Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Die Parabel vom Sämann by Octavia E. Butler

230 reviews

caseybones's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful sad 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

4.25

I put off reading this book for years because all I’d heard was how traumatizing it is and how difficult to read. I didn’t find that to be the case. The subject matter is distressing and difficult to face but nothing is overly graphic or unnecessarily explicit. Nothing feels gratuitous.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Child death, Violence, and War

Moderate: Sexual violence, Murder, Rape, Child abuse, and Cannibalism

eed8's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, Violence, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Child abuse, Slavery, Animal death, Cannibalism, Rape, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Drug abuse, and Racism

albearcamus's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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

4.5

A tale of suffering, survival and humanity. Definitely a fascinating depiction of life in a world ravaged by climate change and bad politics (sounds familiar). Butler blends intersectionality into a tale that makes you feel for the characters and their survival. 
I found it excellently written, smooth and easy to read. The characters were mostly realistic and the situations believable for the world they’re in. 
Definitely recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Rape, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, and Slavery

shesreadingagain_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Violence, Child death, Grief, Animal death, Death, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Blood, Classism, Drug use, Stalking, Gore, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, War, and Torture

tey_lynn's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Slavery, Gun violence, Blood, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Drug abuse, Cursing, Murder, Gore, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Death, Child death, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, and Animal death

emelye's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Violence, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Child death

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Blood, Cannibalism, and Drug abuse

heemeeraa's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective 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: Confinement, Death, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Child death, Classism, Gaslighting, Genocide, Misogyny, Racism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Colonisation, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, Police brutality, Gun violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, Rape, Trafficking, War, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Cannibalism, Slavery, Death of parent, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, and Sexism

bertabuecher's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-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: Sexual violence, Child abuse, and Violence

gar42's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark inspiring tense fast-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 had heard so much about this book, and it was on my TBR forever, but I knew I had to start it this year, 2024, which is when the book is set. 

This is a dystopian novel to end all dystopian novels. Deeply unsettling, yet steeped in reality, in trends of the past and hope for the future. 

Lauren’s character was so compelling throughout. Her wisdom and her hope, despite having no reason to believe in a better world, pushed me through the darkness and grittiness of this novel. I can understand why this book has found itself in “current events” sections in bookstores and libraries. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Police brutality, Slavery, Pregnancy, Animal death, Blood, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Gore, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Murder, Torture, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Drug use, Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault

lisacanteven's review against another edition

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

This is my first Octavia Butler book to read, and I wish I had done so sooner. This book is brilliant. I am not sure what I was expecting, maybe Octavia's prose to be a bit less accessible. But I just clicked with it right away, and I think that is very important when writing a book that is such a powerful glimpse into our country and the faults that it has. Sure, we aren't there yet but we could be in the future. Lauren was such an intriguing character. Dare I say that I loved her? I think I did. Her strength and tenacity had me cheering for her the whole time. Does that mean I would be a great cult member? I won't look too deeply into that. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Body horror, Gun violence, Blood, Child death, Classism, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, Grief, Death of parent, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Cannibalism, Drug abuse, Medical content, Mental illness, Slavery, Abandonment, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Police brutality, and Trafficking

Minor: Addiction, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Incest, Suicide, and Alcoholism