Reviews tagging 'Trafficking'

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

355 reviews

colleensbeans's review

challenging dark 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

4.25

Very much liked Lauren and her characterization. Not light reading, and not for the weak of stomach or faint of heart. I am still unsure if I enjoyed reading or if the horror of it overpowered how well crafted it was was for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Incest, Racism, Police brutality, Trafficking, Cannibalism, and Pregnancy

radfordmanor's review

challenging dark mysterious 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Police brutality, Trafficking, and Injury/Injury detail

carlyoc's review against another edition

dark hopeful slow-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

4.75

I was worried I would find this book depressing, having heard of parallels to today's world. But although it is a dystopia set in 2024-2027, I actually found it uplifting. For one thing, as bad as things are in real life 2025, it could be worse as Butler shows. Also, no matter how bad things get, there is always hope as long as there are people willing to work toward a better future. The story follows Lauren, a teenager who grew up in an America so chaotic and lawless that her neighborhood had to be protected by walls and to venture outside was to risk your life. She begins to weave her own religion, Earthseed, where she dreams of a future in space and of building a community where everyone helps each other to get there. When her somewhat peaceful childhood falls apart, she becomes the leader of an increasingly large travelling group heading north to start a new life. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Rape, Slavery, Trafficking, Cannibalism, and Fire/Fire injury

magicinavalon's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.75

Probably the best dystopian novel I've read. All of the characters and the world itself felt so real. Harrowing and dark, but full of human endurance, compassion, and strength.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Trafficking, and Death of parent

tianas_littalk's review against another edition

dark emotional 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, Gun violence, and Violence

Moderate: Rape, Slavery, and Cannibalism

Minor: Animal cruelty, Incest, Trafficking, and Injury/Injury detail

cromb's review

challenging dark 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? Yes

3.75

Astutely observing trends in American society and taking those trends their most harrowing possible conclusions, Octavia Butler gives us an incredibly dark and depressing look at humanity at its worst, providing just enough hope and kindness to keep us from shutting the book and entering a depression-induced vegetative state.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Torture, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Slavery, and Police brutality

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Racism, and Trafficking

surfpark's review

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

The world-building in scary and memorable. This book will stick with you, regardless if you like it or not. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

kyshea11's review

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Rape, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

margaretpeebles's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

jalynn's review

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Police brutality, Trafficking, and War