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badbadwolf'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
4.0
Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual assault, Gore, Hate crime, Incest, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Miscarriage, Rape, Slavery, Abandonment, Classism, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Racism, Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Religious bigotry, Blood, Infidelity, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Vomit, Confinement, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Violence, and Trafficking
rorikae'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
5.0
Somehow even more so than with Parable of the Sower, Parable of the Talents is a harrowing story. Lauren's life is an incredibly hard one and this book has every trigger warning possible. Butler dives into what the world would look like as it falls apart and how different people would choose to find their place. Some find it in fascism and having power over others. Other people seek out small communities and look to the stars.
Lauren is never the most likable character, which is part of what makes her such a fascinating protagonist. She has a very strong goal but this goal often comes before other people, including her direct family. Butler does an exceptional job of creating a character study of one woman seeking to find power and influence in life through what she believes is a calling. The other perspective that runs through this novel (which I won't spoil) is a helpful contrast to Lauren's perspective. After an entire book of Lauren's journals with Parable of the Sower, I think one of the reasons why Parable of the Talents is somehow even better is because of this contrasting point of view. We get to see how other people view Lauren and how some of the choices she makes look to those who are not in her own head.
This is one of the best duologies that I have ever read. Butler is considered one of the greats in SF for a reason. This book is a must read, especially regarding how scarily close some aspects are to our current reality.
Graphic: Confinement, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Sexism, Murder, Body horror, Bullying, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Child death, Blood, Child abuse, Trafficking, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, and Violence
Minor: Pedophilia, Death of parent, and War
derik_rochlitzer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Murder, Sexism, Classism, Death, Addiction, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Drug use, Genocide, Grief, Abandonment, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Misogyny, Rape, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Trafficking, and War
kurumipanda'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
5.0
Graphic: Torture, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Outing, Murder, Genocide, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Death, Kidnapping, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, Racism, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Rape, Gun violence, Violence, Confinement, Child abuse, and Blood
Moderate: Medical content, Police brutality, Child death, Classism, Suicide, and Child abuse
Minor: Eating disorder, War, Islamophobia, Dementia, Fire/Fire injury, and Bullying
kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Ableism, Violence, Sexism, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Murder, Child abuse, Colonisation, Confinement, Genocide, Car accident, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Child death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Xenophobia, Torture, Rape, Hate crime, War, Transphobia, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Outing, Misogyny, Medical trauma, and Animal death
lorenag5'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
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Grief, Murder, Bullying, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, and Trafficking
apollos_books'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
5.0
this book as all the content warnings though. like literally. read with care and caution
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Blood, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Incest, Gore, Kidnapping, and Murder
chilicrispy'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
4.5
Moderate: Rape, Violence, Trafficking, Torture, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Racism, Racial slurs, Police brutality, War, Xenophobia, Vomit, Slavery, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Murder, Misogyny, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Death, Death of parent, Hate crime, and Kidnapping
achingallover's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Addiction, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Torture, and Violence