Reviews tagging 'Trafficking'

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

355 reviews

jchonbahl's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

As NK Jemison said, Butler was prescient with her understanding of life in her future 2024-2027. One so grave and familiar to us now.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

sophiesmallhands's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Trafficking, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

dariogd's review

adventurous dark hopeful reflective sad tense medium-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

edebaca's review

adventurous dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gun violence and Violence

Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Gore, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Torture, Trafficking, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

janaaax's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-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

4.0

I did not enjoy everything about this book. I sometimes did not understand the charactermotives and it is for sure the most violent and brutal book I have ever read and I usually do not enjoy these things but this book left a deeply but rather pessimist Impression on me. It feels so true, certainly to close to the truth to be comfortable but I will remember it for a long time and I liked the thoughts about earthseed about God is change and working, creating and forming a better world is praying.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Trafficking, and Cannibalism

indiawrites's review against another edition

adventurous challenging reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

I figured I would read this book in light of everything that is going on in the U.S. politically. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. I enjoy reading dystopian novels and hearing the year "2025" written as if it's light-years away was kind of jarring. Butler does a great job of developing characters and relationships. There is also a clear understanding of the MC motivation. I feel like this is something I should have read in school if it weren't for the sex scenes. It cover the social, economic, and political downfall of the U.S. It is kind of creepy reading some of the beliefs of the President from the novel in comparison to our newly installed felon in chief. I highly recommend this novel to anyone that is looking for a good read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Suicide

sirchancelot99's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

A delicate balancing act between prescient terrors of the future and inspired insight of the artist. The stubborn, youthful hope that Octavia Butler infuses into her protagonist is both necessary as a contrast against the darkest parts of her (Butler’s) imagination and serves as a reminder that the most challenged, most vulnerable members of our society have the greatest insight into its machinations. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Rape, Slavery, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, and Kidnapping

Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Blood, Cannibalism, and Alcohol

marena02's review

dark emotional hopeful sad tense slow-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? Yes

4.0

I don’t know how to feel about this book as a whole in terms of plot and story. I will say what I loved most about it were the characters and the world building. Octavia Butler has a way of making these dystopian landscapes feel so real in more ways than one, and having these characters interact in a way that’s genuine and authentic. Lauren as a main character is an interesting perspective to read from. She’s not necessarily considered a chosen one archetype that’s usually in these types of stories. She’s very cynical, a know-it-all, and just a girl who slowly becomes a cult leader. I liked her. I was overwhelmed with the amount of side characters at the beginning of the book and at some point couldn’t keep up with who was dating who or the child of who, but as the book progressed it got easier to digest. Her ending with up a 50 year old man was a choice. I really don’t know how to breakdown my thoughts about this book, but the gist is I liked it. The second half more than the first.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

grimendale's review

challenging dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

4.75

A depressingly prescient read. Things haven’t quite gotten as bad as in the book yet, but it feels like we’re on the way. 

It’s a very somber meditation on change, both embracing the good and surviving the bad. It’s about building community and being careful about those who want to tear them down. Butler’s prose is as poetic and compelling as always, making this an even more important book than ever.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, and Classism

wayward's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Sexual violence, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Trafficking