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kshertz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Biphobia, Homophobia, Rape, Abandonment, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Trafficking, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, and Murder
lectrixnoctis's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
In 2032, Lauren Olamina endured the destruction of her home and family and realised her vision of a friendly community in northern California based on her recently founded a religion, Earthseed. The fledgling community supplies shelter for outcasts facing persecution after the election of an ultra-conservative president who vows to "make America great again." In an increasingly separated and dangerous nation, Lauren's subversive territory minority religious coalition led by a young black woman--becomes a mark for President Jarret's rule of terror and oppression.
Years after, Asha Vere reads the diaries of a mother she never knew, Lauren Olamina. She struggles to negotiate with her mother's estate as she searches for solutions to her past. She is caught between her duty to her chosen family and her calling to guide humanity into a better future.
This book is written as a diary and employs the identical style as the first in this duology, getting the same issues with it. The protagonist has the propensity to distance herself from what transpired to her through her diary documenting as a way of self-therapy. However, it does not necessarily ensure an engaging read because of how healing this factual representation of events can be. The lived experiences make for a fascinating story, but the tone is not there to empathise with the individual you are meant to be sympathising with.
There is a silver lining, yet Where the first piece of the series was a monologue by Lauren Olamina, new narrators are brought into this volume. Lauren's spouse gets a pair of pages, and so does one of her brothers, but these contributions are so small they are entirely meaningless in hindsight. The star narrator of this novel is Olamina's daughter. She delivers a new and fresh mindset, which is not an unexpected feeling she grew up without and far away from her mother. This voice offers the reader a break from Lauren's self-indulgent narrative and, for those like me who had hardships relating to the self-declared Messiah, a representative of reason one could connect to.
I do not doubt that this book, like the first one, is an absolute classic and a dystopian masterpiece; however, I had The same problems with this book as the first one.
Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Child death, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Torture
jessthanthree'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? No
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Violence, Torture, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, and Rape
Moderate: Suicide and Pregnancy
bookcaptivated'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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Death, Child death, Gore, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Trafficking
Moderate: Suicide, Stalking, Outing, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, and Homophobia
Minor: Alcohol and Vomit
judewalkerstories'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? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Rape, Violence, Abandonment, Child death, and Death
This book was not as strong as her first of the Parable series, in my opinion. It was much more sad and felt rushed. I did not enjoy it as much.alomie'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? Yes
3.5
I found the start of the book slow, and the middle glacial and uncomfortable the end was good, this is where it really picked up for me but I think this was only because at least something vaguely positive was happening.
It was bleak, and it was slow, and for me it was quite hard to wade through the book. It was pretty harsh to read and I was finding it hard to pick up.
I am glad the characters got a happier ending.
Graphic: Addiction, Violence, Torture, Suicide, Slavery, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Gun violence, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Car accident, Religious bigotry, Rape, Racism, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Lesbophobia, Kidnapping, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, Death, Classism, Child abuse, Child death, Vomit, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Pedophilia, Murder, Death of parent, Cursing, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, and Sexism
leonieschw's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Death of parent, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, War, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Racism, Grief, Slavery, Colonisation, Violence, Kidnapping, Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Torture, Rape, and Miscarriage
jojo_'s review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Murder, Violence, Abandonment, Child abuse, Lesbophobia, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Homophobia, Racism, Slavery, Fire/Fire injury, Xenophobia, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Classism, Grief, Ableism, Death of parent, Rape, Addiction, Blood, Drug abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Trafficking, Infidelity, and Pedophilia
Minor: Gun violence, Pregnancy, Police brutality, and Toxic relationship
lilcoppertop'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
3.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Outing, Pedophilia, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, and Trafficking
chloebethx_'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Classism, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Colonisation, and Death of parent