditonthebus's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
beansprout562's review
- 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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury