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lizreadsbooks's review
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Gun violence, Sexual assault, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Cannibalism
henrybirdie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I went into this book knowing nothing about the plot, so was excited to realize it takes place in a dystopian, near-future setting — one of my favorite sub genres. Butler’s imagining of the 2020’s feels unsettling in the same way that Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale does. Both worlds feel extreme and hyperbolic while also giving you that nagging feeling of being scarily possible. This novel explores a version of California ravaged by climate change and late stage capitalism, where modern progress and technology has effectively collapsed and the economy has crumbled.
Throughout the novel I found myself wondering how I might fare in this version of America — where would I feel safe? Would I know how to effectively grow my own food? Learn how to mend, how to maintain and fortify my own home base? Would I be a useful asset in my community like Lauren, or cling to the old and dead ways of life?
I became totally immersed and engaged in Lauren’s journey and also appreciated Butler’s commentaries on American culture, race, status, and the pitfalls of capitalism.
The not so good:
This leads me to my next issue. Where the hell are all the bicycles, wagons, carts, trailers…any kind of low tech wheeled vehicle?! In a world where no one can afford to drive gas powered vehicles surely this would have become a major form of transportation and something that many people would learn to improvise. Characters ride bikes early on, in and around the immediate neighborhood but they’re never mentioned again once Lauren hits the road. Have all the horses and cows and donkeys been eaten? All forms of animal husbandry have been completely abandoned? Seems lazy!
Last and most importantly….the significant age gap romance gave me major ick. I’m really not seeing the greater purpose for our girl Lauren to fall for a man who is not only nearly the same exact age as her presumably dead father, but actively reminds her of her father. Like…I get it, Lauren has suffered significant trauma and latches onto a man that can take the place of her missing dad but ugggghhh, did it have to be a sexual relationship? A barely 18 year old girl and a 55 year old man??? I guess she’s just “an old soul”…. “mature for her age”…..etc. Sigh.
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
reads2cope's review against another edition
5.0
I can't believe it took me this long to read Parable of the Sower, but any time since it's publication has been the perfect time to read. On Instagram, @bookishcrimson pointed out how Zarah recommended sucking on a plum or apricot pits to stave off thirst while Palestinian mothers are giving their babies dates to suck on because of the lack of milk and all other foods in the genocide on Gaza.
Every time the political race came up in the book, it felt so much like the USA race today. Describing one of the candidates as "a symbol of the past for us to hold on to as we’re pushed into the future. He’s nothing. No substance. But having him there, the latest in a two-and-a-half-century-long line of American Presidents make people feel that the country, the culture that they grew up with is still here — that we’ll get through these bad times and back to normal.” That exactly explains the current candidates to me.
The disease and environmental collapse is so obviously on-point that it hardly feels worth mentioning. COVID-19 has been on constant high waves, disabling and killing people in horrifying numbers? Ignore it. Every season is warmer than ever and every marker for irreversible damage is being met? "'These things frighten people. It’s best not to talk about them.” “ But, Dad, that’s like… like ignoring a fire in the living room because we’re all in the kitchen, and, besides, house fires are too scary to talk about.'"
The only thing I didn't like about this book was Earthseed. While I understand Laura wanting to have a clear mantra to help her through societal collapse, the "belief" in Earthseed seemed less religious to everyone around her and more a unifying idea. By which I mean, her friends and fellow travelers were happy to hear about it and agreed with some basic points, but no one gave up worshiping a different God or fully believed in the space travel promise of Earthseed. I was annoyed that Lauren wanted to make a religious cult rather than a commune, but as her main focus was survival, it didn't take up too much of the book.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Drug abuse, Police brutality, Cannibalism, and Pregnancy
nyst's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Rape, Sexual content, and Trafficking
meghancolbert's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Rape, Blood, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Racism
chadconnecticut's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
And while there’s much handwringing over this, it seems anything current readers are grasping for is simply reinventing the wheel that Butler shaped nearly 30 years ago. This book is sobering and pulls no punches, but it also grounds itself firmly in the hope and possibility of community.
Butler is one of the greatest to ever do it.
Graphic: Animal death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Slavery, Blood, Cannibalism, and Murder
Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, and Trafficking
Minor: Rape
tafeeeeee'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
5.0
The narrator's voice is amazing. I want to listen to more of her narrations.
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, and Slavery
Moderate: Physical abuse, Blood, Cannibalism, and Injury/Injury detail
chealey14's review
- 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: Death, Gun violence, Incest, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Rape
jess_eliza's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Body horror, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Mass/school shootings, and War
gustgustgust'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
4.25
The story is beautiful. the main character, Lauren Olamina, is such a beautiful, complicated character. The relationships are complicated and dense and tentative. The real shining moment is just the world Bulter weaved. It felt not only like it happened, but that I was watching it happen in front of me. It's not for me to adapt, but it is definitely something that would make an incredible series if given full opportunity to be as dark, grim, and haunting as it needs to be.
The only thing that knocked it down for me was there was a lot of violence, and I understand that the world needed it so it's just a personal taste thing. I don't think anything was don't to scandalize or be outrageous, it was true to the world, I just got pulled out going "oh no, this is too much, too real"
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Moderate: Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and Pandemic/Epidemic