Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

La Parabole du semeur by Octavia E. Butler

159 reviews

unsuccessfulbookclub's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful fast-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? Yes

5.0

Wowwwwwww. Dark, fascinating, exciting, deep, complex… a perfect dystopia. With an end filled with a strange hope. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Slavery, Vomit, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse and Child death

mac23's review against another edition

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, Blood, Cannibalism, Abortion, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Classism

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

freya163's review against another edition

dark reflective 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, and Death of parent

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

doramag's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Rape, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

ksuazo94's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gore, Rape, Slavery, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Cannibalism, and Murder

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

emisabelleruby's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

There was so much duality to this book. It was slow, but also fast paced. It was desolate, but uplifting. It was painful, yet beautiful. Some of my favorite moments were when Lauren would notice the little pockets of beauty, like when she saw the water sparkling through the trees out of the corner of her eye. Somehow I expected more to happen plot wise, even though thinking about it now sooo much did happen…I guess all that I can add now is that I really enjoyed being in Lauren’s head. The 3.5 stars is because though this book was great, it didn’t particularly move me enough to get into the four star range. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, and Cannibalism

twu's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail