Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler

120 reviews

kexinmeng's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Violence, Torture, Kidnapping, War, Slavery, Sexism, Pedophilia, Incest, Homophobia, Rape, Religious bigotry, Trafficking, and Physical abuse

gwade's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery

Moderate: Child abuse and Torture

Minor: Rape, Violence, and Trafficking

mamaquiereleer's review against another edition

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Slavery, Sexual assault, and Trafficking

Moderate: Rape, Sexism, Kidnapping, Child death, and Gun violence

Minor: Domestic abuse, Vomit, and Suicide

madelinekramer2021's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• 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: Confinement, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Rape, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Violence, and War

iloveolaf's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Child abuse, Child death, Lesbophobia, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Slavery

jujubeees's review against another edition

5.0

It’s such a tragedy that the world didn’t get to see this trilogy completed.

I have big feelings about this book:
I hate that

Olamina’s daughter sided with her uncle over her mother, though I certainly understand that her life has not been ideal

.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Slavery, Child abuse, Death of parent, Rape, and Religious bigotry

jwells's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful

The first half of this book seemed really slow, compared to the tension of the first book. There are also a LOT of Earthseed verses, which I can't claim are all that meaningful to me. I'm not really getting into the God is Change stuff. 

It's an interesting question to what extent Butler wanted her invented religion to actually inspire us readers. Did she make it up just to tell a great story? Or did she hope we'd come away from these books with new levels of commitment to achieving space colonies, because that's the spiritual destiny of the human species?

The community building aspects of Earthseed are lovely, but I can't really buy into the idea that we need space colonies as a communal goal. I mean, it would be cool if we could, someday, but I could think of lots of other good communal goals we could work on.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Sexism, Physical abuse, and Slavery

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Rape, Gun violence, and Confinement

corriejn's review against another edition

dark sad

• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.25

Enjoyed this one a bit less than the first book (Parable of the Sower).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Child death, Blood, Torture, Violence, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Trafficking, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, and Death

Moderate: Medical content and Pregnancy

Minor: War

relaxingfelon's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Religious bigotry

sweaterdad's review against another edition

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

4.75

Such an important and timely book despite the fact it’s 25 years old. I literally cannot believe Butler predicted the campaign slogan used by Trump. That’s just one of many things she predicted, though. Such a genius!

Although I really appreciated it, I often found myself having to put it down—primarily due to the copious mention of sexual abuse, physical and emotional abuse. 

I think the social upheaval, economic disparities, and climate disasters also hit super close to home and would sometimes cause me to panic or feel worried about our current world. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, War, Child abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Death, Murder, Violence, Grief, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, and Trafficking

This book deserves almost every kind of content warning, so please beware! It’s incredibly brutal, so please make sure to take breaks and check in with someone as needed.