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michellechien930's review against another edition
5.0
Set in a bleak futuristic version of California in 2024, Parable of the Sower depicts Butler’s somber re-imagination of the world left behind amidst an apocalypse. Los Angeles in the year 2024 is an amalgamation of what Butler envisions as the sickness of modern society: an anarchist government, violent and virulent, set on its path of destruction into a gradually destabilized state of disorder. Parable of the Sower’s main protagonist Lauren Olamina suffers from the special condition of “hyper-empathy,” a condition that hinders her survivalist skills amidst an increasingly dangerous and volatile world. However, Olamina finds solace in her writings and harbors dreams of futurity and posterity in her self-invented religion “Earthseed.” Her religion in turn invites readers of Parable of the Sower to think about the utopia Olamina envisions and what it means for the future generations to come. Read this for the first time for my Utopia seminar class, and I loved it!
bookishjess02's review against another edition
5.0
I decided to reread this book, and it’s just as awesome and amazing the second time around! There is a reason Octavia E. Butler is my favorite author, and this novel is just one of the many reasons why.
kdahlo's review against another edition
5.0
This book is incredibly brutal, incredibly thought provoking, and terrifyingly relevant to the climate crisis and widening economic divide of the current era. I spent hours discussing this book while and after reading. There are some powerful ideas packed into this book. Worth more than one read.
magicalgirlmel's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.5
xtie's review against another edition
3.0
I went in knowing little except for Toshi + Bernice Johnson Reagons adaptation — and even then, I wasn’t expecting a) how dark it was and b) how little I was shocked by the graphic nature of the book.
But where I felt it didn’t quite land with me was the dialogue — and seeing it all through Laurens eyes. Maybe it is meant to reflect the way Lauren has to just bear the brunt of the world, but the fast switches, assumptions and statements she would make gave me a bit of whiplash. It was weirdly emotionless for a hyperempath - and it was inconsistent as well. Sometimes overwhelming, sometimes dispassionate, but not with any patterns or intent from Lauren.
I also know I’m meant to be engaging with Earthseed, but I found it quite difficult to engage with, and shared the apprehensions her travelling party had with it. I wish there was more engagement outside of the verses and the one or two discussions we see referred to. Without that, Earthseed felt like all headlines no content. Maybe I’m missing something from a religion that was thought up by a 16 year old.
I think the biggest reason I’ve held back from loving this book fully was the interview with Butler at the end of the edition I read. In it, she describes this world as the US as if it had “become… a third world country” - dated language yes, but really telling that her belief that the US *didnt already* have all these evils within its borders (I’m fairly sure it did in the 90s already, when this was written!). It dulls the shock factor. Maybe Butler would be horrified to hear me say this, just 3 decades later.
It’s still a gripping and colourful story. I was fully immersed and where there was character development (read: not often), I loved feeling for these people. Like, a world where everyone relies on guns but simultaneously not the cops. Or, the value people place on food they grew themselves as opposed to expensive and therefore unaffordable store bought things. And the ability to still have sex amongst all this terror lol.
But where I felt it didn’t quite land with me was the dialogue — and seeing it all through Laurens eyes. Maybe it is meant to reflect the way Lauren has to just bear the brunt of the world, but the fast switches, assumptions and statements she would make gave me a bit of whiplash. It was weirdly emotionless for a hyperempath - and it was inconsistent as well. Sometimes overwhelming, sometimes dispassionate, but not with any patterns or intent from Lauren.
I also know I’m meant to be engaging with Earthseed, but I found it quite difficult to engage with, and shared the apprehensions her travelling party had with it. I wish there was more engagement outside of the verses and the one or two discussions we see referred to. Without that, Earthseed felt like all headlines no content. Maybe I’m missing something from a religion that was thought up by a 16 year old.
I think the biggest reason I’ve held back from loving this book fully was the interview with Butler at the end of the edition I read. In it, she describes this world as the US as if it had “become… a third world country” - dated language yes, but really telling that her belief that the US *didnt already* have all these evils within its borders (I’m fairly sure it did in the 90s already, when this was written!). It dulls the shock factor. Maybe Butler would be horrified to hear me say this, just 3 decades later.
It’s still a gripping and colourful story. I was fully immersed and where there was character development (read: not often), I loved feeling for these people. Like, a world where everyone relies on guns but simultaneously not the cops. Or, the value people place on food they grew themselves as opposed to expensive and therefore unaffordable store bought things. And the ability to still have sex amongst all this terror lol.
emmacmitch's review against another edition
A way quicker read than I thought it reads like a YA book which is great for accessibility!
nataliamar's review against another edition
3.0
Na verdade 3,5. Toda parte da Semente da Terra e os versinhos da Loren eu achei meio idiotas, para ser bem sincera. A Loren é adulta demais para a idade dela, mas já acostumei com isso nesse tipo de livro. Dei nota boa porque fiquei chocada com a capacidade da Octavia de prever o futuro. Não estamos exatamente iguais, mas não duvido que seja um futuro bastante possível. É assustador.
markcastaneda's review against another edition
5.0
unreal. I feel like I had different expectations than what I read, because everyone tends to describe this book first as an intersectional environmentalist commentary on society with religious overtones, so it was easy to forget that at its core it is simply a story.
That being said, all those thematic elements are integral to the story, and it genuinely scared me with how realistic it is. Although the timeline may not be quite there, as we approach the mid 2020s and our governing bodies remain mostly intact, the post-apocalyptic reality is jarring. I hope this story can influence positive change
The prose is wonderful, the story is enticing, the characters are realistic and compelling, there's literally not a thing to complain about here. I intend to read Earthseed #2, but the greatest tragedy is knowing that Butler will never complete Lauren's story as she intended to.
That being said, all those thematic elements are integral to the story, and it genuinely scared me with how realistic it is. Although the timeline may not be quite there, as we approach the mid 2020s and our governing bodies remain mostly intact, the post-apocalyptic reality is jarring. I hope this story can influence positive change
The prose is wonderful, the story is enticing, the characters are realistic and compelling, there's literally not a thing to complain about here. I intend to read Earthseed #2, but the greatest tragedy is knowing that Butler will never complete Lauren's story as she intended to.
llayaz's review against another edition
dark
reflective
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? No
4.5
ehb's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0