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maxicosi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Gun violence, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Classism, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Racism, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Cannibalism, and Violence
Minor: Cannibalism, Domestic abuse, Trafficking, Abortion, Outing, Animal death, and Blood
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: Slavery, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, Child death, Rape, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Police brutality, Pregnancy, Cannibalism, and Drug abuse
bohemianhermit04'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? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Death, Murder, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, and Blood
Minor: Child death, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Cannibalism, and Cursing
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: Police brutality, Racism, Rape, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Misogyny, Child death, Death of parent, Torture, Classism, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Slavery, Murder, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, Sexism, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic, Pregnancy, and Sexual assault
daysanchez'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Blood, Child death, Drug use, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Violence, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Colonisation, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Animal death, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Cursing, Medical trauma, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Torture, and Sexual content
mutua1core'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Racism, Slavery, Gore, Police brutality, Pregnancy, War, Animal death, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Rape, Sexual content, Addiction, Gun violence, Classism, Sexual assault, and Violence
theemeraldgirl23'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
4.25
Moderate: Gore, Pregnancy, Slavery, Murder, Body horror, Gun violence, Rape, Cannibalism, Addiction, and Racism
Minor: Sexual assault, Suicide, Excrement, Incest, and Infidelity
lynxpardinus's review against another edition
4.25
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.julieallison'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? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Slavery, Incest, Physical abuse, Torture, Child abuse, Violence, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Cursing, Cannibalism, Child death, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Pregnancy, War, Addiction, Classism, Death, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual assault, and Drug use
katrinarose'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, Child death, Gun violence, Rape, Violence, Blood, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Sexual content, Cannibalism, Grief, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy