Reviews tagging 'Cannibalism'

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

787 reviews

leilapalooza's review

challenging dark emotional 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: Violence and Cannibalism

Moderate: Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Vomit, and Trafficking

gracekuehn's review

challenging dark medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Cannibalism, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic

stephphoney's review

dark sad tense 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

4.5

I should have read this before this fiction became too close to reality. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, Cannibalism, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

jaimc's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful sad 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? It's complicated

3.25

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Content Warnings

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

challenging dark emotional sad medium-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

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

hknuteson's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Cannibalism, Murder, and War

_david_'s review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• 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

I don't really see a reason to pick up this book.

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.

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Content Warnings

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

af666014's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

Very interesting combo of societal issues in an apocalyptic world. Definitely a gruesome read but good.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Violence, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

k_preezy20's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

4.5

I finished reading this book for the first time at 28, in 2025. Much like N.K. Jemison's Afterword, I'm eager to see how my relation to and understanding of this book changes over time. I have had this book loosely on my "to-read" list for a while--ever since I tried to get into The Handmaid's Tale and was told that Parable of the Sower did that story better. I'm not quite certain, yet, how I feel coming away from this first read. I do think that I struggled to relate to Lauren, but, like her companions, have found interest in the ideas she espouses for "Earthseed." It's given me a lot to sit with and reflect on, especially in the current sociopolitical climate. For that, and some of the lessons from Lauren's journey so far, I am grateful.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Cannibalism

manyofmae's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

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