Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Octavia E. Butler, Damian Duffy

23 reviews

bespokeremote's review

5.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Have read the original book several times and it's a favorite. This adaptation is very good, and I will probably also read this many times. The art itself evokes a lot of emotion, especially appreciate the way hyperempathy is drawn. I deeply love the prominence of the earthseed verses, almost a shortcut to that information that's not so easily/quickly found when reading the original book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Pregnancy, War, Injury/Injury detail

jjvaldezbooks's review

4.0

challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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slightly less my style of book than kindred. i feel like if I had more biblical knowledge I might have vibed with it more but I'm a long-lapsed Catholic 

devastating story of a young woman trying to survive the end of capitalism/her world. it's not quite hopeful, but god does it make you grit your teeth and want to do something about this shit

intrigued by the real world study of Earthseed as a religion that I've seen online, excited to go back and explore that

(I didn't like the art again. sorry.)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Vomit, Kidnapping, Car accident, Pregnancy

Minor: Cancer, Torture

ally_rmarshall's review against another edition

2.5

dark reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Incest, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, Murder, Fire/Fire injury

la_reads_audiobooks's review

4.25

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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This is my third reading of "Parable of the Sower", but my first in this form. I think this adaptation is true to the original, and the art conveys the dystopian and intense mood of the story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder

It's a little too close to home!

hannahgarstang's review

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Learning about Earthseed through the characters dialogue was quite comforting, despite the dystopian world this is set in. The dialouge felt like transcriptions of real conversations. 

The graphic art was chef's kiss and the story had a good pace. 

Lauren is the most observant, insightful and wise protagonists I've ever read. She is so practical and knows how to read a room. 
The age gap relationship was uncomfortable though when you remember she's only 18 years old at that point. 

This dystopian forewarning felt relevant and reflective of issues we face today. Climate change,  unregulated exploitative industry, systemic racism drivrn by the state and the patriarchy are real risks for people's wellbeing currently. I couldn't help but reflect on the examples of modern day slavery. The reflection of police brutality or the harrowing statistics of child abuse, drug abuse and sexual assault. And then on top of all of that, the fact that climate change disproportionately negatively impacts those of lower socioeconomic communities, often BIPOC communities. The emphasis on struggling to access fresh potable water sources felt especially relevant as climate change has a general rule of the dry get drier and the wet get wetter. Meaning drought prone areas are genearlly going to be especially vulnerable as the climate continues to warm. I've heard predictions that instead of fighting wars over oil we will start fighting wars over water one day. The colour selection of red and orange felt very appropriate given this context. 

The message was pretty clear to me. Work together with your communities to prepare for change because change is inevitable. Prepare for climate change with both mitigation and adaptation. Prepare for natural disasters like earthquakes(my community lives on a fault line), floods (the tragedy that was the flooding up north in Hawkes Bay last year), unprecedented forest fires (I won't be forgetting the horror that was the 2020 forest fires in Australia), and more. And address the very clear inequalities that currently exist.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Colonisation, Classism

wrentfree's review

3.5

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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I feel like this is what the world is going to look like in a few years. Read only if you want to get depressed as heck.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail

trippalli's review

2.5

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Very dark and violent, a graphic novel adaptation of a Octavia Butler classic. It's heavy in philosophy of God and belief systems and religion in an internally violent submission post apocalyptic living hell on earth.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Dementia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

radhikag's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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I’m just in shock like … how was she this intelligent? it’s a disservice to call her psychic but I think she was just paying a lot more attention n was a lot more insightful than many. I love everything I’ve read by Octavia Butler she’s amazing and it is gorgeous reading this in graphic novel form! So happy I read this 🥰

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Grief

Moderate: Death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Death of parent

Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation

mari77's review

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail

readandfindout's review

3.25

challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

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Style/writing: 4 stars
Themes: 4 stars
Characters: 3.5 stars
Plot: 4 stars
Worldbuilding: 3.5 stars
Art: 1 star

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Incest