Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

244 reviews

keyradiator's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative 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

This book is really a marvel. Octavia Butler's writing is accessible, evocative, crisp, and visceral; reading her and Ursula K. Le Guin made me realize I took entirely too long reading several mediocre science fiction books from more mainstream authors.

There is a thing or two in this book that are structurally suboptimal, but overall, the pacing is biting and cohesive, the characters have deeeeep stories and flaws, and the world building is some of the best I've ever read.

This book is dark. You can't quite prepare yourself for just how dark it gets, yet, somehow Butler manages to make a beam of hope cut through all of the noise that carries you through. Please read this book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Child abuse, Classism, Gore, Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexual content, Gun violence, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Excrement, Murder, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Car accident, Sexual harassment, Violence, Child death, Medical content, Trafficking, Self harm, Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness

Moderate: Police brutality, Cannibalism, Body horror, Animal death, Vomit, and War

Minor: Self harm, Car accident, Child abuse, Addiction, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Excrement, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, and Racism

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

dark reflective sad

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Rape, Violence, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Addiction, Gore, Adult/minor relationship, Slavery, Child death, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual content, Blood, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Suicide, War, Sexual violence, and Incest

Minor: Fatphobia, Excrement, and Vomit

Adult/minor relationship warning is also for a relationship between a grown adult and an 18-year-old.

theonlysentree's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring 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: Death, Slavery, Classism, Murder, Racism, Gun violence, Police brutality, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual violence, Animal death, Child death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Blood, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Murder, and Sexual assault

rebel_rocketman's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Murder, Slavery, Rape, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Gun violence

Moderate: Racism and Trafficking

brittburkard's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Racism, Death, Death of parent, Animal death, Murder, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Gun violence, Slavery, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Rape, and Violence

Moderate: Drug use, Grief, and Cannibalism

audwild's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cannibalism, Slavery, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Gore, Death, Racism, Addiction, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Grief, Murder, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, and Kidnapping

salemander's review against another edition

5.0

so haunting and hopeful at the same time. octavia butler is a master of her craft. her poetic language and incredible world building kept me hooked.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Trafficking, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Racism, Rape, Addiction, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Violence

cadence99's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? No

4.25

This would be a five star read for me if not for the relationship with Bankole. The power dynamic felt INCREDIBLY gross, not just because of the age difference (he is apparently old enough to be her grandfather) but because of his ownership of (potentially) safe land and his skill as a doctor. In addition, I really didn’t appreciate the weird dismissive way he treated her views surrounding earthseed. 

HOWEVER, moving on from that whole mess- this was a fantastic book overall. The world felt so rich and uncomfortably real, tackling huge questions on human nature and morality. I think my favorite part of the book was the lens of mercy and understanding that our MC gave even to the people who displayed the most reprehensible, violent behavior. Despite being victim to the same dystopia as every one of our characters, Lauren brings with her a unique understanding of human nature, and a compassion towards even those who have the potential to do her harm. I think her wisdom in that realm is what allows her to begin developing Earthseed, and ultimately, allows her to survive. I look forward to reading the second book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Slavery, Rape, Sexual content, Classism, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Blood, Murder, Grief, and Domestic abuse

kjperry97's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Murder, Racism, Trafficking, Drug abuse, Slavery, Rape, War, and Sexual assault

katadamz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad 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? Yes

4.75

This will be a book that haunts me. I suspect it will cause nightmares for years to come. I think for that alone, this is an excellent novel. Prescient, as well. 

I’m still tossing around what I think about the portrayals  romantic relationships in the novel (both mixed race and age gaps). I wonder if those are just jarring against how accurate the rest of the novel felt. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Slavery, Trafficking, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Incest, Sexism, Rape, Cannibalism, Child death, Racism, and Sexual assault