Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

La Parabole du semeur by Octavia E. Butler

361 reviews

micaelabrody's review against another edition

4.5

not much i can say that anyone hasn’t said better, but. one of the few books about god that managed to not feel very christian even as it explicitly draws on christianity. butler is a master at the use of brutality contrasted with hope - without feeling saccharine or cheap. she has an economy of language in her prose that makes the violence feel more impactful and visceral, and of course immediate (reading that “2024” at the beginning of the book was downright chilling). while i know i read fledgling in college for a class i don’t remember this so it really was like a great intro to one of the greats’ work. i do wish i’d been able to read this when i was less busy with both work and mania and looking forward to reading it again one day.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Rape

angielina's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring tense medium-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Gun violence

Moderate: Drug use, Cannibalism, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Rape

abi_lowe's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Cannibalism, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Colonisation, Racism, Addiction, and Gun violence

shesreadingagain_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Violence, Child death, Grief, Animal death, Death, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Blood, Classism, Drug use, Stalking, Gore, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, War, and Torture

bessadams's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Child death, Gun violence, and Death

Moderate: Blood, Sexual content, Rape, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, Slavery, Death of parent, Drug abuse, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Trafficking, Addiction, Police brutality, Incest, Animal death, and Racism

skimkaye's review against another edition

dark tense 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? It's complicated

3.75

It was fine. I liked the overall plot and themes. Pacing was a bit all over the place, but I dont generally mind that. I really liked the commentary on religion with people saying that Earthseed was made up or not anything, and Earthseed itself criticizing other religions while becoming one. The characters were the biggest disappointment to me, they are all very flat and need fleshing out. Lauren is hyper hyperempathetic but even her own internal monologue is emotionless. Bankole is a creepy old man and everyone else is just fine with it. Characters like Travis and Jill are introduced and then barely mentioned. 

I think that I just wanted more from this book. I will probably read the sequel though.

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Cannibalism, Slavery, Racism, Rape, Violence, Gun violence, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, and Death of parent

tey_lynn's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Slavery, Gun violence, Blood, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Drug abuse, Cursing, Murder, Gore, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Death, Child death, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, and Animal death

emelye's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Violence, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Child death

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Blood, Cannibalism, and Drug abuse

heemeeraa's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Child death, Classism, Gaslighting, Genocide, Misogyny, Racism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Colonisation, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, Police brutality, Gun violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, Rape, Trafficking, War, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Cannibalism, Slavery, Death of parent, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, and Sexism

hanlue's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Child death, and Rape